Born in Owen county, Indiana, on the 11th of February, 1840, and was a lad of fourteen years when the family came to Greene county, Iowa. There was not at that time a schoolhouse in this county, but in the summer of 1856 he attended school for three months at Panora, Guthrie County, and in the winter of 1856-7 pursued his studies for three months when Captain A. R. Mills taught in the Brand schoolhouse in Washington Township, Greene County. He also attended school during the two following winters and taught school in the summer of 1859. The money which he earned teaching school in Washington Township was contributed toward the building of a house on the home farm in Franklin Township. In September, 1860, he walked from Greene county to Ottumwa, Iowa, to take the examination that would permit him to teach a school in Wapello county, where he had an uncle living. While in Wapello County he worked on Saturdays in order to pay his board. Ambitious for further education, he then entered Western College, but while there the boys from Greene county who had enlisted for the war rendezvoused at Iowa City and Mr. Toliver, fired with the spirit of patriotism, enlisted in Company H., Tenth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, September 28, 1861, remaining with that command until discharged because of rheumatism in May, 1862. On his return home, he entered Iowa State University, at Iowa City, and later attended the law school of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. While in college, he was appointed county surveyor of Greene County, to fill a vacancy, serving one year, and then was elected to the full two year term. In 1868-9 he was elected county treasurer, in which position he proved himself an able and efficient public officer. In 1865, Mr. Toliver was admitted to the bar and in 1870 he formed a law partnership with J. J. Russell. On February 26, 1873, Mr. Toliver was united in marriage to Miss Belle Blake, who was born in Pennsylvania. Politically Mr. Toliver has been a lifelong supporter of the Republican Party and has maintained a keen interest in public affairs. He represented Greene, Calhoun, Pocahontas and Humboldt counties ably in the Thirteenth General Assembly and for thirty-six years was president of the commission for the insane of Greene County. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.