Ephraim Whitmer

    Ephraim Whitmer, a native of Muhlenburg County, Kentucky, was born March 26, 1843, the second in a family of twelve children of  Michael and Barbara Ann (Shaver) Whitmer, who were natives of Kentucky and Virginia respectively. The father was reared, educated and married in his native State, where he reared a family, followed farming, and died in April, 1868, followed by his widow in September, 1876.

    Ephraim Whitmer is emphatically one of Warrick County's self made men. He was reared in his native State to manhood, receiving only a limited education. In later years, by application, he secured a practical knowledge of all the ordinary branches of education. At the age of twenty-one he left home to do for himself, and for two years worked at carpentering, and later, for an equal length of time, dealt in tobacco. Succeeding this he clerked in a general store fourteen months, then came to this county and engaged in farming. Beginning as a farm hand, he saved his wages and invested it in real estate, which he increased from time to time until he owned one hundred acres of good land. In March, 1884, he purchased his present farm, where he is now comfortably situated.

    October 26, 1871, he wedded Rachel Reynolds, daughter of John A. Reynolds, and early settler of Warrick County, by whom he is the father of four children: Anna P., Edmund N. (deceased), Bird E. and John A. In politics, Mr. Whitmer is a Democrat.

Source: History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, Indiana, By: Goodspeed Bros. & Co., 1885.