His place of birth is per the passport application of his son, Elmer Kelso Higdon.

Extract from the 1870 Census:
Name: Benjamin Higdon
Age in 1870: 9
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Gender: male
Home in 1870: Patton, Ford, Illinois
Occupation: attending school
Post office: Paxton
Siblings living at home: Wm J (age 15), Gilman H (13), Eliza E (11), Ulysses G (6), Celia (4), and Marietta (2/12)
Census place: Patton, Ford, Illinois; Roll: M593_221; Page: 69; Image: 139
Date: 28 Jun 1870

Extract from the 1880 Census:
Name: Benjamin F Higdon
Age: 18
Estimated birth year: 1862
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: farm hand
Siblings living at home: William J (age 25), Eliza E (21), Grant (16), Celia (14), Marietta (10), and Shotwell (7)
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: Benjamin Higdon
Age at last birthday: 38
Date of birth: Jun 1861
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head-of-house: head
Home in 1900: Pigeon Grove, Iroquois, Illinois
Marital status: married
Number of years of marriage: 14
Able to read, write and speak English: yes
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Indiana
Farm or home: farm
Home owned or rented: rented
Occupation: farmer
Months not employed: 0
Census place: Pigeon Grove, Iroquois, Illinois; Roll T623_308; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 26
Date: 12 Jun 1900

Extract from the 1910 Census:
Name: Benj F Higdon
Age in 1910: 49
Estimated birth year: 1861
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head of family: head
Home in 1910: Button, Ford, Illinois
Marital status: married
Number of years of present marriage: 24
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Ohio
Farm or house: house
Home owned or rented: rented
Occupation: farmer
Type of industry: general farm
Salary or wage worker: employer
Census place: Button, Ford, Illinois; Roll: T624_235; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 2; Image: 229
Date: 21 Apr 1910

Extract from the 1925 Iowa State Census:
Name: Ben F Higdon
Age: 63
Estimated birth year: 1862
Birth location: Illinois
Race: white
Gender: male
Residence county: Hancock
Residence state: Iowa
Locality: Boone
Relation to head of house: head
Marital status: married
Highest grade completed: 2 years college
Rent/home value: not listed
Father: Peter B Higdon
Father's age: not listed
Father's birth location: Cinc [sic]
Mother: Mary Miller
Mother's age: not listed
Mother's birth location: Indiana [sic]
Parents' marriage location: Illinois
Religion: Protestant
Census date: 1 Jan 1925
Roll: IA1925_1738
Line: 19

Extract from the 1930 Census:
Name: B F Higdon
Age: 68
Estimated birth year: 1862
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1930: Boone, Hancock, Iowa
Marital status: married
Age at first marriage: 25
Education: able to speak English
Education: able to read and write
Father's birthplace: Ohio
Mother's birthplace: Indiana [sic]
Military service: no
Rent/home value: owns home; no value listed; live on farm
Owned a radio: no
Occupation: farmer
Industry: general farm
Salary or wage worker: employer
Census place: Boone, Hancock, Iowa; Roll: 657; Page: ; Enumeration District: 8; Image: 672.0
Date: 10 Apr 1930

Extract from the 1940 Census:
Name: Benjamin F Higdon
Age: 78
Estimated birth year: 1862
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1940: Boone, Hancock, Iowa
Address: section 10
Marital status: widower
Highest grade of school completed: high school 2 years
Living on farm: yes
Home owned or rented: owned
Value of home: $6000
Place of residence in 1935: same house
Occupation: unable to work - retired farmer
Census place: Boone, Hancock, Iowa; Roll: T627_1164; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 41-8
Date: 15 Apr 1940

Extract from the 1950 Census:
Name: B F Higdon
Age: 88
Estimated birth year: 1862
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1950: Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Address: South Britt Street
Marital status: widower
Living on farm: no
Class of worker: unable to work
Class of worker: other
Census place: Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Date: 10 Apr 1950

Extract from Iowa Death Certificate:
Name: Benjamin F Higdon
Age at death: 92
Birth date: 27 Jun 1861
Birth place: Saybrook, Illinois
Gender: male
Race: white
Marital status: widower
Residence: 720 Britt Street, Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Father: Peter Higdon
Mother: Marietta Miller
Occupation: farmer
Social Security number: none
Military service: none
Death date: 27 Jul 1953
Death place: Hancock Memorial Hospital, Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Cause of death: broncho pneumonia
Contributing causes: cardiac decomposition due to arteriosclerotic cardio lesion
Burial, cremation, removal: burial
Cemetery: Evergreen
Location of cemetery: Britt, Hancock, Iowa
Informant: R H Higdon
Certificate date: 27 Jul 1953
Certificate number: 53-14591

Extract from the "News-Tribune" of Britt, Iowa dated 30 Sep 1953:
For sale: the late Ben Higdon farm southwest of Hutchins. All Class A soil, in good state of production, nice set of buildings, modern house. Priced for less than $300 per acre. Mark F. Miller.

Obituary from the "Globe-Gazette" of Mason City, Iowa dated 28 Jul 1953:
Britt Man Dies
Britt - Benjamin Higdon, 92, retired farmer, died Monday at his home here. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Methodist Church, the Rev. R. M. Bell officiating. Burial in Evergreen Cemetery. His wife died several years ago. Survivors include eight children and a brother, Shotwell Higdon, of Britt.

He married Mary Joyce Van Schoyck 21 Mar 1885 in Britt, Hancock, Iowa.