Silvester WIMER, b. 1845
Silvester Wimer is the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of land in Prairie
township constituting one of the best improved farms
in his portion of the county. It is equipped
with all modern conveniences and accessories
and the owner is justly accounted a
progressive agriculturist, deserving much credit for
the success he has achieved. He was born in
Licking county, Ohio, January 26, 1845, a son
of Adam and Jemima (Godfrey) Wimer. The
father was born in Pennsylvania, July 12, 1813,
and died in Ohio, July 16, 1848. The mother
was born in Ohio and died in Keokuk county,
Iowa, when Silvester Wimer was a youth of
thirteen years. Mr. Wimer does not remember
ever seeing his father, but has learned that he
was a carpenter, working at his trade
throughout his business life. Following his death the
mother removed to Indiana, where she lived
until 1856, when she came to Iowa, settling in
Keokuk county. She had married J. O. C.
Wimer, a cousin of her first husband, and her
death occurred in Keokuk county, September
4, 1858. There were two sons of the first
marriage, the brother of our subject being Amos
Wimer, who was born June 1, 1838. He
enlisted as a member of Company E, Second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, at the time of the Civil
war, become orderly sergeant and was killed
at the battle of Shiloh. There were two children
born of the mother's second marriage, but
one died at the age of six years, and the other
when but three years old.
Silvester Wimer was a lad of only thirteen
years at the time of his mothers death, and he
then went to work to provide for his own
living, receiving for the first year only his board
and clothes, while the second year he was paid
a wage of thirty dollars in addition to his board
and clothing. He afterward worked as a farm
hand by the month until he enlisted for
service in defense of the Union, when but eighteen
years of age, joining the Thirty-third Iowa
Infantry, but was rejected on account of age and
size, afterward became a member of the Seventh
Iowa Cavalry. He participated in a number of
battles and skirmishes and had some narrow
escapes. Once his horse was shot from under
him and on another occasion he had just
dismounted from his horse when it was shot. The
regiment operated in the west and upon the
expiration of his term of service Mr. Wimer was
discharged at Omaha, Nebraska, December 25,
1865, having made a creditable military record
and displayed valor and loyalty equal to that
of many a veteran of twice his years.
When the war was over Mr. Wimer returned
to Keokuk county, Iowa, where he worked as
a farm hand until January, 1868, when with
the money that he had saved from his own
earnings he purchased one hundred and sixty acres
of wild prairie land in Linngrove
township, Jasper county, Iowa. On the 1st of
September, 1869, he was married to
Barbara Moon, who was born in Lee county,
Iowa, May 7, 1847, a daughter of Jeremiah and
Rachel (Nixon) Moon. She was, however,
left an orphan when but twelve years of age
and was teaching school in Linngrove township
when she met Mr. Wimer. When they were
married they had two trunks and a box of
goods, but not a lamp nor stove nor other
household furnishings. They boarded while a
house was being built an their new farm and
when it was completed they slept on the floor
and ate off a dry goods box until furniture could
be secured. Mr. Wimer worked for others for
the use of an ox-team with which to break his
ground. He later bought a team and tools,
built a better house and added eighty acres to
his farm, upon which he reared his family and
made his home until 1893, when he sold that
property and came to Prairie township,
Mahaska county. where he purchased three
hundred and twenty acres of good land, all
improved with fair buildings. He has remodeled
the house and now has a large residence of
eleven rooms, well painted and tastefully
furnished. He has built granaries, barns, sheds
and fences and indeed has one of the best farms
in the township. He has since added to the
property until he now has four hundred and
eighty acres of valuable and productive land in
this county. Mr. Wimer now buys considerable corn and is extensively
engaged in feeding cattle and hogs. He also has a nice peach
and plum orchard upon his place, and in fact,
all of the modern equipments and accessories of
a model farm are found here. He has added
two hundred and forty acres in Monroe
township, also owns one hundred and sixty acres in
Oklahoma.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wimer have been born
eight children, of whom six are living: A.
Roberta, who is practicing osteopathy at
Seattle, Washington, taught school for a number
of years. She attended school at Shenandoah,
at Chicago and at Des Moines, Iowa, and is a
graduate of the College of Osteopathy at Des
Moines. Avis F. is married and resides in
Hastings, Nebraska. Perry C., who married Jessie
Holton and lives upon one of his father's farms,
is a graduate of two undertaking schools, but
prefers to give his attention to agricultural
pursuits rather than to the undertaking
business. B. J. married Jennie Roavart and lives
upon a part of his father's farm. Louva, M.
was married January 31, 1906, to Leonard
Roovart and they reside upon a farm near
Lacey, Iowa. Hoyt S. is attending schdol in
New Sharon. The last named is his father's
main standby in the farm work. He has a bank
account of his own, does business on his own
accord and also for his father. He attends
sales and his bid is recognized the same as that
of a grown man, although he is only sixteen
years of age. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wimer were
born two children, who died in infancy.
Mr. Wimer and his family were formerly
identified with the Society of Friends but now
attend the Methodist Episcopal church. He has
always been a republican but has never held
office. He and his wife have worked very
earnestly and indefatigably in order to attain the
success which they now enjoy. Mrs. Wimer
has raised chickens and through their sale and
that of the eggs she has secured a goodly sum
of money, her books showing that she has taken
in more than thirty-nine hundred dollars in this
way. During all of their married life they have
never contracted but one store debt and that to
the amount of only ten dollars. This is
certainly a creditable record. They are
pleasant, genial people, who have given their
children good educational advantages and provided
them also with musical training. Mr. Wimer
is a strictly temperate man, who has never used
tobacco nor liquor in any form and his life
record displays many sterling traits of character,
including honesty and industry - qualities that
in every land and clime command respect and
good will.
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from Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa by Manoah Hedge
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1906
Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy
Iowa Genealogy
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