Early Citizens of Council Bluffs - Henry and Sophia Plumer

 

Henry F. Plumer was born October 8, 1828 in Hanover Germany. When he was twelve his family immigrated to America and settled in Missouri.

Sophia was born in 1835 in Ohio, the daughter of German immigrants.

Henry and Sophia were married August 20, 1849 and for the next two years they lived in Missouri.

Henry and Sophia Plumer

In 1851 they moved to Lewis Township in Pottawattamie County where they made their home. The Plumer's started out on 160 acres, but eventually increased that to 1200 acres in Pottawattamie County, 840 acres in Woodbury County and 1280 acres in Ellis County, Kansas.

Henry and Logan Fontenelle were frequent visitors of the Plumer's and purchased horses from the family.

In the 1870's Henry owned the Crystal Mills, a flour mill that was located at Main and Worth in Council Bluffs.

Henry and Sophia had 13 children; Mary, John, William, Emeline, Josephine, Ferdinand, Edward, Cornelius, Oscar, Augusta, Thomas, Laura and Henry. All except Augusta survived to adulthood.

The Plumer's were members of the Evangelical Church and led a fairly prosperous life on their farm.

"Mr. Plumer is a good example of what a man can accomplish who starts with nothing but pluck and energy, as he started with comparatively nothing, but by good management amassed a handsome competency." Biographical History of Pottawattamie County

Sophia Plumer died on September 23, 1915, Henry died December 31, 1918. They are both buried in St. Paul's Evangelical Country Church Cemetery.


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Mary Carpenter
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