1891 Biography - William Plummer

WILLIAM HENRY PLUMMER has a fine farm of two hundred and eighty acres of land, four miles southwest of Hardin in Gilead Precinct, and is classed amongst the most industrious and skillful members of the farming community of this county. He is a native of Missouri, and was born in Lincoln County, April 24, 1832. His father, Philemon Plummer, was born in Kentucky, February 14, 1802, while his grandfather, Joseph Plummer, was a native of England. Philemon Plummer, the great-grandfather of our subject, was also of English birth and came to America from his native land in Colonial times. He fought in the Revolution, became a pioneer of Kentucky and later of Missouri, where death closed his earthly pilgrimage in his home in Lincoln County.

The grandfather of our subject came to this country with his parents, and settled in St. Louis County, Mo., in early pioneer days. At that time St. Louis was but a village and the surrounding country was very sparsely inhabited. In a few years Mr. Plummer moved to Lincoln County where he bought land and spent the rest of his life. The father of our subject was young when his parents moved to Missouri, and he was there reared and married, taking as his wife Mary D. Gordan a native of Tennessee. She now makes her home with our subject. Philemon Plummer continued to live in Missouri till 1843, when he came to this county and cast in his lot with the pioneers of Gilead Precinct. He bought land and entered upon its improvement but his busy life was cut short by his death in 1855, when a useful pioneer was removed from the scene of his labors.

William H. Plummer was eleven years old when he accompanied his father and mother to this county and he remembers well the incidents of pioneer life here. He recollects when deer, turkey and other kinds of game were plentiful. There was but little improved land in this county, as the people were chiefly engaged in lumbering, hunting and fishing. Our subject early became inured to the labors of farm life while assisting his father to carry on his agricultural affairs.

Mr. Plummer resided with his parents till his marriage in 1853, when Louisa Lewis became his wife. She died in 1855, and he was married a second time, taking as his helpmate Sarah Wilkerson who died in 1870. The present marriage of our subject, which took place in 1873, was to Sarah (Ramsey) Haynes. Their pleasant wedded life has been blessed to them by the birth of eight children, whom they have named James Clifford, William, Louisa, Clara, Charles, Cleveland, Rosa and Ray. By his first marriage Mr. Plummer had one child — Stephen, who resides in Columbus, Cherokee County, Kan. Mary, Mr. Plummer's daughter by his second marriage, is the wife of Jonas Ward, of Belleview Precinct. Mrs. Plummer had one child by her first marriage — Cyrus Haynes. Mr. Plummer is a stanch Democrat in politics. He is a man of sturdy excellent character who is relied upon in all cases and is held in high esteem by the entire neighborhood. His portrait appears in connection with this brief biographical review.

Extracted 16 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, published in 1891, pages 594-596

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