A Cloudy Look Into the Past

Cain and Mary (Simmons) Wimer came from pioneer families who had settled the South Branch of the Potomac. Cain and Mary married in Pendleton County and set to building a homestead on Indian Fork about the time of the Civil War. Cain and Mary's place was below the Blackburn Methodist Church, between the church and where Indian Fork flows into Sand Fork. (This is just over the hill to the west of the Oil Creek watershed, part of the Sand Creek Watershed, but it is at the edge of the Orlando Postal Service area.)

Thelma (Sprouse) Prince, formerly of Heaters, WV, who presently lives in Delaware, shares with us a rare photo of Cain and Mary's family from the 1890s. In this photo are 9 of their 11 children (with some of the grandchildren): Tom Sarah, Margaret, Mary, William, Charley, Bridget, Andrew, Verna. Missing are James and David, the brothers who married Cole sisters.

The photo is a copy, and very dim, but still draws the eye and curiosity and speaks of our heritage. It may appear clearer if it is printed out. Each person in the photo has a number written on it. The legend at the bottoom of the photo has been copied and expanded below.

Cain and Mary (Simmons) Wimer with children and grandchildren, before 1900.

1, Tom Wymer . . . m. ? . . . son of Cain and Mary Wimer . . . b. abt 1893

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2. Birdie Heater . . . m. William H, Hefner . . . dtr of Lorenzo Dow "Dow" and Sarah Heater . . . b. 1887 .

3. Rosie Heater . . . m. William Riffle . . . dtr of Samuel & Margaret (Wymer) Heater . . . b. 1894
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4. Ann Heater . . . m. Albert Jenkins Pumphrey. . . dtr of Dow and Sarah (Wymer) Heater . . .
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5. Daisy Heater . . . m. Charles Blake . . . dtr of Dow and Sarah (Wimer) Heater . . . b. abt 1889
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6. James Earl Heater . . . m.?. . . son of Dow and Sarah (Wimer) Heater . . . b. ?
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7. Verna Wymer . . . m. Frank Sprouse . . . dtr of Cain and Mary Wymer . . . b. abt 1891 (pictured to the right.)
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8. Ernest Heater . . . m.? . . . son of Sam and Alice Heater . . .
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9. Donia Butcher . . . m. ? son of Mary (Wimer) Butcher . . .
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10, Cain Wymer . . . m. Mary Simmons . . . son of Jacob and Sarah Wymer . . . b. abt 1832 (pictured to the left with Mary.) .

11. Mary "Polly" Simmons . . . m. Cain Wymer . . . dtr of Jacob & Mary M. (Detrick) Simmons . . . b abt 1849 (pictured to the left with Cain.)
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12. Opal Sprouse . . . m. a Donaldson . . . dtr of William and Martha Sprouse . . .
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13. Lorenzo Dow "Dow" Heater . . . m. Emma Cox, Sarah Wimer . . . son of William, Mary (Cogar) Heater . . . 1843-1923.

14. Sarah Wymer . . . m. Dow Heater . . . dtr of Cain and Mary (Simmons) Wimer . . . 1863-1961
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15. Dona M. Heater . . . m. Cecil Allen Taylor . . . dtr of Dow and Sarah (Wimer) Heater . . . b. abt 1899
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16. William “Bill” Wymer . . . m. ? . . . son of Cain and Mary Wimer . . . b. abt 1888
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17. Charley Wymer . . . m. Laura Bell . . . son of Cain and Mary Wimer . . . b. abt 1885
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18. Bridget Wymer. . . m. Homer Sprouse . . . dtr of Cain and MaryWymer . . . b. abt 1879
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19. Oliver “Bee” Heater . . . m Genevieve Skinne . . . son of Sam & Mgt Alice (Wymer) Heater . . . b. 1892 (Pictured to the left.)
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20. Andrew Jackson Wymer . . . m. ? . . . son of Cain and Mary Wimer . . . b. abt 1882
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21. Sean Louella Heater ??? ??? ??
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22. Alice Wymer . . . m. Samuel Heater . . . dtr of Cain and Mary Wymer . . . b. 1872
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23. Nancy Heater . . . m. George Tomlin . . . dtr of Samuel and Alice (Wymer) Heater . . . b. abt 1863
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24. Samuel "Sam" Heater . . . m. Alice Wymer . . . son Rosina Heater . . . 1859-1936
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25. Mary Wymer . . . m. C. Evans Butcher . . . dtr of Cain and Mary Wimer . . . b. abt 1880