My Genealogy Hound

JOHN HIGMAN, Jr., a leading business man of St. Joseph, is Secretary and Treasurer of the Wells-Higman Company, manufacturers of baskets, berry boxes and fruit packages of every variety. He was born on a farm in the town of Caton, Steuben County, N. Y., March 1, 1853, and is the son of John and Clarisa B. (Brown) Higman. The father, an industrious and enterprising man, is a farmer of Steuben County, where he has made his home for many years. The early school days of our subject were spent in much the usual routine of farmer lads, alternating work on the farm during the summer seasons with attendance at the neighboring school in winter. After completing the course of study in the district school, he entered the union school at Corning, N. Y., from which he was graduated at the age of twenty years.

Coming to St. Joseph in 1873, Mr. Higman accepted a position of clerk in the First National Bank of this city, of which his brother, W. E. Higman, was at that time President. However, he remained in the bank a few months only, after which he formed a partnership with A. W. Wells, H. C. Ward and W. W. Cooper, and embarked in the manufacture of fruit baskets and boxes. For a number of years he had charge of the sales department and spent much of his time on the road. In 1883 he bought Mr. Cooper’s interest and took charge of the financial department. In 1889 the business was reorganized as a stock company, known as the Wells-Higman Company, since which date Mr. Higman has been Secretary and Treasurer.

The company has four basket plants, including the one in St. Joseph. The others are in Memphis and Greenfield, Tenn., and Traverse City, Mich., with branches at Benton Harbor and elsewhere. In 1889 new plants were started in the South, and in all of these branches steady employment is given to about four hundred men. The Traverse City plant employs as high as two hundred hands, and has every modern convenience for the manufacture of fruit packages. Mr. Higman takes a deep interest in all enterprises tending toward the improvement of St. Joseph, and is a liberal contributor to all projects calculated to facilitate its progress. He has been a member of the School Board for about ten years. Formerly he filled the position of Secretary and Treasurer of Plank’s Tavern, which has been sold to other parties and is now known as Hotel St. Joseph. He gave a great deal of time in securing the Vandalia road for St. Joseph, securing the right of way, besides otherwise assisting the project. He was President of the Board of Trade of St. Joseph for two terms.

In 1877 Mr. Higman married Miss Metta B., daughter of A. P. Barlow, of St. Joseph, and their union has resulted in the birth of five daughters and two sons. Mr. Higman is at present serving as Trustee of the Children’s Home of St. Joseph, and for years has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the First Baptist Church at Benton Harbor, and Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He owns valuable dock property on the St. Joseph River, also a fine residence surrounded by ten acres of good land, and a tract of one hundred and forty-six acres on the lake front northwest of Benton Harbor, a famous resort known as L. L. Gap, which is now being developed. He also has large real-estate interests in Sioux City, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minn. By nature he is gifted with fine endowments and these he has cultivated to the utmost. His various enterprises are guided by prudence, and into his daily labors he throws his individual uprightness and energy, qualities which are the glory of every man’s character and life.