My Genealogy Hound

JOHN WILMER was born December 13, 1841, in Wrangletown, Whitemarsh township, and is the son of John and Mary (Custer) Wilmer. They had two children, John and Annie. Annie married Thomas May, and lives in Spring Mill. Their children are: Susan, Andrew, Elsie and Mary.

John Wilmer was left an orphan at a very early age, and when five years old was placed with foster parents. He attended school for a time at Whitemarsh and later at Eight Square School, Plymouth township, where he lived with John Hallman. Until the age of eighteen he helped on the farm, and then began to mine iron ore in the pits on the Hallman farm, continuing in this occupation for twenty years. In 1896 he bought the Seven Stars farm and has farmed it very successfully. He is also a milk dealer, and has a large route in Conshohocken. He has been a supervisor for five years, and is an ardent Democrat.

In 1868 he married Martha Boggs, born July 17, 1842, a daughter of William and Susan Boggs, of Whitemarsh township. They have had nine children, three deceased, as follows: Mary Francis, born April 1, 1869, died April 19, 1894; William, born April 21, 1871; Annie and John (twins), born June 11, 1873, Annie died July 28, 1873, and John died August 2, 1873; John 2d, born September 17, 1874; Horace, born July 17, 1876; Frank, born November 11, 1878; Amy, born September 9, 1880; Margaret, born November 29, 1882. Horace married Sarah Helman of Norristown, daughter of John and Jane (Ward) Helman. John Helman, a locomotive engineer, is a native of Devonshire, England, and Jane, his wife is a native of New Castle, England. Amy, daughter of John Wilmer, married Leroy Farringer, son of George Farringer.

William Boggs (father of Mrs. Wilmer) was the son of William and Martha (Wiley) Boggs, of Whitemarsh. He was a lifelong Republican. By trade he was a quarryman. At the time of his death he was forty-five years of age. William Boggs married Susan McClure, who died in November, 1901. Their children were as follows: Martha, Elizabeth, (deceased) married David Smith; Mary (deceased) married Matthew Robinson; Margaret, married George W. Freas; Isabella, married John Sedon. William Boggs (grandfather of Mrs. Wilmer) died at the age of eighty-four years, and his wife Martha at the age of fifty-eight.