Smyrna times., 1888-02-01
Death Of Col. Edwin Wilmer.

by Telegraph OF Gne death OF Col. Ed
win Wilmer at half past twelve o'clock
on Thursday night, at his home in Bal
timOre, or rather at GOVanstOwn, near
that city. He was at his Office of the
Sun Mutual Aid Society, of which he
was president, Ia life insurance insti-
tu.iOn) on Thursday, but was suffering
with cold. 1t is supposed coughing
caused internal hemOrrhage, from which
death resulted. Other than this his
health has been uniformly good. In
calling at his office a few weeks since
the writer found him engaged at bust
ness with the same assiduity as of yOre,
but ready with his known courtesy and
kindly greeting to meet an old acquain-
lance, with eye as bright as thirty
years ago and as animated in manner
and eager to hear of those with whom
he had been connected in former
periods of life. 1t looked as though he
had ten or fifteen years on the credit
side in life's ledger.
Colonel Wilmer was in the Goth year
of his age, and was born in Smyrna, in
the house now occupied by n. Z. Jer-
man. He was connected with the
Price, Carmichael and other prominent
Maryland families of the Eastern Shore
and with the two Bishops Wilmer, Of
the Protestant Episcopal Church, and
was a cousin of Col. Geo. w. Cummins
and his brothers and sisters. In early
life he became clerk in a dry goods
store in Baltimore, and afterwards car
ried on the business. In 1910 he en-
gagged in quarrying granite at Port De-
post, in partnership with his father-in-
law, Daniel Megredy, who was con-
nected by descent on the female side
with the DeFOe family of England.
He was largely interested in contracts
for government works as far south as
st. Augustine, Florida, and was also a
member of other firms in the lumber.
grain, fertilizer and agricultural imple-
ment business. He was Il trustee of
Dickinson College and Wesleyan Fee
male College.
He had become widely known as a
business man, a man of large capacity
and accorded leading place in what
ever sphere he moved. In politics, re-
| liglon, or whatever affected the pubic's
wealth he could be relied on to take a
prominent part, because his warmth of
nature as well as his conscious duties of
citizenship pushed him into the open
field where the greatest interests of So
ciety were centered.
1t was in the prime Of life, after pass
ing through some Vicissitudes that he
came to Smyrna, the place of his youth,
III 1850, to succeed Col. Geo. w. Cum
minis IN his extensive grain business
and other commerce with the CITY bv
vessel. He brought with him that high
character for prObity, and devotion ia
moral and religious interests that had
characterized his life since he had gone
out from among US as a boy. ChivalriC
In his nature, contact with the world
and his natural gifts for leadership soon
gave him a prominent place in local
and State affairs, and he was promi.
nently spoken of at one time as a Con.
gressiOnal candidate. When the civil
war broke out he gave his answering
adhesion to the maintenance Ofthe I'm.
ion, and when the 9th Delaware Regi.
ment was enrolled he was very natu.
rally chosen for the Colonel, and com.
manded it while in active service in
guarding the line of the P. W. & B
Railroad, with headquarters most oil
the time at Havre-de- Grace, when Lee
invaded Pennsylvania, returning at the
end of six weeks with a part of his
command to Smyrna to enforce the
Draft. He was also commissioned by
the authorities to the office of Provost
Marshal OF the State. Shortly after the
enforcement of the draft, the Provost
MarshaPs office was ordered to be
moved to Wilmington, where later on
he moved his family. After the war he
was president of the Manhattan Brick
Company, of New York, moving to Bal
tlmOre III 1869, where he became con
nected with and finally president o.
the Sun Mutual Aid Society, WITH the
management of which his son Edwin
has also a leading place. He leave.
beside, widow and four daughters, one
the wife of Henry r. Torbert, ESQ, O.
Elkton, and another of Charles Hep
burn, of Baltimore, the two youngest
being unmarried.
Col. Winners life was an eVentfu
one and revealed to him doubtless fea
lures that were as much a surprise t.
himself as any one else, The period
prior to the war, on the sunny side O
his life, when his great energies drec
ted by commanding will were giver
to business pursuits to which wer,
coupled an equal high purpose of use
fulness in civil and religious object.
was doubtless ever in later life the time
rhat reflection, which is ever and amor
bringing up the past, brought the mos
pleasant thoughts. Passing over tn,
time after the break in his civil life. tn,
call to new scenes and surrounding!
which the exigences of the country
placed before the ambitious, the patri
otto and the brave, it can be said O
Col. Wilmer that in his intercourse
with others he was a manly man: higI
minded, generous in his impulses. oper
and square in his dealings while nos
sessing a leOnina spirit as against hurt
ful things, he had a heart as tender as
a wOman's to objects of compassion
while possessing an inherent pride Of
self, he had an open heart and ready
hand for every man he was brought il
contact with, and above all, he wa.
sincere and warm in his friendships.
The last score years of his life have
been spent in other scenes and beyond
our knowledge, except incidentally as
to business, but beyond its demands
we learn, his time was spent mainly
in the bosom of his family, where he
has ever been known as a devoted hus
band and loving father.
The funeral of Col. Wilmer took
place Sunday from the residence of hi.
son, +. NJ. Wilmer, 1900 Madison Ave
nue., Baltimore The interment was al
Greenmount and was private, only the
immediate relatives of the family being
present.
Since the above was put in type 6
copy of the Baltimore american ha.
been received, giving the following ad.
ditiOnal account of the funeral
A number of relatives and friends
were present. Rev. J. J. G. Webster
pastor of Madison Avenue M. E.
Church, oficiated. The hymn Rock
of Ages" was sung and prayer offered
after which Rev. Mr.. Webster delivered
an address on Life and Death Then
the burial service of the Methodist
Episcopal Church was said, the hymn
Asleep in Jesus sung and the bene-
diction pronounced. Then the family
with the body, the minister and pail
bearers went to GreenmOunt, and the
remains were deposited temporarily in
the vault, to be removed to the family
burying ground at Hopewell, Ceci
county. The pall-bearers were Wood.
ward Abrahams, William Adams, Isaac
AlbersOn, DR.. John w. Hooking, Prof
Era1 KnonV, L. n MoCIonabo, H..