Silvester Wimer

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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 http://archive.org/stream/pastpresentofmah00hedg#page/514/mode/2up