Notes:

Was a Civil Engeneer and living in Sycamore,ILL in 1887
Living in Buffalo NY in 1908

Joseph married JONES, Virginia C on 22 Dec 1887, and was divorced between 1900 and 1910. Virginia was born in Nov 1865 in Wooster, Wayne County, OH; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. WITMER, Virginia was born in Nov 1888 in MI; and died.

Family/Spouse: Minnie M. Minnie was born about 1874 in New York; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Born Oct. 08, 1816 in Niagara, NY, he worked on his fathers several hundred acre farm, attended the district school, and took a course of study at the Lewiston Academy. He next engaged to teach district school in what is now (1923) as the Synder District in Amherst, Erie County, NY. While teaching there he met, wooed and won his bride Anna FRICK daughter of Christian FRICK and Elizabeth LONG, who resided in a farm near by opposite the school house.
Tobias WITMER was a Surveyor and Civil Engineer. he was the author and publisher of maps of the town of Niagra, city of Tonawanda, Village of Williamsville and Deed Atlas of the County of Erie. etc..
He served for three years as a Sergent in the 50th Regiment of the New York Volunteers (Engineers), and on one occasion was in charge of several companies of the regiment putting in abatis in advance of one of our forts opposite of Petersburg, VA. The emeny observing and not approving of this began cannoning during the war he and his son Christian F. WITMER ( the author of the article) were deatiled to make surveys amont the forts at Washington D.C. and in the vincity of Falmouth VA.
Returning at the close of the War he resumed his former occupation of Land Surveying and took over the Agency of the Agricultural Insurance company, which has been in the family to the present time (1923),
He was active in the Church of Christ, also one of the founders of the Williamsville Classical Institute, and at one time its principal teacher, who finally donated their stock for Public School purposes. It was his ambition to equip each of his children with a good education rather than material wealth, on the theory that riches have wings, but that knowledge is life-long capital. Of his sons and daughters ten have served as teachers. He died in the family home Aug. 14, 1897.

ALSO

Buffalo NY Morning Express - about 1897

Pioneer, Patriot, Genius.
THE LATB TOBIAS WITMER WAS ALL
OF THESE, AND A MAN OF CHRISTIAN
LIFE AND GOOD INFLUENCE-
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR.
Tobias Witmer, who died at his home near
Willamsville, August 14th, was a man whose
career was so prominently linked with the history
of Western New-York and Buffalo, that
it merits a somewhat detailed record.
He was a genius. There was nothing In
wood or metal that he could not make. He
was an inventor, as the records of the Patent
Office will show. He was the originator of
the bicycle wheel, and the family still have in
their possession a model of this wheel, made
years before the bicycle came into popular
favor In this model the spikes were made
from the wires of an old hoop skirt. Unfortunately
he never applied for a patent. Among
his inventions were a corn-sheller, a railroad
switch (automatic), a pile driver, a pall table
signal tower for use in the army, and a fire-escape,
of which thr presant Hayes ladder is
claimed to be an infringement. Another of
his inventions was a simple contrivance to
teach the transposition of the scale for the use
of music teachers.
He was a writer of considerable ability in
prose and poetry and was equally at home in
English. German, or the dialect of the "Pennsylvania
Dutch." A new system of phonetic
spenning which received the commendation
and endorsement of much high authority as
the late Prof a.0. Haldeman of the University
of Pennsylvania. was his work.
He was a patriot, having enlisted on his 45th
birthday. at which time he had twelve ctilldren.
A daughter was born on the day he
was is the Battle.of Fredericksburg and an
other after his return from the War. The
latter died after reaching her majority and
that was the only death in a family of fourteen children.
Mr Witmer celebrated his golden wedding
November 13, 1887, and had he lived until
November 13th this year. he would have celebrated
the 60th anniversary of his marriage.
His twin brother, Elias Witmer, still lives on
the old homestead east of Suspension Bridge
on which their father settled before the War
of 1812
A remarkable circumstance happened in
connection with Mr. Witmer s departure to
and return from the War. Accompanied by by
eldest son, Christian F., they took the old
Williamsville and Buffalo Octibus (sp?) and found
nine other recruits from Clarence and sur-
rounding towns going to the seat of war. Although
widely dispersed during the three years
of service on their return home after the close
of the War the original eleven men found
themselves traveling on the same omtiibus,
homeward bound.
Mr. Witmer was one of the founders of the
Williamsville Academy, an institution which
at one time had an attendance of 600 students.
He was also the principal of the institution
for a short time.
But his chief work was in the church For
many years he was an elder" in the Christian
Church (Disciples) at Williamsville. He established
numerous Sunday schools in Niagara
County and the towns of Amherst and Cheektow
aga.
His humble efforts in this direction were the
direct cause of the establishment of the Christian
church at Suspension Bridge. Through
the efforts of Mr. Hensler of Tonawanda and
himself. St. James Hall in this city wans rented
and religious meetings were held which finally
required in the establishment of the Christian
Church in Buffalo. At first services were held in
the old French Church at the corner of Tupper
and Ellicott streets Subsequently the Church of Christ (Disciples) on Tichmond Avenue was built and later a branch on Jefferson Street.
An artisan, inventor, civil engineer, author, poet, patriot and preacher, his unassuming superiority endeared him to all.

Tobias married FRICK, Anna Long on 24 Nov 1837 in Skinnersville, Town of Amherst, Erie County, NY. Anna (daughter of FRICK, Christian and LONG, Elizabeth) was born on 18 May 1819 in Skinnersville, Town of Amherst, Erie County, NY; died on 14 Sep 1908 in Skinnersville, Town of Amherst, Erie County, NY; was buried in Williamsville, Erie County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Anna married a Tobias Witmer, and had fourteen children. Tobias contributed to the information in the FRICK Bio. in George Prowell's book.

Anna Frick Whitmer (from published story by son Christian F. WHITMER), was born May 18, 1819, the only child of Christian FRICK and Elizabeth LONG FRICK, Their first farm was on a farm of several hundred acres at Skinnersville what is known now as Wolf's Mills, in the town of Amherst, Erie County, NY. Which was purchased by her grandfather (CHRISTIAN H> FRICK) about the year 1807. When she was about five years old the family moved to another farm purchased by Mr. Frick of the Holland Land Co. and situated on the south side of now what is known as Main St., about two miles west of Williamsville. This is where she married Tobias Witmer and raised her five sons and nine daughters, the farm is now know as Audubon Terrace South.

At the time of her death 11 of the 14 children are still living.

INTERESTING SKETCH OF HER LIFE.

Mrs. Anna Witmer, daughter and only child of CHRISTIAN FRICK and ELIZABETH LONG, and widow of TOBIAS WIITMER (who died Aug. 14, 1897), was born at Skinnersville, now commonly known as Wolfs Mill, in the town of AMHERST, Erie County, NY., May 18, 1819, and died at the Witmer homestead where she had lived for eighty-five consecutive years, Sept. 14, 1908.
About the year 1828, her father purchased of the Holland Land Company by "Article," 136 acres on the south side of Main Street, two miles west of Williamsville, the present WITMER homestead; and moved there with his family. The premises were at that time mostly dense forest which was being slashed, burned or being converted into charcoal; and the subject of this sketch spent many a day in childhood making miniature charcoal pits within sight of what is now Main Street, but at which time was a corduroy road made over a swampy ground. Her father built the house in which she lived for 85 years, in which she was married , as were all her daughters; and which her parents, two of her daughters, her husband and she herself died. In this house also in 1887 was celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of her marriage in the presence of a large company of friends, relatives, children, grand-children of whom there were twenty three living then, and among the guest a number of those present at her marriage fifty years ago , including the original bridesmaid and groomsman.
She was married November 16, 1887. Her husband TOBIAS WITMER, was born in the town of Niagara, about 3 1/2 miles northeast of the falls. His father Abraham WITMER, emigrated from Pennsylvania and built the house, still standing, where his family was born and reared. Tobias WITMER was a civil engineer, always actively employed. When the call came for volunteers to defend the Union, Mr. Witmer and his eldest son Christian F. WITMER responded and went to the front in the engineering service and continued until the restoration of peace. During their absence Mrs. Witmer evidenced
her patience by sustaining for three years the burdens of management of the household and farm, and the same day they were taking part in the battle of Fredericksburg, her daughter Clara was born and received the second name of Fredericka in honor of that event.
Mrs. WITMER was eminently a home keeper. The achievements of her life were all comprised within the realm where woman is divinely ordained to reign. She was the mother of an unusually large family, all of whom were brought up under her wise training to be honorable and useful members of society.
She was noted for her unvaryingly even temper, cheerful disposition, good sense, charity and hospitality. She was always hopeful and courageous, looking on the bright side and seeing the best instead of the worst.

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 9/13/1882

Married.
On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, a t the
home of the bride's parents, in Amherst,
Erie county, N. Y „ Rev. Edgar A. Pardee,
pastor of the Christian Church, in
Williamsville, N. Y.. with Miss May E.
Wilmer, daughter of Tobias Witmer,,
Esq., and Anna Frick Witmer.
The ceremony was performed by Rev.
G. L. Wharton, late pastor of the Christian
Church at Buffalo, on the evening of
his departure for India as Christian missionary
to the heathen.
There were present on this happy occasion
tho bridegroom's parents; the bride's
parents; her grandfather and grand-
mother on t h e mother's side; her uncle
Eiias Witmer.twin brother of her father;
besides nieces and nephews " t o numerous
to mention," with a friendly delegation
of "cousins," all enjoying the fes-
tivities of that bright September day,
long to be remembered in the family
circle.
After dinner the party were escorted,
amid ....... showers of salt, hoes, etc.
to the station, just in time to take the
train, and some of the young folk
wishes they might "go too," but feared
to launch away. May joy to and return
with them. W.

Notes:

Abraham Witmer was a pioneer settler from Lancaster County, PA, who settled on a farm of several hundred acres about one mile northeasterly from the old suspension bridge in the town of Niagara., NY


Tonawanda News - 7/18/1970

By WILLARD DITTM AR
President
Historical Society
of the Tonawandas
Witmer Road, connecting
Niagara Falls Boulevard
and River Road in North
Tonawanda, was named for
a family of early frontier
settlers.
In 1810, John Witmer and
his family, consisting of his
wife and eight children, left
Lancaster, Pa., and settled
on a 100-acre farm on
Military Road, which he had
purchased from one Isaac
Swain. At that time there
was only one other clearing
on Military Road.
Abram Witmer, a brother
of John, came to the Niagara
Frontier in 1811 from the
same place in Pennsylvania
with his wife and four children.
They settled on a tract
of land purchased from the
Holland Land Co. on
Saunders Settlement Road.
When the War of 1812 broke
out, Abram took his family,
which had grown larger,
back to Pennsylvania. The
Witmer brothers were
Mennonites and had
religious scruples against
war.
Tobias Witmer, one of
Abram's seven sons, was
born in 1816 at Bellevue
(Suspension Bridge) and
became one of the first
surveyors of the region. He
made several maps of early
Tonawanda which are still
the main reliance for lot
lines and street boundaries.
On an 1852 map of Niagara
County there are shown
nine families of Witmers
living at different points in
the Town of Niagara. The
two first Witmers. John and
Abram. reared 17 children,
most of whom survived and
married.

Abraham married HABECKER, Barbara on 8 Oct 1804 in Columbia, Lancaster County, PA. Barbara (daughter of HABECKER, Christian and HERR, Esther) was born on 23 Oct 1782 in Manor Township, Lancaster County, PA; died on 6 Jul 1859 in Witmer Homestead, Town of Niagara, Niagara County, NY; was buried in WItmer Memorial Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

FRICK - On the 27th of March, near Williamsville, Erie County N.Y., Christian Frick, aged 90 years, 11 months and 16 days. Buried at Eggertsville on the 29th. Funeral services by Jacob Hahn. Text, James 4:14. He was a member of the Mennonite Church.

Christian married LONG, Elizabeth in 1818 in Lancaster County, PA. Elizabeth was born on 13 Feb 1797 in PA; died on 22 Dec 1883. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - Abt 7/1957

By CLARENCE O. LEWIS
Niagara County Historian
IN 1810.JOHN WITMER and
his family consisting of his wife
and eight children left Lancaster,
Pa., in a Conestoga wagon with
a four horse team. AM their worldly
possessions were in that wagon.
They were bound for the
Niagara Frontier. The trip was
made in late August and early
September and required 18 days.
The route was circuitious until
they reached Batavia from whence
they followed the Buffalo road
to Black Rock and thence down
the river to Devil's Hole where
they took a road which had been
chopped out by Isaac Swain. This
led to his clearing where the Military
road crosses Gill Creek, close
to the northern boundary of the
Town of Niagara.
Mr. Swain had. partially cleared
the timber from about 40 acres
and erected a good-size log house.
John Witmcr had purchased this
100 acre farm of Mr. Swain who
then moved to the Town of Porter
and settled south of Youngstown.
At this period (1810) there was
only one other clearing on the
Military road in the present town
of Niagara.
A short time before John Witmer
brought his family from Pensylvania,
he had ridden through
on horseback and purchased his
land. When he left his old home
he had cut a slender branch from
a Locust Tree to use as a switch.
When he reached his new home
he planted the switch in the rich
soil in front of the log cabin. The
switch, so the family tell me, took
root and today one may see as I
did, on the east side of the military
road some 25 odd feet north
of the Gill Creek crossing, a large
gnarly old locust tree that has
every earmark of being old enough
to verify the family legend.
* • *
WHEN THE TOWN of Niagara
was organized in April 1812.
John Witmer was elected one of
the "pathmasters." In 1817 he
built a small sawmill on Gill
Creek near his home and in 1818
began to saw and sell lumber.
"A great many of the first frame
houses in that part of Niagara
and adjacent towns were built of
lumber from his sawmill. Last
week I called on Mrs. Theresa
Morrison and Miss Serena Witmer
of 1024 Grove Ave., who are great
granddaughters of John Witmer.
They were most hospitable and
very willing to help me complete
this story. One incident they told
me was about Benjamin Witmer
son of John, and their great uncle
who as a boy of 17 during the
War of 1812, ventured down to
the bank of the Niagara opposite
one of the teaters of battle on the
Canadian, side and as he peered
through the bushes a four-pound
cannon ball came whizzing across
the river and took hit hat off his
head. When be had recovered
from the shock he found the cannon
ball imbedded in the earth
and took it home and it is still
kept by these ladies as a memento
of those troublous times of long
ago.
Abram Witmer, a brother of
John, came to the Frontier in
1811 from the same place in
Pennsylvania. His wife and four
children came with him. Their
trip was similar to John's. They
settled on a tract of land purchased
from the Holland Land
Co. It was on the Saunder's Settlement
road just east of Sugar
Street, and on the west abutted
on the Mile Reserve. He built,
a log house and began to clear
his land. At the first town meeting
in 1812 he was also elected
a pathmaster. When the War
broke out he took his family back
to Pennsylvania. The Witmer brothers
were Mennonites and had
religious scruple against war.
« » *
OUT OF AN estimated total of
337 homes along the Frontier, the
English and Indians looted and
burned all but a few that were
somewhat isolated! Fortunately
Abram Witmer's was one of these,
so that when they returned everything
was just as they had left it.
When the weather was too bad
to go to Porter's Grist, Mill at
the Falls they used a hollowed
out stump and a spring pole with
a stone tied to it for a pestle to
grind their grain.
In the spring of 1836 Benjamin
Rathbun came to Niagara Falls
to invest in real estate and erect
buildings. He heard that Abram
Witmer Jr., had a brick kiln
where he was making brick for
his house. Mr. Rathbun entered
into a contract with father and
son to make 300,000 brick for
him which he would pay for on
delivery. They had made and delivered
about two-thirds of the
contract when Rathbun's business
empire founded more or less on
credit, failed — partly, on account
of the financial panic of
that year and partly because of
unscrupulous deals.
The Witmers lost heavily but
made the best of a bad deal, selling
the bricks left on their hands
wherever they could find a market.
Abram Sr., was a carpenter
and cabinet maker as well as a
farmer.
Among documents found in the
old Court House attic were two
legal papers dated 1853 containing
the signatures of Abram Witmer
and Tobias, another son.
Abram, Sr., died Sept. 4, 1851.
Christian H. Witmer, the oldest
of Abram's seven sons operated
Judge Porter's Grist mill near the
present River end of First street
He also had a mill of his own
somewhat later, on the high bank
of the River near the Whirlpool
Bridge. On Sept. 17, 1859 while
working on the raceway he fell
into the water and was carried
down into the River and to his
death in the Whirlpool.
,* • *
TOBIAS WITM'ER was born in
1816 at Bellvue, (Suspension
Bridge). He was one of the first
surveyors of that region, his maps
being still the main reliance for
lot lines, etc. He was quite a
genius, being an inventor, author,
poet and a preacher besides a
Civil Engineer. One of his inventions
was the bicycle wheel. He
made the spokes of the wires from
an old hoop skirt. He also invented
a corn sheller, an automatic
rairoad switch,- pile driver,
portable signal tower for use
in the Army, fire escape, etc.
He taught school for a time
In 1861 although he had a family
of 12 children he enlisted in a
Civil War Regiment He died in
1897 in Williamsville, Erie Co.,
leaving a record of accomplishments
that seldom is equalled.
Elias Witmer, twin brother of
Tobias, finished his schooling at
the Lewiston Academy after which
he learned the tailor's trade. Later
he taught school, but finding his
health impaired he stuck to farm-
ing the rest of his long life.
Practically all the advancement
of the Niagara Frontier, from its
wild state to the highly developed
status of 1918, was. encompassed
in his life. In his youth oxteams
were a common sight along Portage
road. He was in Buffalo on
Oct 26, 1825, to see the official
opening of the Erie Canal and saw
DeWitt Clintonon the "Seneca
Chief and heard the cannon
"telegraph that carried the notice
of the starting of the Seneca
Chief on its voyage to the Atlantic
Ocean.
# • •
ELIAS WITMER was greatly
interested in the Niagara County
Pioneer's Assoc, organized in 1877
and was one time vice president
He was a regular attendant at
the Olcott Pioneer's Picnics. In
1914 when he was 98 years old
he planned to attend the picnic,
writing, a card to the Secty., George
S. Gooding in advance signifying
his intentions. He died Feb. 23,
1918, aged 102 years, in the
homestead built by his father in
1821.
On the 1852 map of Niagara
County there are shown nine
families of Witmer's living at different
points in the Town of Niagara.
The two first Witmers,
John and Abram, reared 17 children,
most of whom survived and
married.
A few moved out of Niagara
County, but the majority of them
lived and operated various types
of business in this County. The
Witmer road connecting Hyde
Park Blvd. with the Military
road perpetuates the family name.
There are today in Niagara
Falls six families descended from
the two pioneer brothers, .John
and Abram. They are Orlando
B. Witmer, 2215 Pierce Ave.; M.
T. Witmer, 1301 Ferry Ave; Miss
Emma A. Witmer, 1600 Cleveland
Ave.; Christian H. Witmer. 1174
Haeberle Ave.; and my collaborators,
Miss Serena T. Witmer and
Mrs. Theresa Morrison, 1024
Grove Ave. Also a great great
grandson, Robert C. Witmer,
2913 Michigan Ave.

Johannes married SCHALLENBURGER, Maria about 1755. Maria was born about 1735; died between 1774 and 1840. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Christian + HERR, Esther. Esther (daughter of HERR, David and HERSHEY, Barbara) was born on 18 Jul 1755 in Millersville, Lancaster County, PA; died on 28 Nov 1830 in Lancaster County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Christian married HERR, Elizabeth on 25 Jan 1791. Elizabeth was born on 14 Jan 1770 in Lancaster County, PA; died after 1822. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]