From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Typed by Laurie Birks Dean

pp. 468, 471

W. H. HIGGINS, assistant secretary and treasurer of the Wheeling 
Steel & Iron Company, has filled that office for the past three or 
four years.  He was originally employed at the Benwood Iron Works, 
which were afterward consolidated with the Wheeling Steel & Iron 
Company.  He began to work as a clerk in the Benwood Iron Works in 
1881.
	Mr. Higgins was born at Wheeling, West Virginia, and is a son 
of T. H. and Mary (Holliday) Higgins, and grandson of Bernard and Ann 
Jane (Rankin) Higgins.
	Bernard Higgins was a native of Ohio county, where he was born 
in May, 1809.  He was engaged in many different lines of business 
during his life of seventy-two years.  He was united in marriage with 
Ann Jane Rankin at Wheeling.  She was a native of Ireland, and died 
at the home of her daughter in Richmond, Virginia, in 1890, aged 
seventy-nine years.
	T. H. Higgins was born in Ohio county in 1838, and was reared 
and schooled in Wheeling.  When but a boy he became interested in 
photographing, and engaged in 1856, with A. C. Partridge, with whom 
he remained four years, and then commenced business for himself.  He 
was engaged in this business until 1898, when he retired, and since 
the spring of 1900 has occupied a position as bookkeeper in the 
office of White & White, brokers.  He was joined in marriage with 
Mary Holliday, a daughter of W. R. and Lydia (Wilson) Holliday.  Mrs. 
Lydia Holliday, a descendant of James Wilson, who signed the 
Declaration of Independence, was very prominent during the Civil War, 
and belonged to one of the earliest  families of Wheeling, having 
come to this city in 1830 or 1832.  She lived to the very advanced 
age of ninety-seven years and was familiarly known during life as 
"Mother" Holliday.  W. H. Higgins' mother was born at Wheeling, and 
she and her husband resided, until 1893, in the fifth ward, but at 
present live on the Island.  To their union were born three children, 
- W. H., Mrs. A. L. White and Bessie M.  In political opinions, Mr. 
Higgins has always been a Republican.  Fraternally, he is a member of 
Virginius Lodge, No. 2, I. O. O. F., having joined that lodge over 
twenty-five years ago; he has passed through all the chairs, and has 
been treasurer since 1876.  He and his family attend services at the 
Christian church.
	Mr. Higgins was reared in Wheeling, and obtained his early 
mental instruction in the common schools of the city.  He married 
Emma V. Johnson, a daughter of W. D. Johnson, a tinware dealer in 
Wheeling.  He and his wife have been blessed with two children, - 
William and Virginia.  The family reside at No. 135 South Penn 
street, on the Island.
	In political opinions, Mr. Higgins is Republican, and has 
served as a member of the city council from the seventh ward.  
Fraternally, he is a member of Wheeling Lodge, No. 23, A. O. U. W., 
of which he is a past master, and of Wheeling Lodge, No. 6474, Modern 
Woodmen of America.  He is also a member of the grand lodge of the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen, of West Virginia, filling the office 
of grand receiver, which he has occupied since April, 1898.  Mr. 
Higgins is an honest and dutiful citizen, and is highly esteemed by 
his employers and his friends.