Oliver B. Higley
Oliver B. Higley (deceased) was born in Windham Township, this county, March 18, 1818, son of Joseph and Sybel (Cogswell) Higley. He was twice married, on first occasion to Eunice West, who bore him one son—Milton. His second marriage, June 14, 1849, was with Betsey Case, born in Pennsylvania June 4, 1827, daughter of Daniel and Phalley (Peck) Case, natives of New York. By this union there were five children: Charley, Mary, July, Clint and Edwin. Our subject was reared on a farm and received a common school and academic education, and entered upon his career in life as a teacher. At the age of twenty-one he went to Iowa, and for several years taught school in the Western States. Returning to Ohio in 1851 he turned his attention to farming and sheep-raising. He soon had his farm under a state of cultivation which won for him the reputation of being a practical as well as a representative farmer of his township. His motto was to excel, and all his efforts were to that end. He filled several of the township offices, and, although not identified with any religious denomination, was for many years previous to his death a professed Christian, and took an active part in the support of religious and educational institutions, as far as his limited means would allow. He died February 19, 1866, and since his death the farm has been successfully carried on by his widow with the assistance of her children.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885