Juab County UT Archives Biographies.....Whitmore, George M. 1853 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ut/utfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 14, 2012, 1:37 am Source: See below Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher GEORGE M. WHITMORE. George M. Whitmore, cashier of the First National Bank of Nephi, in which city he was born, is a son of George Carter and Mary Elizabeth (Hague) Whitmore. The father's birth occurred at Waxahachie, Texas, January 26, 1853, his parents being James M. and Elizabeth (Carter) Whitmore. The former was a son of John and Elizabeth (Burk) Whitmore, representatives of an old family of Tennessee. The grandfather of George M. Whitmore was a physician and in 1857 came to Utah with the Homer Duncan company, settling first at Salt Lake and afterward removing to St. George, Utah, where he was very prominent in Mormon circles, and at the time of his death, which occurred in 1866, he was one of the leading ranchers and stockmen of southern Utah. He was killed by the Navajos at Pipe Springs, Utah, thus falling a victim to Indian treachery. He was a very brave and fearless man and it was this bravery that led to his death, for he was killed by Indians who had been driven away by white men after they had killed many head of cattle. George C. Whitmore, father of George M. Whitmore, was educated in the schools of St. George and after his father was killed by the Indians he determined to avenge his death and keep what belonged to his mother from the red men. The attitude which he took resulted in a peace offer finally being made by the Indians in that community. To avoid further trouble Mr. Whitmore left St. George and in 1872 went to Nephi, where he became a leading citizen of Juab county, figuring prominently for many years as a rancher, stockman, merchant, banker and statesman. He thus contributed in marked measure to the development and upbuilding of the district in which he lived and also left the impress of his individuality upon the legislative history of the state. He served for two terms as a member of the Utah senate, being elected on the democratic ticket in 1899 and again in 1903. He established the First National Bank of Nephi in 1886 and remained president thereof until his demise, which occurred in Pasadena, California, November 8, 1917. In the meantime he had made large investments in land in various parts of Utah and Nevada, more especially In Carbon county, Utah. He took a keen interest in affairs relating to the progress and upbuilding of the state as well, served as a member of the board of trustees of the Utah Agricultural College from 1902 until 1906 and was a regent of the University of Utah from 1910 until his death. He was also for years a member of the board of the State Mental Hospital at Provo and cooperated heartily in every well defined plan and project for the upbuilding of the commonwealth. He was, moreover, a recognized leader in democratic circles and was a delegate to the national conventions of his party in 1904 and 1912. He likewise belonged to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His great heart beat for all unfortunate beings, regardless of race or creed, and he gave liberally to many public charities. He was a man of broad humanitarian principles, noble in spirit and honest in deed; was a firm believer in Utah; and such were his activities and his high ideals that he did much to shape the history of the state. His family included George M., of this review; J. W., mentioned elsewhere in this work; Edith, the widow of William J. Sparks, of Salt Lake; Roscoe P., who passed away in 1909 at the age of twenty-six years; Della, the widow of Dr. J. M. Foster; L. A., a public accountant residing in Salt Lake City; H. E., who acts as teller of the National Copper Bank in Salt Lake; and Bernice, the wife of Lewis Karrick, of Salt Lake. In the acquirement of his education George M. Whitmore attended the Salt Lake Seminary and also pursued a business course in the Agricultural College at Logan. Throughout his business career he has been closely associated with financial Interests. He was assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Nephi until advanced to the position of cashier, in which capacity he has served since 1902. The Nephi Bank has established branch banks, including the State Bank of Payson, the Fillmore Commercial & Savings Bank and the Fountain Green State Bank. The resources of the First National Bank of Nephi have grown from .four hundred thousand to one million dollars since Mr. Whitmore became cashier. He also has large land interests, which include city property, cattle and mercantile interests. In 1900 Mr. Whitmore was married to Miss Pearl McCune, who was born in Salt Lake but was reared in Nephi and they had one son, Max, who is a student in the East high school at Salt Lake City. The wife and mother passed away in 1908 and Mr. Whitmore was married in 1914 to Margaret Rose, of Wichita, Kansas, who was, however, of Kentucky parentage. Mr. Whitmore was mayor of Nephi from 1911 until 1913, being the only democrat who has ever occupied that position, a fact indicative of his personal worth and the confidence reposed in him. He is a representative of an old family of the state and the work which was instituted by his grandfather and continued by his father to a notable point in the progress and upbuilding of Utah is being carried on by the son. Additional Comments: Extracted from UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL ILLUSTRATED VOLUME IV CHICAGO-SALT LAKE: THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1920 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ut/juab/photos/bios/whitmore71gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ut/juab/bios/whitmore71gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/utfiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb