William F. Plumer (1836-1921)
Source: The Silver City Times, June 30, 1921
and Joyce (Hansen) George
Death of William Plumer
The funeral of Wm. Plumer of Co. Bluffs was held Sunday. The deceased was past 86 and had lived in this section of Iowa since a very early day. All through life he was active, working early and late, year in and year out, and saving carefully and investing judiciously, he accumulated something of worldly goods. A couple of years or so ago there was a breaking up of the property and a division among the children, that is, a goodly portion of it. Frank Plumer of Silver City, one of the sons, acquired in the voluntary division certain lands and in addition the State Savings Bank block, Main and Broadway, Council Bluffs, the value of which must be close to $100,000. As there are seven children and assuming that the others were beneficiaries in about the same way, it can be judged that William Plumer was a millionaire, good and strong. And the property wasn't all parcelled out in the division referred to, either.
But weath isn't the measure of a man or a life. While Wm. Plumer was busy making money, he did something else. He reared a large family, he went up against the hard knocks incident to the frontier settlement pioneer. In the tilts with adversities along the rugged way he was a sticker and a winner, indicating something of the sturdiness of his makeup.
Death came in a twinkling. Sitting in a rocker on the porch of his home talking with a brother-in-law, the conversation lulled and then ceased, the cane he had hold of was heard to fall to the floor. The man with him then arose and went to his side. His face was ashen white. William Plumer was dead.
Speaking of pioneers, William Plumer was a pioneer. His father came from Germany in the forties. He struck right out for the west. Holding up at St. Louis a few days for breath, they finally halted in the vicinity of Hannibal, Mo., staying there three or four years, from which place the family came to Mills county, Iowa. This was in 1850. The old home place was for some years a stage station between St. Joe and Kanesville now Council Bluffs. There was a small settlement at what is now Glenwood, then called Coonsville, and not a house between this point and Tabor, then a stage station and later on the run of the under ground railroad. William Plumer was then a boy in his teens.
There are seven children surviving, together with Mrs. Plumer, who is but a few years younger than her late husband. The children are: Frank J. Plumer of Silver City; Dr. H. A. Plumer of Hysham, Mont; William H. Plumer of Co. Bluffs; Lee Plumer of Turlington, Neb.; Mrs. C. C. Taylor of Mills county; Mrs. G. H. Richmond of Roundup, Mont; and Mrs. H. C. Lewis of Council Bluffs.
The funeral service was held from the American Lutheran church of Co. Bluffs. Interment was in the Plumer cemetery south of Dumfries.
William F. Plumer
William F. Plumer, aged 85 years, of Council Bluffs, widely known in the north part of Mills county, died Thursday afternoon, June 23, while sitting on the porch of his home at 223 Tenth avenue. Death was\ due to heart failure.
Mr. Plumer had been living with his son William at that number for several years. He was the owner of much property in Pottawattamie and Mills counties. Two of his children are residents of Mills county. They are Frank Plumer of Silver City and Mrs. C. C. Taylor, living north of Glenwood on Route Two.
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from the English Lutheran church, the Rev. C. J. Ringer officiating. Burial was in the Plumer Settlement cemetery.
The funeral of William F. Plumer will be held Sunday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock from the English Lutheran church, Rev. C. J. Ringer officiating. Burial will be in the cemetery at Plumer settlement.
The funeral of William F. Plumer was held Sunday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock from the English Lutheran church, with later services at the church in Plumer settlement, Rev. C. J. Ringer officiating. The pall bearers were Frank, Lee, and William Plumer, sons, and Henry, Charles, and W. H. Plumer, nephews. Burial was in the Plumer settlement cemetery.