Extract from the 1880 Census:
Name: Shotwell Higdon
Age: 7
Estimated birth year: 1873
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head-of-household: son
Home in 1880: Patton, Ford, Illinois
Marital status: single
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Ohio
Occupation: attending school
Siblings living at home: William J (age 25), Eliza E (21), Benjamin F (18), Grant (16), Celia (14), and Marietta (10)
Census place: Patton, Ford, Illinois; Roll: T9_206; Family History Film: 1254206; Page: 357.1000; Enumeration District: 113; Image: 0717
Date: 1 Jun 1880

Extract from the 1900 Census:
Name: Shotwell Higdon
Age at last birthday: 27
Date of birth: Sep 1872
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Home in 1900: Boone, Hancock, Iowa
Relationship to head-of-house: head
Marital status: married
Number of years of marriage: 5
Able to read, write and speak English: yes
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Ohio
Farm or home: farm
Home owned or rented: owned
Mortgage: yes
Occupation: farmer
Census place: Boone, Hancock, Iowa; Roll: T623 434; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 118.
Date: 21 Jun 1900

Extract from the 1910 Census:
Name: Shotwell G Higdon
Age in 1910: 37
Estimated birth year: 1873
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head of house: head
Home in 1910: Boone, Hancock, Iowa
Marital status: married
Number of years of present marriage: 14
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Ohio
Farm or house: farm
Home owned or rented: owned; has mortgage
Occupation: farmer
Type of industry: general farm
Salary or wage worker: employer
Census place: Boone, Hancock, Iowa; Roll: T624_393; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 129; Image: 280
Date: 15 Apr 1910

Extract from the 1920 Census:
Name: Shotwell Higdon
Age: 47
Estimated birth year: 1873
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head of house: head
Home in 1920: Boone, Hancock, Iowa
Address: farm
Marital status: married
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Indiana
Home owned or rented: owned; has mortgage
Occupation: farmer
Type of industry: general farm
Salary or wage worker: working on own account
Census place: Boone, Hancock, Iowa; Roll: T625_492; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 142; Image: 82
Date: 4 Jun 1920

Extract from the 1930 Census:
Name: Shotwell G Higdon
Age: 56
Estimated birth year: 1874
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1930: Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Marital status: married
Age at first marriage: 23
Education: able to speak English
Education: able to read and write
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Indiana
Military service: no
Rent/home value: owns home; value $6000
Owned a radio: no
Occupation: none
Census place: Britt, Hancock, Iowa; Roll: 657; Page: ; Enumeration District: 9; Image: 690.0
Date: 9 Apr 1930

Extract from the 1940 Census:
Name: Shotwell Higdon
Age: 67
Estimated birth year: 1873
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1940: Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Address: 390 West 6th Street
Marital status: married
Highest grade of school completed: 8
Living on farm: no
Home owned or rented: owned
Value of home: $3500
Place of residence in 1935: same house
Occupation: salesman
Industry: stock food
Salary or wage worker: wages
Number of weeks worked in 1939: 24
Amount of money wages or salary: $0
Has other income of more than $50: yes
At work during week of March 24-30: yes
Number of hours worked: 42
Census place: Britt, Hancock, Iowa; Roll: T627_1164; Page: 18A; Enumeration District: 41-9
Date: 29 Apr 1940

Extract from the 1950 Census:
Name: Shotwell Higdon
Age: 78
Estimated birth year: 1872
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: lodger
Home in 1950: Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Address: 1st Street
Marital status: widower
Living on farm: no
Occupation: salesman
Industry: mineral company
At work during last week: yes
Number of hours worked: 20
Class of worker: for private employer
Census place: Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Date: 25 Apr 1950

Extract from "History of Winnebago County and Hancock County Iowa" Vol. II, Pioneer Publishing Company, Chicago, 1917, page 335:
Shotwell Higdon
For almost a quarter of a century Shotwell Higdon has made his home in Hancock county and his is the creditable record of a progressive business man, for within this period he has become well established as a substantial and highly respected farmer, his home being on section 3, Boone township, where he is the owner of an excellent farm of three hundred and twenty acres. He was born in Ford county, Illinois, September 9, 1872, and is a son of Peter B. and Marietta C. (Miller) Higdon, who were natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively.
Through the period of the boyhood of their son Shotwell they were residents of Illinois, so that he there acquired his education in the district schools, which he attended through the winter months, while the summer seasons were spent at work upon the home farm. His text-books were put aside at the age of twenty years, but he continued to work on the old homestead until he reached the age of twenty-three. He then came to Hancock county and in the intervening period has resided within its borders, making steady progress along business lines to the goal of success. In 1906 he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land on section 3, Boone township, and is now extensively and profitably engaged in raising, buying and selling shorthorn cattle and in breeding Belgian horses, being recognized as one of the leading stockmen of this section of the state.
On the 14th of January, 1895, Mr. Higdon was married to Miss Malinda Salstrom, a native of Illinois and a daughter of John and Hannah (Anderson) Salstrom, who were natives of Sweden and about 1867 came to the new world. Mr. and Mrs. Higdon have four children, Gerald B., Harold H., Clarence and Paul A., all yet at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Higdon are consistent members of the United Brethren church. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the principles and candidates of the republican party, believing that the party platform contains the best elements of good government. He concentrates his attention upon his business affairs, and the wise direction of his interests is bringing to him the just profits of his labor, making him one of the men of affluence in his community.

Obituary from the "Globe-Gazette" of Mason City, Iowa dated 27 Jul 1956:
Shotwell Higdon
Dies at Oakdale
Britt - Shotwell Higdon, 83, well known Britt man, died Tuesday evening at Oakdale. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Osman Funeral Home. He is survived by four sons, Harold, Britt; Gerald, Newton; Clarence, Paxton, Ill., and Paul, Anderson, Ind.

He married Malinda Victoria Salstrom 14 Jan 1896 in Paxton, Ford, Illinois.