Lurannah Higley was born August 20, 1794 in Granby, Connecticut to Major Joel Higley, Jr. and Cynthia Phelps Higley.

When Lura (Lury) was nine years old, her family along with that of her grandparents, Lt. Joel Higley, Sr. and Eunice Haskins Higley, the family of James Phelps & Phylenda Rice (Lura's uncle) and the family of Daniel Rathburn & Muriel Deziah Rice moved to Meigs County, Ohio. The Rathburns had a son Daniel Clark Rathburn who was seventeen years old.

Lura and Daniel Rathburn were married in 1812. He was a doctor and presumably taught Lura his craft.

Their daughter Deziah, named after Daniel's mother was born in 1813 and a son, Daniel Clark Rathburn, was born in 1820. Another daughter Frances was born in 1822.