(The Rock Island Argus - November 27, 1907)
William Wilmerton, one of the oldest settlers and reputed to be the wealthiest man in Mercer county, died at the home of his son, W. W. Wilmerton, at Preemption at 10:20 last evening. He had been in failing health for a year but had been bedfast for but a few days. Ailments incidental to advanced age were the cause of his demise.
Mr. Wilmerton lived in Rock Island for a number of years, having quarters at the Rock Island house. He was a stockholder in a number of Rock Island enterprises, though he did not hold office in any local corporations. His estate, which is estimated at a quarter of a million, consists mainly of Mercer county real estate, he being easily the largest land holder and the heaviest taxpayer in the county.
Mr. Wilmerton was born in Burlington county, N. J., May 2, 1822, and came to Mercer county in 1842. He obtained his start as a farmer and that was his leading vocation for more than half a century. He was elected justice of the peace in the 40's and held that office for 53 consecutive years. This office gave him the title "Squire," by which he was generally known.
The marriage of Mr. Wilmerton to Miss Rhoda Kelsey took place in Mercer county in 1849. She died December, 1894. Three children survive, Mrs. Louise Little of Chicago, Frank of Lemar, Iowa, and Wallace W. of Preemption.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 Friday morning at the home and the body will be taken to Davenport, where it will be cremated. Final services will be held at 3 o'clock in the chapel at the Davenport crematorium.
(Excerpt from the "History of Mercer and Henderson Counties" published in 1882.)
"WILLIAM WILMERTON is an example of those men who stand out as landmarks to rising young men to direct and invite to success, even though life begin in most straitened circumstances. Many a poor boy has worn the honors, civic or financial, ere gray hairs counted his allotted years. William Wilmerton was born May 1, 1822, in New Jersey. He is the son of Fenimore and Permila (Van Kirk) Wilmerton. His father was a cousin to the celebrated American author, J. Fenimore Cooper, founder of Cooperstown. His father died soon after his (William's) birth, so that the boy was left to the cold graces of the world. At the age of six years he found a home with a Quaker family, with whom he remained till quite able to support himself. He then became a common laborer at whatever might offer, applying his earnings to the acquirement of an education. He attended college some years, gaining a good fund of general information. In the summer of 1842 he made his way to Preemption township, Mercer county, Illinois. The first summer he spent in prospeeting for a location suitable to general purposes. He taught school the first winter. He bought a surveyor's outfit and engaged in surveying for some time. His first purchase was eighty acres of land, necessitating the expenditure of all he had. He was elected justice of the peace in 1846, which office he filled for over twenty years, doing a very extensive business. His business was largely making collections. This was before the days of so many banks. He was trusted by everybody and performed his business with satisfaction to all. He also served four years as judge. He has accumulated his savings and his earnings till he now owns more than 1,000 acres of land, a mark of his unusual success. Just subsequent to the war he was commissioned an attorney, that he might prosecute soldiers' claims without the certificate of a regular attorney living at a distance. Mr. Wilmerton was married December 10, 1850, to Miss Rhoda A. Kelsey, a native of New York state. They have three children: Louisa (wife of N. J. McDonald, of Davenport, Iowa), Frank (real estate agent in La Mars, Iowa), and William W. (at home). Prior to the war Mr. Wilmerton was democratic in politics; since that time he has voted independently."
William Wilmerton, one of the oldest settlers and reputed to be the wealthiest man in Mercer county, died at the home of his son, W. W. Wilmerton, at Preemption at 10:20 last evening. He had been in failing health for a year but had been bedfast for but a few days. Ailments incidental to advanced age were the cause of his demise.
Mr. Wilmerton lived in Rock Island for a number of years, having quarters at the Rock Island house. He was a stockholder in a number of Rock Island enterprises, though he did not hold office in any local corporations. His estate, which is estimated at a quarter of a million, consists mainly of Mercer county real estate, he being easily the largest land holder and the heaviest taxpayer in the county.
Mr. Wilmerton was born in Burlington county, N. J., May 2, 1822, and came to Mercer county in 1842. He obtained his start as a farmer and that was his leading vocation for more than half a century. He was elected justice of the peace in the 40's and held that office for 53 consecutive years. This office gave him the title "Squire," by which he was generally known.
The marriage of Mr. Wilmerton to Miss Rhoda Kelsey took place in Mercer county in 1849. She died December, 1894. Three children survive, Mrs. Louise Little of Chicago, Frank of Lemar, Iowa, and Wallace W. of Preemption.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 Friday morning at the home and the body will be taken to Davenport, where it will be cremated. Final services will be held at 3 o'clock in the chapel at the Davenport crematorium.
(Excerpt from the "History of Mercer and Henderson Counties" published in 1882.)
"WILLIAM WILMERTON is an example of those men who stand out as landmarks to rising young men to direct and invite to success, even though life begin in most straitened circumstances. Many a poor boy has worn the honors, civic or financial, ere gray hairs counted his allotted years. William Wilmerton was born May 1, 1822, in New Jersey. He is the son of Fenimore and Permila (Van Kirk) Wilmerton. His father was a cousin to the celebrated American author, J. Fenimore Cooper, founder of Cooperstown. His father died soon after his (William's) birth, so that the boy was left to the cold graces of the world. At the age of six years he found a home with a Quaker family, with whom he remained till quite able to support himself. He then became a common laborer at whatever might offer, applying his earnings to the acquirement of an education. He attended college some years, gaining a good fund of general information. In the summer of 1842 he made his way to Preemption township, Mercer county, Illinois. The first summer he spent in prospeeting for a location suitable to general purposes. He taught school the first winter. He bought a surveyor's outfit and engaged in surveying for some time. His first purchase was eighty acres of land, necessitating the expenditure of all he had. He was elected justice of the peace in 1846, which office he filled for over twenty years, doing a very extensive business. His business was largely making collections. This was before the days of so many banks. He was trusted by everybody and performed his business with satisfaction to all. He also served four years as judge. He has accumulated his savings and his earnings till he now owns more than 1,000 acres of land, a mark of his unusual success. Just subsequent to the war he was commissioned an attorney, that he might prosecute soldiers' claims without the certificate of a regular attorney living at a distance. Mr. Wilmerton was married December 10, 1850, to Miss Rhoda A. Kelsey, a native of New York state. They have three children: Louisa (wife of N. J. McDonald, of Davenport, Iowa), Frank (real estate agent in La Mars, Iowa), and William W. (at home). Prior to the war Mr. Wilmerton was democratic in politics; since that time he has voted independently."
(The Rock Island Argus - November 27, 1907)
William Wilmerton, one of the oldest settlers and reputed to be the wealthiest man in Mercer county, died at the home of his son, W. W. Wilmerton, at Preemption at 10:20 last evening. He had been in failing health for a year but had been bedfast for but a few days. Ailments incidental to advanced age were the cause of his demise.
Mr. Wilmerton lived in Rock Island for a number of years, having quarters at the Rock Island house. He was a stockholder in a number of Rock Island enterprises, though he did not hold office in any local corporations. His estate, which is estimated at a quarter of a million, consists mainly of Mercer county real estate, he being easily the largest land holder and the heaviest taxpayer in the county.
Mr. Wilmerton was born in Burlington county, N. J., May 2, 1822, and came to Mercer county in 1842. He obtained his start as a farmer and that was his leading vocation for more than half a century. He was elected justice of the peace in the 40's and held that office for 53 consecutive years. This office gave him the title "Squire," by which he was generally known.
The marriage of Mr. Wilmerton to Miss Rhoda Kelsey took place in Mercer county in 1849. She died December, 1894. Three children survive, Mrs. Louise Little of Chicago, Frank of Lemar, Iowa, and Wallace W. of Preemption.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 Friday morning at the home and the body will be taken to Davenport, where it will be cremated. Final services will be held at 3 o'clock in the chapel at the Davenport crematorium.
(Excerpt from the "History of Mercer and Henderson Counties" published in 1882.)
"WILLIAM WILMERTON is an example of those men who stand out as landmarks to rising young men to direct and invite to success, even though life begin in most straitened circumstances. Many a poor boy has worn the honors, civic or financial, ere gray hairs counted his allotted years. William Wilmerton was born May 1, 1822, in New Jersey. He is the son of Fenimore and Permila (Van Kirk) Wilmerton. His father was a cousin to the celebrated American author, J. Fenimore Cooper, founder of Cooperstown. His father died soon after his (William's) birth, so that the boy was left to the cold graces of the world. At the age of six years he found a home with a Quaker family, with whom he remained till quite able to support himself. He then became a common laborer at whatever might offer, applying his earnings to the acquirement of an education. He attended college some years, gaining a good fund of general information. In the summer of 1842 he made his way to Preemption township, Mercer county, Illinois. The first summer he spent in prospeeting for a location suitable to general purposes. He taught school the first winter. He bought a surveyor's outfit and engaged in surveying for some time. His first purchase was eighty acres of land, necessitating the expenditure of all he had. He was elected justice of the peace in 1846, which office he filled for over twenty years, doing a very extensive business. His business was largely making collections. This was before the days of so many banks. He was trusted by everybody and performed his business with satisfaction to all. He also served four years as judge. He has accumulated his savings and his earnings till he now owns more than 1,000 acres of land, a mark of his unusual success. Just subsequent to the war he was commissioned an attorney, that he might prosecute soldiers' claims without the certificate of a regular attorney living at a distance. Mr. Wilmerton was married December 10, 1850, to Miss Rhoda A. Kelsey, a native of New York state. They have three children: Louisa (wife of N. J. McDonald, of Davenport, Iowa), Frank (real estate agent in La Mars, Iowa), and William W. (at home). Prior to the war Mr. Wilmerton was democratic in politics; since that time he has voted independently."
William Wilmerton, one of the oldest settlers and reputed to be the wealthiest man in Mercer county, died at the home of his son, W. W. Wilmerton, at Preemption at 10:20 last evening. He had been in failing health for a year but had been bedfast for but a few days. Ailments incidental to advanced age were the cause of his demise.
Mr. Wilmerton lived in Rock Island for a number of years, having quarters at the Rock Island house. He was a stockholder in a number of Rock Island enterprises, though he did not hold office in any local corporations. His estate, which is estimated at a quarter of a million, consists mainly of Mercer county real estate, he being easily the largest land holder and the heaviest taxpayer in the county.
Mr. Wilmerton was born in Burlington county, N. J., May 2, 1822, and came to Mercer county in 1842. He obtained his start as a farmer and that was his leading vocation for more than half a century. He was elected justice of the peace in the 40's and held that office for 53 consecutive years. This office gave him the title "Squire," by which he was generally known.
The marriage of Mr. Wilmerton to Miss Rhoda Kelsey took place in Mercer county in 1849. She died December, 1894. Three children survive, Mrs. Louise Little of Chicago, Frank of Lemar, Iowa, and Wallace W. of Preemption.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 Friday morning at the home and the body will be taken to Davenport, where it will be cremated. Final services will be held at 3 o'clock in the chapel at the Davenport crematorium.
(Excerpt from the "History of Mercer and Henderson Counties" published in 1882.)
"WILLIAM WILMERTON is an example of those men who stand out as landmarks to rising young men to direct and invite to success, even though life begin in most straitened circumstances. Many a poor boy has worn the honors, civic or financial, ere gray hairs counted his allotted years. William Wilmerton was born May 1, 1822, in New Jersey. He is the son of Fenimore and Permila (Van Kirk) Wilmerton. His father was a cousin to the celebrated American author, J. Fenimore Cooper, founder of Cooperstown. His father died soon after his (William's) birth, so that the boy was left to the cold graces of the world. At the age of six years he found a home with a Quaker family, with whom he remained till quite able to support himself. He then became a common laborer at whatever might offer, applying his earnings to the acquirement of an education. He attended college some years, gaining a good fund of general information. In the summer of 1842 he made his way to Preemption township, Mercer county, Illinois. The first summer he spent in prospeeting for a location suitable to general purposes. He taught school the first winter. He bought a surveyor's outfit and engaged in surveying for some time. His first purchase was eighty acres of land, necessitating the expenditure of all he had. He was elected justice of the peace in 1846, which office he filled for over twenty years, doing a very extensive business. His business was largely making collections. This was before the days of so many banks. He was trusted by everybody and performed his business with satisfaction to all. He also served four years as judge. He has accumulated his savings and his earnings till he now owns more than 1,000 acres of land, a mark of his unusual success. Just subsequent to the war he was commissioned an attorney, that he might prosecute soldiers' claims without the certificate of a regular attorney living at a distance. Mr. Wilmerton was married December 10, 1850, to Miss Rhoda A. Kelsey, a native of New York state. They have three children: Louisa (wife of N. J. McDonald, of Davenport, Iowa), Frank (real estate agent in La Mars, Iowa), and William W. (at home). Prior to the war Mr. Wilmerton was democratic in politics; since that time he has voted independently."
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