Highbargerj
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JACOB HIGHBARGER, a retired farmer,
living in Reardan, was born in Pennsylvania on May 31, 1836. His
father, John Highbarger was a native of Westmoreland county in that state
and followed farming there until his death in 1870. The mother, Elizabeth
(Keefer) Highbarger, was born in Pennsylvania and died when our subject
was eleven years of age. Jacob gained his early education in the
public schools of Pennsylvania then served an apprenticeship of three years
in a blacksmith shop. After that, he went to Missouri and labored
at various occupations and in 1861, came across the plains to Walla Walla.
The following season, he was in the Salmon river mining country and then
journeyed to the Grande Ronde valley in Oregon. For three years,
he was occupied in freighting in that section, then crossed the mountains
to Tillamook county in the same state. There he did farming and oyster
fishing. It was 1870, that Mr. Highbarger landed on Puget Sound and
settled in what is now Skagit county. He took a pre-emption and farmed
for three years. He sold out and finally, in 1880, came and located
about six miles northwest from the present town of Reardan. He took
land there and farmed continuously until 1902, when he decided to retire
from active business life. He accordingly secured a fine residence
in Reardan where he now resides. While in Skagit county, Mr. Highbarger
married Mrs. Jennie Goodale, a native of Montana, and four children were
born to them, Maggie, deceased; Amos and Perry in Spokane county; and an
infant deceased.
In 1898, Mr. Highbarger married a second time,
Mrs. Caledonia Douglas, a native of Georgia, becoming his wife at that
time. She came to Washington in 1879, and lived near Mr. Highbarger.
They now own one half section of well improved wheat land, the same being
one of the choicest farms in this section. Mr. Highbarger has always
been interested in politics, but has never pressed for personal preferment.
In educational matters, he has been especially active, always laboring
for the best school facilities. He is very enthusiastic in his praise
of the Big Bend country and believes it to be one of the finest sections
in the state of Washington.
Mrs. Highbarger is the daughter of Thomas
and Margaret (Anderson) Cupp, natives of Georgia. The father died
in Polk county, Missouri, on May 24, 1879, and the mother died in Spokane
county, Washington, on April 15, 1889. Mrs. Highbarger has three
children by her first marriage; Mrs. Ida M. Nunn, born in 1874; Albert,
born in 1876; and Roy, born in 1881. The two eldest were born in
Kansas, and the younger in Spokane county, where all now reside.
Mr. and Mrs. Highbarger enjoy an extended
acquaintance and are the centre of a large circle of admiring friends.
BACK