Wellington County, Ontario GenWeb - Pioneer - HIGINBOTHAM, LT.-COL. Nathaniel

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Pioneer - HIGINBOTHAM, LT.-COL. Nathaniel

Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County

Information from: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906

HIGINBOTHAM, LT.-COL. Nathaniel . No man in the city of Guelph, or county of Wellington, has given more unselfish, intelligent and long-continued public service to his fellows, and consequently no man in Wellington County is more respected and popular than the subject of this sketch, who has been resident and prominently identified with the city of Guelph and county of Wellington, both in commercial and public life, for nearly sixty years. He was b. in Co. Cavan, Ire., in 1830, and there received his education at the national schools and with a private tutor. In 1846 he came to Canada and joined his brother, Dr. Andrew Higinbotham, who was a practicing physician and druggist at Brantford. He there learned the druggist business, and in 1848 came to Guelph, where he opened a drug store in partnership with his brother, under the firm name of A. & N. Higinbotham, in the store now occupied by William Sunley as a stove store on the Market square. The venture was a successful one from the start, and three years later he purchased his brother's interest in the business.

In 1858 he built, in partnership with Edward R. Martin, barrister, the Higinbotham block on the corner of Wyndham and Macdonnell streets, and , in the premises now occupied by the Dominion Bank, established his new drug store. In 1868 he sold out his drug business to Edmund Harvey, and devoted himself to the Wellington Oil Refinery, and the business of Higinbotham & McLagan, real estate and financial agents.

In municipal service he has filled the positions of Reeve and Mayor of Guelph, and represented the town as a County Councillor. He has been one of the most active members of the Board of Trade, and is an ex-President of that body. He was the first President of the Guelph Humane and Children's Aid Society, and still remains a member of its Executive. He has served on the Board of Education, and was one of the most influential promoters of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway. In short, there has been no movement making for the progress and good of the community at large but what has received Col. Higinbotham's active and energetic interest and financial aid.

He has always taken an active part, not only in matters commercial and pertaining to the prosperity of Guelph and the country, but was one of the leading Liberals of the district. In 1871 he was the unanimous choice of the North Wellington Liberal Convention for member of Parliament, and in 1872 was elected in that interest by a small majority, the North Riding having been up to this time a Conservative stronghold. He was re-elected M. P. in 1874-75, and held the office until 1878. In 1881 he received the appointment of Registrar of the South and Centre Ridings of Wellington, which office he has ably administered ever since.

Lieut.-Col. Higinbotham has always taken an active interest in military affairs. In 1855 the late Judge Kingsmill, who was then practising his profession in Guelph, the late Major Armstrong, and Mr. Higinbotham, raised the first military organization in Wellington Co., the Guelph Rifle Company, Judge Kingsmill becoming Captain, and Mr. Higinbotham First Lieut. A year later , on the resignation of Capt. Kingsmill, Mr. Higinbotham became Captain of the company. In this capacity he served with his company at Sarnia, Windsor, and on the frontier during the Fenian Raid in 1866. Captain Higinbotham did excellent service in raising military companies in Wellington County, which he raised to ten companies. After the Fenian Raid in 1866, these companies amalgamated and formed the regiment known as the Thirtieth Rifles, the largest rural regiment in Ontario; and Capt. Higinbotham being the senior officer, received the appointment of Lieut.-Col. and command of the regiment, which he resigned on becoming M.P. in 1872, with the life rank of Lieut.-Col.

With church matters he has always been prominently identified, and has been an Elder in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church for years.

From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906