▁in ▁Eastern ▁Oregon ’ s ▁Grande ▁Ron de ▁Valley . ▁They ▁later ▁moved ▁to ▁Port land , ▁then ▁to ▁a ▁farm ▁near ▁Mil w au kie , ▁then ▁to ▁Oregon ▁City . ▁ ▁El la ▁was ▁priv ately ▁t utor ed ▁and ▁also ▁attended ▁public ▁school . ▁At ▁age ▁ 2 3 , ▁she ▁married ▁Russell ▁C arden ▁H ig gin son , ▁age ▁ 3 3 , ▁a ▁dru gg ist ▁from ▁the ▁N ort he astern ▁United ▁States . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁distant ▁cousin ▁of ▁New ▁England ▁writer ▁and ▁abol ition ist ▁Thomas ▁W ent worth ▁H ig gin son . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁El la ▁and ▁Russell ▁H ig gin son ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁What com ▁( l ater ▁B elling ham ), ▁Washington ▁where ▁they ▁would ▁live ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁their ▁lives . ▁H ig gin son ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Al aska ▁for ▁four ▁sum mers ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁research ▁for ▁her ▁travel ▁book . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁the ▁H ig gin son ▁house , ▁known ▁as ▁Clo ver ▁Hill , ▁in ▁B elling ham ▁was ▁built . ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁Russell ▁H ig gin son , ▁age ▁ 5 7 , ▁died ▁after ▁a ▁short ▁ill ness . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁El la ▁H ig gin son ▁ceased ▁writing ▁and ▁volunte ered ▁full - time ▁for ▁the ▁American ▁Red ▁Cross . ▁She ▁died ▁on ▁December ▁