Wallace B. Higgason

Wallace Higgason was born Feb. 10, 1859 in Henderson County, Illinois, and died April 15, 1915 in Marietta, Minn. He is great grandfather to my mom and her siblings, and great great grandfather to me, my sister and our cousins.

At the age of 16 Wallace came to Iowa with his parents and settled near Fremont, Mahaska County. On Oct. 13, 1881 in Mahaska County he married 1) Josephine Dinsmore, 1860-1901.

He and Josie had three daughters and two sons: Ina (Cressy) Allen, Orpha (James) Ruxton, Hazel (Joseph) Seubert, Walter B. Higgason (from whom we are descended), and Walter's twin brother William D. Higgason.

Wallace was converted to Christianity in the Billy Sunday meetings. William "Billy" Sunday, 1862-1935, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.

Censuses over Wallace's lifetime variously listed his occupation as farmer, carpenter, real estate agent and veterinarian. In Zearing and then in Marshalltown, Iowa he had a business called the Higgason Remedy Company that made and sold the Higgason Hog Cholera Remedy.

Wallace was an inventor. In addition to inventing his hog cholera remedy, a 1913 story in the Oelwein Daily Register says he was granted a patent for his operating table for animals.

In early March, 1901 Wallace had a spectacular close call that would have ended his life at age 42. In Marshalltown he was meeting the train of his wife and daughter Hazel. He did not notice an incoming thru train and stepped directly in front of it. The shout of many bystanders went up and he heard the cry just in time to get out of the way. In December of the same year he lost his wife, 41, her death attributed to a tumor.

Also in 1901 the Marshall Oil Company bought the Hawkeye Oil Company in Marshalltown, a purchase that included Wallace's remedy company.

Wallace was litigious. In 1903, now living in Story City, Iowa, he won a lawsuit so Marshall Oil could no longer use the name Higgason in marketing the hog cholera remedy.

On March 7, 1906 in Des Moines Wallace married 2) Ida Brandon, 1877-1938.

Wallace suffered from both cancer and tuberculosis, which ultimately took his life at age 56. He and Josie are buried at Fremont.

Wallace at findagrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16946979
Wallace at familysearch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L27X-SQJ
1st wife Josie at familysearch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/K8YF-4H8
2nd wife Ida at familysearch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/27XQ-FR2

WALLACE BRUCE HIGGASON was born February 10, 1859 in Henderson County, Illinois, and died April 15, 1915 in Marietta, Minn. He married 1) JOSEPHINE DINSMORE October 13, 1881, daughter of WILLIAM DINSMORE and MARY HAMPSON. Josie’s parents were born in Ohio and she was born Nov. 14, 1860 in Martinsburg, Keokuk County, IA, and died Dec. 20, 1901 in her home in Zearing, Story County, IA. Both are buried at Cedar Twp Cemetery, Fremont, Mahaska Co. IA, as are their parents and Josie’s brothers and sisters.
On March 7, 1906 Wallace married 2) Ida Brandon in Des Moines, Iowa, born Jan. 15, 1877 in Iowa, died Jan. 29, 1938 in South Dakota. daughter of S.A. Brandon and Parshena Lee. In 1923 Ida married 2) Herbert Vedder. She and Herbert are buried in State Veterans Home Cemetery, Hot Springs, Fall River County, SD. Ida: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25525046
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Obituary from Fremont Gazette May 6, 1915:
Wallace B. Higgason was born in Henderson County, Illinois Feb. 10, 1859, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ina Allen of Marietta, Minn., aged 56 years, 2 months and 6 days. At the age of 16 he came to Iowa with his parents and settled near Fremont.
On Oct. 13, 1881, he was married to Josie Dinsmore, who passed away December 20, 1901. To this union were born three daughters and two sons, Mrs. Cressy Allen, Marietta, Minn.; Mrs. Jas. Ruxton, Zearing Iowa; Miss Hazel Higgason, Sioux Falls, S.D., Walter B., Union, Iowa; and William D., Des Moines, all of whom survive him. Of his father's family he is survived by three, Mrs. Eliza Garner, Oskaloosa; Mrs. Lizzie Howard, Axtell, Mo.; and Gus Higgason, Boise City, Idaho.
He was converted in the Billy Sunday* meetings. He has been a great sufferer from the two diseases, cancer and tuberculosis, but when the final summons came to him he passed away quietly and peacefully into the new life.
The funeral services were conducted at Marietta and the body was accompanied to Fremont by Mr. and Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Ruxton, Walter and William Higgason, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Garner and Mrs. Lizzie Howard. A brief service was conducted by Rev. Williams at the cemetery Saturday afternoon.

* William Ashley "Billy" Sunday, 1862-1935, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century. More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Sunday
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Occupations for WALLACE B. HIGGASON: Real estate agent and veterinarian. The 1885 & 1895 Iowa censuses both show him and family living in Cedar, Mahaska Co., Iowa. The first lists his occupation as farmer and the second as carpenter. In Zearing and then in Marshalltown, Iowa he had a business called the Higgason Remedy Company that made and sold the Higgason Hog Cholera Remedy.

http://iagenweb.org/story/ZearingHist/
Community History Zearing Iowa
Published in 1956, written by Donald H. Grimm.
Page 146:
HIGGASON
The Higgason family was a prominent Zearing family in the early 1900's. Wallace B. Higgason was a veterinarian in our community.
Wallace Bruce Higgason and Josephine Dinsmore were married at Fremont, Iowa, on June 25, 1880.
Wallace and Josephine were the parents of five children. They were Ina, Orpha, William, Walter, and Hazel.
Ina Higgason Allen is living at Marion, Iowa, in 1955. Orpha Higgason Ruxton is a resident of our community. William is deceased. Walter lives at Amarillo, Texas. Hazel Higgason Seubert is a resident of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Siblings:

1. John W. Higgason, b. abt 1855 in Indiana https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L27L-XV6
2. Augustus "Gus" Allen Higgason, b. Jan. 1857 in Illinois, d. Oct 5, 1931 in Canyon County, Idaho; https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82047846
3. Wallace B. Higgason, b. Feb. 10 1859 in Henderson County, Ill., d. April 15, 1915 in Lac Qui Parle, Minn.; https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16946979
4. Sarah Eliza Higgason Garner, b. Feb. 28 1861 in Henderson County, Ill., d. April 30 1924 in Los Angeles County, Calif.; https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/133858482
5. Emma Higgason Rowe, b. abt 1863 in Illinois, d. July 19 1895 https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L27K-XMM
6. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Ellen Higgason Howard, b. Sept. 6, 1865 in Henderson County, Ill., d. Sept. 6 1927 in Macon County, Mo.; https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97829814
7. Addie L. Higgason 1873-1877 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146960383

Burial Cedar Township Cemetery, Fremont, IA, USA
Birth: February 10, 1859
Death: April 15, 1915 (56)
Immediate Family:
Son of Samuel J. Higgason and Mary Dicky Higgason
Husband of Josephine Higgason
Father of Ina Leona Higgason; Orpha A. Higgason; Walter Bruce Higgason; William Higgason and Hazel Higgason

1870 census - Higgasons:
State: Illinois Series: M593 Family: 52
Date: 1870 Frame: 00173 Line: 40
Sheet: 7 Image: 173
Henderson County July 1870
Relation to head of household was not recorded in this census. However, MyHeritage has developed technology to imply the relations based on surname, gender, age and position in the household. Though not perfect, the implied relations are often correct.
Relation to head Name Age
Head (implied) Samuel J Higgason 36
Wife (implied) Mary Higgason 35
Son (implied) John Higgason 15
Son (implied) Augustus Higgason 13
Son (implied) Wallace Higgason 11
Daughter (implied) Sarah Higgason 9
Daughter (implied) Emma Higgason 7
Daughter (implied) Elizabeth Higgason 5

1870 census
Name, Sex, Age, Birthplace:
Samuel J Higgason M 36 Indiana
Mary Higgason F 35 Indiana
John Higgason M 15 Indiana
Augustus Higgason M 13 Illinois
Wallace Higgason M 11 Illinois
Sarah Higgason F 9 Illinois
Emma Higgason F 7 Illinois
Elizabeth Higgason F 5 Illinois
Event Place Illinois, United States
United States Census, 1870
Household ID 52
Line Number 3
Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Affiliate Publication Number M593
GS Film number 000545727
Digital Folder Number 004263315
Image Number 00174
Citing this Record: "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M643-TB4 : 12 April 2016), Emma Higgason in household of Samuel J Higgason, Illinois, United States; citing p. 8, family 52, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,727.

• Residence: 1870 -  Illinois, USA
• Race: White
• Updated from 1870 United States Federal Census by SmartCopy: Nov 26 2014, 15:17:04 UTC

IOWA, COUNTY MARRIAGES, 1838-1934:
Name W. B. Higgason
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 07 Mar 1906
Event Place Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Age 48
Birthplace Henderson Co., Ill.
Father's Name Samuel J Higgason
Mother's Name Mary D. Campbell
Spouse's Name Ida Brandon
Spouse's Age 30
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1876
Spouse's Birthplace Somerset Warren Co., Ia.
Spouse's Father's Name S. A. Brandon
Spouse's Mother's Name Parshena Lee
Reference ID p 116
GS Film Number 1014489
Digital Folder Number 004310031
CITING THIS RECORD: "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJFM-P5S : accessed 20 February 2016), Samuel J Higgason in entry for W. B. Higgason and Ida Brandon, 07 Mar 1906; citing Des Moines, Iowa, United States, county courthouses, Iowa.

Ida marriage after Wallace died:
IOWA, COUNTY MARRIAGES, 1838-1934:
Name Herbert A Vedder
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 21 Oct 1923
Event Place Polk, Iowa, United States
Age 77
Birth Year (Estimated) 1846
Spouse's Name Ida Brandon
Spouse's Age 47
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1876
Spouse's Father's Name S A Brandon
Spouse's Mother's Name Pertha Lee Digital Folder Number 004266318
CITING THIS RECORD: "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDS-SGYW : accessed 20 February 2016), Herbert A Vedder and Ida Brandon, 1923.

Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002:
Typed or Handwritten H
Name Wallace B Higgason
Event Type Death
Event Date 16 Apr 1915
Event Place Lac Qui Parle, Minnesota
Record Number 166087
Certificate Number 006340
Certificate Year 1915
File Name 006340
Affiliate Batch Identifier NF068DO
Citing this Record: "Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4CB-4ZK : 4 December 2014), Wallace B Higgason, 16 Apr 1915; from "Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2001); citing Lac Qui Parle, Minnesota, record 166087, certificate number 006340, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis.