My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE W. PASSMORE, one of the best known and highly esteemed citizens of Harlan county, Nebr., is a native of Chester county, Pa., and was born October 24, 1834. His parents, George and Phoebe (Harlan) Passmore, were both natives of the same county. His grandfather, George Passmore, was born in Pennsylvania, and was of Welsh descent. George Passmore, our subject’s father, was a miller by trade, but followed contracting considerably, and was a successful man of affairs until 1835, when he failed, losing his all. He then moved to Ohio with his family of small children in 1838. He died in 1872, surviving his wife one year. George W. Passmore worked in Jennings county, Ind., with a carpenter, in 1853, but worked at the trade only a short time. In 1856 he engaged in the milling business, and continued in that business for several years. He was burnt out in the spring of 1863, losing $500 more than he was worth, but he rebuilt and did a successful business for three years. In 1866 he disposed of his interest in the mill and purchased a farm in the woods in Jennings, which he cleared and worked successfully for six years. He came to Nebraska in the fall of 1873, settling in Otoe county, where he continued his vocation as a farmer. In 1879 he disposed of his farm and came to Harlan county in 1880, purchasing a homestead right in Scandinavia township, where he now has one of the finest farms in the county.

Mr. Passmore was married December 25, 1856, the lady of his choice being Miss Sarah J. Haycock, daughter of Milton and Rebecca Haycock. She was born in Ohio in 1839, and is of good ancestry. They have had nine children, namely — Rebecca E., Alvernon (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased,) Martha J., Milton (deceased), Harlan (deceased), Morton (deceased), William (deceased), and Minnie F. Mr. Passmore has three hundred and twenty acres of land, all well improved and in a good state of cultivation. He has been county supervisor for several years, but is not an aspirant to public position. He is a republican in whom there is no guile, and is prominent in political affairs in his own county. He and his estimable wife are honored members of the Baptist church, and have been for more than a quarter of a century, and both stand high in the estimation of all who know them.