MOSES G. WHITMER
Moses G. Whitmer is the well known proprietor of the Evergreen Stock Farm on section 11, Sugar Creek township, which is one of the most beautiful places in Cedar county. The grounds are adorned with all kinds of evergreen trees, which make it especially attractive. These include the arbor vitae, pyramadalis, the native cedar, the American arbor vitae, the Chinese golden arbor vitae, the superior arbor vitae, the Norway spruce, the white pine, the Scotch pine, the balsam fir, the cut leaf weeping birch, the weeping elm, the weeping mulberry and the Colorado blue spruce, which is very rare in this part of the country and for which he paid five dollars when it was only eighteen inches high. It is now twelve years old, however. Besides these beautiful trees there are many kinds of apples upon the place, including the northwestern greening, which grows as hardy as a hickory here. There are over fifty varieties of trees and shrubs upon the place and Mr. Whitmer has spent much time and money in the adornment of his lawn. There is no farm in Cedar county that now presents so attractive an appearance and it is famed far and wide throughout the country.
Near his present home in Sugar Creek township, Mr. Whitmer was born on the 17th of December, 1868, his parents being Peter and Mary (Garber) Whitmer. The birth of the father occurred near Galion in Crawford county, Ohio, November 5, 1835, and in the summer of 1849 he was brought to Cedar county, Iowa, by his parents, Peter and Catherine (Snyder) Whitmer. They located upon a farm in Sugar Creek township, where they continued to reside until his death, which occurred on the 27th of November, 1899. He was the youngest in a family of thirteen children, four sons and nine daughters, but only one of the number is now living, Sarah, the wife of George Marquart of Woodbury county, Iowa. The father of these children died on the 4th of March, 1869, at the age of seventy-two years, and his wife passed away February 1, 1884, at the age of eighty years.
Throughout his active business life Peter Whitmer, Jr., followed farming and met with most excellent success and owned at the time of his death four hundred and forty acres of valuable land on sections 2 and 3, Sugar Creek township, his home being in the former township. On the 12th of November, 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Garber, who was born in Pennsylvania, January 27, 1839, and came to Cedar county in 1853 with her parents, Moses and Susanna (Steffy) Garber, also natives of the Keystone state, who spent their last days in this county. The following were born to Mr. and Mrs. Whitmer, namely: Phoebe, who died at the age of sixteen years; Ella, the wife of Charles Parks of California; Susie, the wife of Jesse Wagner of Sugar Creek township; Franklin, who died at the age of ten months; Moses G., whose name introduces this sketch; Catherine, the wife of Jesse Wagner of Sugar Creek township; James P., of Muscatine, Iowa; and Lucy, the wife of John Ford of Sugar Creek township. The father was an earnest and faithful member of the Sugar Creek Presbyterian church, with which he united February 6, 1868. His upright, honorable life gained him the confidence and high regard of all who knew him.
Throughout life Moses G. Whitmer has made his home in Sugar Creek township and is today regarded as one of its leading citizens. His excellent farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres on sections 2 and 11, his home being on the latter section, and in connection with the cultivation of the soil he is extensively engaged in stock-raising, making a specialty of Duroc Jersey hogs and shorthorn cattle. He also has five acres of his land devoted to fruit, principally apples and cherries, and in connection with the cultivation of his own place he also operates a farm of two hundred acres belonging to his mother. He is a progressive and up-to-date agriculturist and takes a commendable pride in his undertakings.
In August, 1889, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Whitmer and Miss Katie E. Wagner, who was born in Inland township, this county, in June, 1867, and is a daughter of Adam and Mary (Bretz) Wagner. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania and both died in Inland township, this county. The children born to our subject and his wife are: Cyral E., Howard H., and Hazel R.
Mr. Whitmer is a prominent member of the White Pigeon Grange and is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias fraternity at Wilton. He has taken much pleasure in the adornment of his place and has received some varieties of trees and shrubs both from the state and the United States government, and various nurseries throughout the country have sent him varieties for experimental purposes. He is thoroughly familiar with the different kinds of trees best adapted to the soil and climate of this locality and is an agriculturist of more than ordinary ability, who is meeting with most excellent success in his undertakings.
