The State of Wyoming 

31 Jan 2012

Source: Progressive men of the state of Wyoming - By A.W. Bowen & Co -

- JOHN E. HIGGINS -
Numbered among the pushing, energetic and successful business operators of his section of Wyoming, where, in affairs that are far-reaching and of importance, he is the acknowledged leader, and, being distinctively honored with the office of president of the Glenrock Woolgrowers' Association, and also being a definite and powerful force in the development of the state, John E. Higgins, of this review, should have more than a mere recognition in any volume treating of the state's progressive citizens. He was born in Manitowoc county. Wisconsin, in October, 1857, a son of John and Ann (Lanagan) Higgins, the father being a native of County Connaught, Ireland, while the mother was reared in the north part of the Emerald Isle. The father emigrated when a young man. and. after his marriage, ultimately settled permanently in Wisconsin, when that was the border-land and frontier of civilization and wild beasts and Indians were both plentiful and troublesome. As early pioneers, the family struggled and labored, developing, through hardships, privations and the toil of years, a productive estate from a former wilderness tract, and here the father died in the same year that saw the birth of his youngest son, the subject of this review. After his father's death the family removed to another part of the state, and upon attaining his fifteenth year. Mr. Higgins began life for himself, going to Minnesota, where he was employed for several years in the great lumbering operations of the pineries of that state. In 1881 he came to the present location of Livingston. Mont., and was connected for four years with railroad construction, in 1885 coming to Glenrock, Wyo., one year in advance of the railroad. In this prospective city Mr. Higgins established a mercantile establishment, with which lie has been identified to the present, and seen advance from very small size and proportions to a magnitude commensurate with the rapid advance of the country and the skill and business ability of the proprietors. It is now housed and displayed in a creditable store building of 50x100 feet in size, and consists of a full stock of general merchandise, adapted to the needs and desires of the dwellers in the extensive region tributary to the town. In 1897 Mr. Higgins plotted and founded the progressive town of Thermopolis. where he also engaged in merchandising, his first store and entire contents being utterly destroyed by fire on July 31, 1898, involving a loss of $4o.00o. Such was the energy of its owner that within thirty days a new store was in operation, the business proceeding as if nothing had happened. The mercantile operations at Thermopolis are now conducted by the firm of Higgins & McGrath, our subject being the senior partner. Under his sagacious plans and management, the young, inchoate Thermopolis is rapidly developing into a. place of importance, showing great prosperity. Mr. Higgins has extended his business relations successfully into the stock department of Wyoming's great natural resources, having a finely improved ranch between Box Elder and Deer Creeks, where he is running from 400 to 500 head of Hereford cattle with 15.000 to 20.000 sheep. Mr. Higgins was appointed county commissioner in 1894, and was elected to the same office in 1900, while, in 1805. he received a highly flattering vote and election to the State Legislature, where he showed the elements of an able, popular and successful legislator and statesman. His interest in educational matters has been shown by his conscientious discharge of the duties of school trustee for several years, being alive to and active in all plans and propositions tending to the welfare of the community and the state. Fraternally, he is associated with the Masonic order as a Knight Templar. He is also the owner of a fine landed estate in Nebraska, where he is now running 500 head of fine cattle. Mr. Higgins has been most fortunate in his marriage relations, having wedded, in June. 1885, Miss Josephine Amoretti, the daughter of the prominent banker of that name connected with the banks of Lander and Thermopolis, and who stands as a leader in the financial circles of the state, a sketch of whose interesting career appears elsewhere in this volume. 1 His daughter, who received the best educational advantages of the leading countries of Europe, inherits much of her father's financial and business ability, and is a most capable assistant and coadjutor of Mr. Higgins in his numerous branches of commercial activity, and they are prominent in social and society circles of the state, while in their attractive home they are unequalled as entertainers.

and

Source: History of Wyoming, Volume 3 - edited by Ichabod Sargent Bartlett
- HON. JOHN E. HIGGINS - 
Hon. John E. Higgins, of Glenrock, belongs to that class of enterprising and progressive men who have contributed in marked measure to the development of -the state. He is president of the Glen Rock State Bank, owner of the town site of Glenrock and is withal a most energetic business man who has wisely utilized opportunities that others have passed heedlessly by. He was born in Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, October 21, 1857, and is a son of John and Nancy (Lannen) Higgins, both of whom were natives of Ireland. He acquired only a limited common school education, for at the early age of thirteen years he was forced to start out in life to provide for his own support. When fifteen years of age he was earning a man's salary as an employee of the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company. Subsequently he spent two winters in the lumber woods of Wisconsin and did some contract work in getting out railroad ties and other railroad timber. In the winter of 1880-81 he drifted west into Montana, where he continued contracting in railroad ties and other railroad timber for the Union Pacific Railway Company. He remained in Montana until 1886, when he removed to Wyoming and has since been identified with the development and progress of the state, covering a period of almost a third of a century. On his arrival here he located at Nuttal, across the creek from his present home, and turned his attention to merchandising. The following year the coal mines were opened by William Nuttal and a Nebraska company came in and purchased the mining property, after which they founded the town of Glenrock. Mr. Higgins then removed his business to the new town, where he continued to conduct his store for twenty years, carrying a large and well selected line of goods and enjoying a substantial trade. During that period he also became heavily interested in the sheep and cattle business and was recognized as one of the foremost representatives of those industries in Wyoming. His business affairs were wisely managed and carefully conducted, bringing to him substantial success. In 1907 he was the dominant factor in the organization of the Glen Rock State Bank and was made president of the institution, in which capacity he has since served. In 1916 he built the Hotel Higgins, which is the principal hostelry at Glenrock. His business interests have thus been of a varied and important nature and at all times he has carried forward to successful completion whatever he has undertaken. In 1885 Mr. Higgins was united in marriage to Josephine Williams, a daughter of the late Eugene Amoretti, of Lander, Wyoming. Politically Mr. Higgins is a republican, giving stalwart support to the party because of his firm belief in its principles. He served for eight years as a member of the board of county commissioners of Converse county and in 1894 he was elected to represent his district in the state legislature, where he gave thoughtful and earnest consideration to all vital questions that came up for settlement. That his record was highly commendatory is indicated in the fact that in 1916 he was reelected to the position and is serving at the present time. His influence for good has been widely felt along many lines. He was prominently identified with the business interests of Thermopolis for eighteen years as the senior member of the firm of Higgins & McGrath, general merchants. He is an extensive holder of Wyoming lands, having made large investments in property in this state, and his discriminating judgment is attested by the success which has attended his various ventures in the business world. His interests, moreover, have been of a character which have contributed largely to the material development of the state.

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/04001548.pdf

Higgins Hotel

HIGGENS-JOHN-E-41-M-W-WI-WY-CONVERSE-GLENROCK_PCT-1900
1900; Census Place: Glenrock, Converse, Wyoming; Roll: T623_1826; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 23
Name Age
John Higgens 42
Josephine M T Higgens 45

HIGGINS-JOHN-52-M-W-WI-WY-CONVERSE-GLEN_ROCK-1910
1910; Census Place: Glen Rock, Converse, Wyoming; Roll: T624_1746; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0046; Image: 167
Name Age
John Higgins 52
Josephine Higgins 54

HIGGINS-JOHN-E-62-M-W-WI-WY-CONVERSE-GLENROCK-1920
1920; Census Place: Glenrock, Converse, Wyoming; Roll: T625_2026; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 42; Image: 117.
Name Age
John E Higgins 62
Trissie Higgins 65

...

 02 Mar 2007
The City of Cheyenne, Laramie County Wyoming
http://www.cheyennecity.org/Lakeview0107.pdf  
INTERRED- NAME-DATE OF DEATH-SEC CD-LOT CD-LOT SFX- SPACE CD-SPACE SFX

HIGGENS W J JR 2 21 1896 624 C B 0
HIGGINS DAISY ELLEN 10 24 1944 1955 G 0
HIGGINS LEO MARTIN 8 8 1935 1955 H 1

.............
 06 Dec 2006
http://gennut.home.bresnan.net/mhch.html 
Mount Hope Cemetery Index 
App. 1880 to 20 June 2002
Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming
Surname Given Names Birth Date Death Date  
HIGGINS Edith Emeron          17 Sep 1886 18 Apr 1970 
HIGGINS James Herman        19 Jan 1892 27 Dec 1961 
HIGGINS Josephine Amoretti  15 Feb 1860 19 Jun 1924 
HIGGINS William Alfred          31 Aug 1858 10 May 1937 

...

 06 Dec 2006
http://gennut.home.bresnan.net/mvch.html
Mountain View Cemetery Index 
25 May 1923 to 31 December 2005
Riverton, Fremont County, Wyoming
Surname Given Names Birth Date Death Date 
Higgins David Lynn 15 Mar 1895 24 Sep 1971 
Higgins Thelma Pearl 24 Sep 1904 12 Feb 1995 
..............

 24 Nov 2006
Niobrara County Library Lusk, Wyoming 
http://www.niobraracountylibrary.org/obituaries/cemetary.php?page=7  
Area Cemetery Records
Last Name First Name Date of Death Cemetery Section Block Lot Grave 
HIGGINS JOHN WESLEY 02/22/1946 Lusk A 1 3 1 
HIGGINS ONA C.          12/28/1973 Lusk A 1 3 2 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 

   This information compiled by Michael James Higgins Your Webmaster  

Home     

Back to Previous Page  
Back to Top of Page