J. Perry Wintermute
J. Perry Wintermute, who, for a quarter of a century was a successful business man and valued citizen of Delaware, was born near Zanesville. Ohio, December 15. 1832, and died at Delaware, January 31, 1908. Mr. Wintermute came to Delaware in 1882 and embarked in a hardware business and from that date until within a few years of his death was an active business man of this city. He was a loyal and patriotic citizen and during the Civil war he served in the Federal army as a member of the One Hundred and Fortyfourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. For fourteen years he was adjutant of the George B. Torrence Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Delaware.
In 1858, Mr. Wintermute was married at Zanesville, Ohio, to Ettie A. Buckmaster, who survives him. They had four children, namely: Nina W., now Mrs. J. T. Skidmore, residing at Chillicothe, Missouri; Pearl W., now Mrs. Rae D. Henkle, residing at Cleveland; Dr. R. C. and Willie E., both of whom are now deceased.
From boyhood, Mr. Wintermute had been a member of the Baptist Communion, and for a space of twenty years he was a deacon in the First Baptist Church at Delaware. He was ever liberal with his means in behalf of charitable and benevolent purposes, both in and outside the church, and the poor and needy always found in him a friend. Mr. Wintermute was one of the oldest Free Masons in Ohio, the date of his admission to the fraternity being 1857. He loyally kept his pledges and was widely known in the organization and when he died he was laid to rest with Masonic honors. He was a man of strong convictions and never feared to follow a path he deemed right, sometimes in the face of opposition. This was particularly so when he assisted in the organization of the strong anti-saloon society known as The Sons of Temperance.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle