An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 422-423

	DR. WILLIAM W. ELMER, Spokane, Washington, was born in Belleville, Hastings
county, Ontario, in 1837. His parents, Asha and Sarah (Ball) Elmer, were
Virginians by birth and were of English descent. They moved to Canada when
children, and the father after he grew up was engaged in the manufacture of
wagons, carriages and farm implements. He and his wife were members of the
Baptist Church. Both died in Belleville. They had a family of ten children, the
subject of our sketch being the sixth born.
	Dr. Elmer was educated at Kingston. At the age of eighteen he began the
study of medicine in the office of Dr. Dorland at Belleville, remaining with him
two years. Then he entered Queen's College, Kingston, graduated at that
institution in 1858, and at once began the practice of his profession at Madoc.
There he conducted a successful practice sixteen years. He next spent a year at
Chicago and then located at Bay City, Michigan, where he resided fifteen years
and had a large and lucrative practice. In 1889 he came to Spokane. Previous to
this time he had frequently visited the Pacific coast during his vacations, and
had often been at Spokane, and in his contributions to newspapers at various
times he prophesied that Spokane would, become a large city. Immediately upon
his location here, Dr. Elmer identified himself with the interests of the place
and soon grew into a large practice. While his practice is general, he makes a
specialty of surgical cases and diseases of women and children. The Doctor has
been in the habit of visiting New York every year or two for the advantages to
be gained by a month or so of hospital practice. While in Michigan he was a
member of the Michigan State Medical Association and of the Bay County Medical
Society.
	Dr. Elmer has been twice married. In 1857 he wedded Elizabeth Perault, who
died, leaving two sons, -- William Charles and Harry Edward. In 1880 he married
Kate E. Fuller, a native of New York, and they have one daughter, Kate E.	Mrs.
Elmer is a member of the Episcopal Church.
	The Doctor has invested in a large tract of land on the Columbia river in
Walla Walla county, which he is improving and developing for fruit farms, it
being in the fruit belt and very valuable.
	He is a member of the I.O.O.F.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.