BIO: HIRAM H. HIGHLANDS, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 497-498
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/


      HIRAM H. HIGHLANDS. One of the familiar names of Southampton township,
  Cumberland county, is that of Highlands, those bearing it being of a good
  substantial class of citizens, of which any community might well be proud. In
  the present generation Hiram H. Highlands, farmer and formerly a railroad
  contractor, is worthily bearing the name. He was born in Southampton township
  Nov. 12, 1849, son of William and Maria (Clever) Highlands, and grandson of
  James Highlands.
      
      James Highlands was a native of Ireland of Scotch-Irish parentage. He
  married a Miss Peoples, also of Scotch-Irish parentage. They came to America
  and located in Pennsylvania, where they reared a large family.
      
      William Highlands was a native of Cumberland county, born in 1818. After
  his marriage he located on the John Hunter farm on the Bottom road, in the
  vicinity of Leesburg - a farm containing 115 acres of rich, fertile land.
  There he made his home until his death in July, 1867. He was an
      
      498  CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
      
  ardent supporter of Democratic principles. Socially, he belonged to the I.
  O. O. F. His wife, Maria Clever, was born in Southampton in 1830, daughter of
  George and Elizabeth (Hippensteel) Clever, and she now makes her home in her
  native town. The Hippensteels were of German origin, and were among the
  earliest settlers in Southampton township. To William and Maria (Clever)
  Highlands were born children as follows: Hiram H.; Amelia J., wife of Jacob
  Mower, of Indiana; Miss Elizabeth, living with her mother in Shippensburg;
  Margaret, wife of William Baker, of Hopewell township; Sallie, who married
  Weir Hale, and lives in Franklin county; Annie M., who married John
  Cochenhaur; Abbie, married to Charles B. Baker; and Hulda, who married
  William Earley, of Franklin county.
      
      Hiram H. Highlands was permitted to attend the village school in Leesburg
  until his sixteenth year, when he began to assume a large portion of the work
  on the home farm. He remained at home until he attained his majority, at
  which time he located in Leesburg and began to farm and handle grain on his
  own account, so continuing from 1883 to 1895. During this time he began
  interested in railroad contracting, in grading and construction work, on the
  Reading & Pennsylvania system, and also on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg
  in the construction work. He met with considerable success in this line, and
  branching out accepted contracts that took him into the neighboring States of
  Virginia and New Jersey. He employed at times quite a large force of men. When
  his father died, he bought out the interests of the other heirs in the home
  place, which contains sixty-four acres, and this has been his home since his
  marriage. It is improved with good buildings, and the house has been altered
  to suit the times, making it a most comfortable dwelling.
      
      In 1873 Mr. Highlands was married to Miss Cora Foreman, of Southampton
  township, daughter of Jacob W. and Anna (Bughman) Foreman. She was born in
  1851, and died in March, 1900, the mother of eleven children, eight of whom
  lived to mature years: George W., a railroad contractor; Milton A., assistant
  in the mechanical department of the Pennsylvania Rubber Company, at Jeannette,
  Pa.; Joseph R. E., a railroad contractor in construction work in Virginia;
  Jacob F., assisting his father; Blanche, at home; and Cora May, Maria and
  Catherine, also at home. In politics Mr. Highlands votes the Republican
  ticket, and while he takes an intelligent interest in public affairs, he has
  never taken an active part in party work, and cares nothing for the honors of
  official position. His religious connection is with the Evangelical Church.