My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE W. WITMER is the son of Jacob A. and Caroline (Swanger) Witmer, the former a native of Blair county, Pa. Jacob A. enlisted at Shippensburgh, in the Third Pennsylvania cavalry, Company H, and was in the engagement at Williamsburgh and Antietam and in the Seven Days’ fight. He was injured in the back by the falling of his horse, when crossing a trench, and this so disabled him that he received his discharge. He next enlisted in the Twelfth Pennsylvania, and was in the engagement at Winchester. He was mustered out at Philadelphia in 1865. He then returned to Blair county, Pa., where he remained until coming to Nebraska, in 1881, settling in the northern part of Elm Creek township. He was married to Miss Caroline Swanger, a native of Pennsylvania, in 1850. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was a kind, exemplary christian woman, not known to have an enemy. She died in 1880, followed by her husband four years later. G. W. Witmer’s paternal grandfather was Jacob Witmer; his paternal grandmother was Catherine Airsman) Witmer; his maternal grandfather was Peter Swanger; and his maternal grandmother was Mary (Donohue) Swanger, all natives of Pennsylvania. Geo. W. Witmer, our subject, was born in Cumberland county, Pa., in 1853. In 1865 he moved with his parents to Blair county, and for a number of years was engaged in the plumbing and gasfitting business in Altoona, Pa. At the earnest solicitation of his father, he came to Nebraska in 1882, and settled on section 2, township 9, range 18 west, in Elm Creek township, Buffalo county. Mr. Witmer is favorably known throughout the county as an intelligent, hospitable and prosperous farmer. He was married, in 1877, to Miss Elizabeth Lathero, a native of Huntington county, Pa., Rev. Lackey performing the ceremony. To Mr. and Mrs. Witmer two children have been born, viz. — Frankie H., August, 1885, and Carrie E., born December 8, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Witmer are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Witmer is a democrat.