Aaron H. Whitmer, one of the best known building contractors in this city, died this morning at 12:45 o'clock from meningitis resulting an abscess on the brain. Mr. Whitmer had been ailing for some time, but on Sunday, when the abscess developed and this was followed by complications which resulted in his death. Mr. Whitmer was a son of the late John Whitmer and his wife, Mary Heisey, and was born in West Cornwall Township. He was one of a small number to be born of the union and the last of his family. Learning the carpentering trade, he quickly developed into a builder of homes and larger structures, which led him to establish himself in the business here. During his activities, which were only terminated by death, he erected many homes and more substantial buildings and during one season alone built more than 100 homes. A number of local business houses, plants and public school buildings stand as monuments to his building craft. Mr. Whitmer was 69 years old and enjoyed vigorous health up to the time of his fatal illness. He continued daily in the direction of his extensive business affairs and his death removes a figure which has long continued prominently indentified with the promotion of Lebanon's permanent growth. He leaves his wife, who for the past two weeks, had been seriously ill at the Whitmer home and on account of whose condition the funeral of the husband will be strictly private on Saturday morning at ten o'clock from the house. Their union of almost a half century, they having been married more than 47 years ago, was blessed with four children. Two of them a daughter and son, died at the ages of 10 and 2 years respectively. They were their first born. Two other children, Cora A., wife of P. N. Hershey, local manager of the Hershey chocolate company's creamery interests, and Sarah, wife of Elam Siegrist, both of Hathaway Park, are left. [Lebanon Daily News, January 22, 1919, Page 5]