WILMER H. GEMMER has been a resident of Houston, Texas, since 1909 and is well known in the business circles of South Texas. Mr. Gemmer is a partner in the firm of Gemmer and Tanner, dealers in sand and gravel, and is the manager of the Houston office of this firm. Associated with him as a partner is Mr. J. O. Tanner, who is manager of the plant at Columbus, Texas. This large sand and gravel company was established in 1920, and while the plant is located at Columbus, the Houston office is maintained for the sale and distribution of its products and has since its organization been under the management of Mr. Gemmer. The plant has a capacity of forty-five cars per day and employs an average of one hundred men. The greater portion of the output of sand and gravel is sold in the Houston district and in this portion of the state, where they do a large business. The offices of Gemmer and Tanner are located at 802 First National Bank Building. Prior to engaging in his present business, Mr. Gemmer was for a period of eleven years engaged in engineering and contracting in this city. Before coming to Houston, he was for a period of fifteen years engaged in civil engineering in Indiana, where he did a great deal of construction work in various portions of that state.

A native of Indiana, Mr. Gemmer was born at Williamsport, Warren County, on February 7th, 1871. His father, Philip Gemmer, was a native of Germany, and brought to the United States by his parents when a child. He was engaged in the lumber business during his entire business life, in the state of Indiana. Mr. Gemmer's early education was obtained in the public schools of Williamsport, Indiana, after which he attended college at La Fayette, Indiana, and graduated from Purdue University in the class of 1894 with the B. C. E. degree.

Mr. Gemmer was married at Williamsport, Indiana, on June 26th, 1895, to Miss Lota Biggs, also a native of Indiana and a member of a well known family of that state. They have four children, Kathleen, a graduate of Rice Institute; Philip, who was educated at Rice Institute and was an aviator during the World War and is now associated with his father in business; Carolyn, now the wife of Ray T. Roberts, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ralph, who is a student of the Rice Institute. Mr. and Mrs. Gemmer reside at 710 Francis Avenue. Mr. Gemmer is a member of the A. F. and A. M. with membership in Houston Lodge, No. 1189. He is also a member of the Houston Engineer's Club, the Rotary Club and the Salesmanship Club and various other civic organizations of the city. Mr. Gemmer is optomistic as to the future of Houston and South Texas and believes that this portion of the state is entering on an era of great business prosperity in all lines.