The son of Philemon Plummer and Mary Duckworth "Polly" Gordon, William was born in Lincoln County, Missouri. His family moved to Calhoun County, Illinois in 1843 where his father was a farmer.

William married Louisa Jane Lewis on 18 Jun 1853 in Calhoun County. They were the parents of 1 son, Stephen.

Louisa died on 18 Oct 1855 at the age of 22.

Children from first marriage: 1 son.

William married Sarah Ann Wilkerson on 01 Feb 1857 in Calhoun County. They were the parents of 2 children. Their first child, a boy named Thomas, died when he was a toddler. They later had a daughter, Mary.

Tragedy struck again when Sarah died on 10 Jan 1870, just 2 days after her 28th birthday.

Children from second marriage: 1 son, 1 daughter.

On 17 Oct 1875, William married Mrs. Sarah Amelia (nee Ramsey) Haynes. She was the mother of 1 son from her first marriage. William and Sarah were the parents of 12 children.

Like his father, William was a farmer in Calhoun County.

Children from third marriage: 1 step-son, 6 sons, 6 daughters.

William died in 1911 at the age of 79 years, 2 months and 11 days. He was survived by his third wife, Sarah. She passed away in 1923.

Father of:
Stephen Henry Plummer
Thomas E. Plummer
Mary Jane Plummer Ward Bruns
James "Clifford" Plummer
William Edwin Plummer
Louisa Abigail "Lulu" Plummer Dixon
Clara A. Plummer Wilkinson
Charles Howard Plummer
Oscar Cleveland "Cleve" Plummer
Rose Esther "Rosy" Plummer
Ella E. Plummer
Ray Plummer
Nora "Edith" Plummer Fowler

Step-father of:
Cyrus Marion "Cy" Haynes

William's siblings:
Ruth Jane Plummer Cochran
Elizabeth Belle Plummer Lewis
John Benton Plummer
James Phillip (Philemon) Plummer
Mary Ellen Plummer Bull

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Biographical sketch:

WILLIAM HENRY PLUMMER has a fine farm of two hundred and eighty acres of land, four miles south west 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 1878, 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.

(Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois; published 1891; pages 595-596)