Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 4/2/1927

A large circle of relatives and
friends will grieve to learn of
the death of Mary Barbara Witmer,
a life-long resident of the c i ty of Niagara
Falls, after a n i l l n e s s ranging,
over a period, of about five months.
She had been in ill health for a number
of years, but for the most part of
the time was able to attend to her
many little duties In the household.
Although relieved for several years
of the heavier responsibilities by h e r
industrious and untiring daughters,
Mrs. Theresa M Morrison, and Miss
Serena T., h e r advisory capacity .served
in good, stead, always displaying
the well-matured, judgment of o n e
whoso training had been well founded.
She w a s a n ardent lover of maternal
companionship and while act-
in g In a n advisory capacity with her
daughters during all these years, s he
was well blessed with the continual
companionship of h e r aged mother,
Mrs., Catherine Schneider of 1516
Ontario avenue, whose 100th anniversary
was celebrated on May 31 s t last
year and w h o will deeply moun her
departure.
Mrs. Witmer was t h e oldest of thirteen
children born to the late .Rev.
Theobald Schneider a n d Catherine
Grauer Schneider, on May 28th, 1847,
while Rev. Mr: Schneider was serving
as an ttlnerary minister for the
Evangelical association near Toronto,
Ont, a n d her early religious
training was derived through that
church and for which, in connection
with her mother, she held a h i gh regard
throughout her whole life.
On Dec. 23rd, 1869 s h e w a s given in
marriage to the Rev. Simon Witmer,
the eleventh members of another,pioneer
family of twelve, whose parents
settled in Niagara county In 1810, t he
second white family to take up their
abode in this section of t h e country.
Seven children were born as a result
of this happy union, six of whom are
living Malcham T., Simon C, Orlando
B., Artemas S., Theresa M. ( n ow
Mrs. Morrison) and Serena T. The
oldest one, Alvln F. preceeded her
March 3, 1909. Besides the s ix children
who survive her, she is also
mourned by three brothers, George
H., Jacob A. and John C. Schneider,
and four sisters, Mrs. Amanda C.
Eberling and hte Misses Sarah V.,
Nellie S. and Rose E. Schneider, as
well as s i x grandchildren. t
After her marriage, Mrs. Witmer
associated herself with the Free
Methodist Church in this city, so that
she might be the better able to c o operate
with her husband in his
chosen religious sphere, and t o the
time of her death she exhibited'at all
times to a full measure that spirit of
service so helpful and much appreciated
in the dark hour, never failing,
although family demands were pressing,
to stand ready to pass the c up
of cold water to those In need. A
very prominent trait was her ability
to mentally retain and relate past occurrences
of apparently very small
moment and especially was this true
religiously, her songs alone in both
the German and English language
ringing unceasingly her true spirit
with which she was peculiarly endowed.
Mrs. Witmer and her devoted
husband celebrated their golden wedding
anniversary on Dec. 23, 1919.
The-funeral will be held from her
late residence, 1024 Grove avenue at
2:30 p. m. Sunday, April 3rd, and t he
body will be borne to its last restingplace
in Rlverdalo cemetery by her
four sons, her son-in-law, Murdo
Morrisson and W. Sherman Farrington
of Buffalo. Rev. J. I . McCullough,
pastor of the Free Methodist
Church will officiate at the funeral.
He will be assisted by other ministers,
friends of the diseased

Mary married WITMER, Simon W on 23 Dec 1869 in Niagara County, NY. Simon (son of WITMER, Benjamin and HEIL, Anna Maria) was born on 22 Aug 1843 in Niagara County, NY; died on 10 Oct 1933 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY; was buried in Riverdale Cemetery, Town of Lewiston, Niagara County, NY - Section 5. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 3/34/1909

Alvin Frederick Witmer, a native of
this city, died at Syracuse yesterday after
a long Illness. The deceased was in his
thirty-fifth year and resided here until
about ten years ago when he went to
Syracuse. Eight years ago he married
Miss Gertrude Kimberly, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. O. T. Kimberly, of Second street,
this city. He was a civil engineer and
met with eminent success in the Salt City,
The deceased was the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Simon Witmer of Grove avenue, this
city, both of whom with four brothers
and two sisters survive him. The broth-
ers are Simon, of Chicago, Arthur of
Philadelphia, Malcom of Savannah, N.Y.,
and Orlando of this city. The sisters are
Misses Theresa and Serena, both of this
city.
The funeral services will be held from
his late hom in Syracuse tomorrow after-
noon at 4 o'clock. The remains will be
brought here on Saturday and another
service will be held from the home of
his parents Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'
clock, the Rev. J. F. Franklin, of Tona-
wanda, officiating.

Alvin married KIMBERLY, Gertrude W in 1901. Gertrude (daughter of KIMBERLY, O T) was born in 1878; died in 1960; was buried in Riverdale Cemetery, Town of Lewiston, Niagara County, NY - Section 5. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 3/27/1968

Niagara Frontier Lodge No.
132, F&AM, will hold, a
memorial service for Malcolm
T. Witmer Thursday at 7:30
p.m. at the Gridley Funeral
Home.

ALSO

Niagara Gazette - 3/26/1968

Malcham T.. (M.T.) Witmer, a Niagara Falls lumberman
for more than half a century, died this morning
(March 26, 1968) in Memorial Hospital after a lengthy
illness. He was 94.
Mr. Witmer was president and
treasurer of the Ayers-Witmer
Lumber Co., 200 Portage Road,
the f irm he founded in 1911. He
residede at 1301 Ferry Ave..-
Born in Town of Niagara, Mr.
Witmer was the descendent of a
family which came to the area
at the end of the 18th century.
He w ent to school in the District
No. 3 School and later the
Cleveland Avenue School, which
was then a high school.
He completed his education at
Niagara Business College and
went to work in August 1897
as an office boy and assistant
bookkeeper at Niagara Falls
Lumber and Coal Co.
In 1908, Mr. Witmer and his
wife, the former Clara Carr,
moved to Savannah, N.Y. and
purchased a small lumber yard.
By 1909 Mr. Witmer was mayor
of the town.
He returned to Niagara Falls
in 1911 and purchased the J. J.
Cook lumber yard, which had
been idle for more than five
years.
Mr. Witmer was the last surviving
charter member of the
Niagara Falls Kiwanis Club,
which was founded in 1918. He
was the recipient of a pin for
32 years of perfect attendance.
He was a m ember of the
board of trustees of the Evangelical
United Brethren Church
here for 50 years and Sunday
school superintendent for 39
years.
° He was a charter member of
Niagara Falls YMCA and for
mer vice president of the City
Mission, where he was active
on the board of directors for
many years.
He served as a director of
the Northeastern Retail Lumbermen's
Association and was
one of the founders of the now defunct
Cataract National Bank.
He was a member of Savannah
Lodge No. 764, F. & A.M., Ni-
agara Builders Association, His-
torical Society of Niagara Falls
and Old Fort Niagara Associa-
tion.
Surviving are a son, Robert
C. Witmer, vice president and
secretary of the lumber company;
a daughter, Ruth E, Witmer,
this city; two brothers,
Orlando B. (0. B.) Witmer, this
city, and Artemas S. (Art) Witmer,
Lakeland, Fla.; a sister,
Mrs. Theresa Morrison, this
city; three grandhcildren and
several nieces and nephews.
His wife died, in 1959 at the
age of 80.
The Rev. Ardell G. Gould,
pastor of the Evangelical United
Brehern Church, will officiate
at services Friday at 1:30 p.m.
at the church. Burial will be in
Riverdaie Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may
be may to the City Mission.

Malcham married CARR, Clara Gertrude on 21 Jun 1905 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. Clara (daughter of CARR, Joseph J and Mary) was born in 1880 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY; died on 5 Apr 1960 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY; was buried in Riverdale Cemetery, Town of Lewiston, Niagara County, NY - Section 8. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Simon married HALL, Nettie in 1905 in IL. Nettie was born in 1880 in IL; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Orlando married WILLIAMS, Elizabeth May on 9 May 1900 in Bulah, MD. Elizabeth was born in 1877 in Federalsburg, Caroline County, MD; died on 15 Feb 1973 in DeVeaux Manor Nursing Home, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY; was buried in Riverdale Cemetery, Town of Lewiston, Niagara County, NY - Section 8. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Artemus married ALEXANDER, Marguerite on 28 Jun 1909 in Wilmington, New Castle County, DE. Marguerite (daughter of ALEXANDER, Mayrice F) was born about 1893 in DE; died in May 1966 in Polk County, FL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 10/23/1968

MORRISON-Theresa M. ot Memorial
Hospital October 22nd, 1968 of 1024
Grove Ave. Wife of the late Murdo
Morrison. Mother of Miss Mary (Isobelle)
Morrison this city. Dr. Wllllom
A. Morrison of Phil., Pa. Sister of
Orlando B. Witmer this city. Art S.
Witmer of Lakeland, Florida. 3 Grandchildren
survive. Funerol from the
Gridley Funeral Home Inc., 750 Main
St. Friday at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. M.
C. Rice & the Rev. W. A. Mason officiating.
Interment in Riverdale Cemetery.
Friends may call Wed., & Thurs.
2-5 & 7-9 p.m.

ALSO

Niagara Gazette - 10/22/1968

Mrs. Theresa M. Morrison,
86, of 1024 Grove Ave., died
today (Oct. 22, 1968) in Memortal
Hospital after a short
Illness.
A native of Niagara Falls,
Mrs. M o r r i s o n was the
daughter of the late Simon
and Mary Whitmer.
Mrs. Morrison was a member
of the Weston Avenue
Free Methodist Church and
the Women's Missionary Society
of that church.
She was the wife of the late
Murdo Morrison, and is survived
by a son, Dr. William
A. Morrison, of Philadelphia,
Pa.; a daughter, Miss Mary
Isabelle Morrison, of Niagara
Falls; two brothers, Orlando
B. Whitmer, this city, and Art
S. Whitmer, of Lakeland, Fla.,
and three grandchildren.
Funeral services will be
heM .Friday at, 1:30 p.m. at
the Gridley Funeral Home
Inc. The Rev. M. C. Rice,
former pastor of the Weston
Avenue Free M e t h o d i st
Church, and the Rev. W. H.
Mason, present pastor of the
church, will officiate. Burial
will be in Riverdate Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funerat
home Wednesday and
Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m.

Theresa married MORRISON, Murdo in 1920. Murdo was born in 1883 in Isle of Lewis, Scotland; died on 14 Jul 1963 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 8/13/1962

Funeral services for Miss
Serena T Witmer. 76. a prominent
business woman, church
leader and descendant of a
local pioneer family, will be
held Wednesday.
Miss Witmer died Saturday
(Aug. 11, 1962) in Memorial
Hospital after being ill for
several days.
Miss Witmer lived at 1024
Grove Ave in a home owned
by her family for more than
60 years.
She started work in 1904
as bookkeeper for Snyder and
Gillette Contracting Co., now
the Concrete Stone and Coal
Co. In 1942 she was elected
secretary. She retired a year
ago For many she kept
the records of Snyder Realty
Co. also located in Gillette
Court in the DeVeaux section
of the city.
Family Here in 1810
Her great great-grandfather.
John Witmer, came here in
1810 and farmed property on
which the Vanadium Corpora-
tion of America plant in Witmer
Road was later bulit.
The Witmer family was act-
ive in the founding of the
Weston Avenue Free Metho-
dist Church, of which Miss
Witmer was a m e m b er
throughout her life She held
many c h u r c h offices and
served on the Official Board
for many years. She taught in
the Sunday School and was
greatly responsible for t h e
opening of a Sunday School
conducted in the Echota area
which grew to become the
Church Avenue Free Methodist
Church. She had charge
of youth work for the church
for many years and held of -
fices in the Woman's Missionary
Society
Rites Wednesday
Surviving are a sister. Mrs.
Murdo Morrison, who also resides
in the family homestead;
three brothers. M. T. Witmer.
president of Avers and Witmer
Lumber Co ; O. B. Wit-
mer, retired Carborundum Co
executive, and Art S. Witmer.
Lakeland. Fla
The funeral will be held
at 1:30 p m. Wednesday at the
Gridley Funeral Home. Rev.:
Myrtus C Rice, pastor of The
Weston Avenue Free Methodist
Church, and Rev. Michael
Salmen. her cousin, of Webster.
NY, former pastor of
the First Evangelical United
Brethren Church here, will
officiate. Burial will be in
Riverdale Cemetery.

Robert married SPARLING, Elizabeth on 15 Oct 1937 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. Elizabeth (daughter of SPARLING, Thomas B and BALE, Ida May) was born on 16 Sep 1914 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY; died on 6 Oct 1997 in Lockport, Niagara County, NY; was buried in Riverdale Cemetery, Town of Lewiston, Niagara County, NY - Section 11N. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: NOE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 1/30/1925

Grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Simon
Wltmer of Grove Avenue,
Alvin Frederic Wltmer, Jr.. only
child of Mr. and Mrs. A S Witmer of
Baltimore, Md., and grandson of Mr.
and Mrs. Simor Witmer of Grove
avenue, this city, died at his home In
Baltimore, early Thursday morning,
following a brief attack of spinal
menlngitis, aged 14 years. The funeral
will be held from the home of
his grandparents. Mr. and Mrs M.
Alexander at Wilmington. Del-, where
he will be buried.

Family/Spouse: GOW, Thomas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]