Wilber was born in Milford, New York, the son of David Wilber, who also served in Congress. He attended public schools before graduating from Cazenovia Seminary in 1879. He then engaged in the hops business at Milford in 1879 and at Oneonta, New York, in 1880, and was also involved in real estate, agriculture, and stockbreeding. He twice represented Oneonta on the Otsego County Board of Supervisors and was vice president and director of the Wilber National Bank of Oneonta from 1883 to 1896. He also served as member of the board of trustees of his alma mater, the Cazenovia Seminary.
He married Deforest, a native of Schoharie County, New York, and they had one daughter.[1]
Wilber retired in June 1923 and returned to Oneonta to care for his business interests. He was a member of the New York Republican State Committee from 1924 to 1927. He died at his summer camp in Upper Dam, Maine, and was buried at Glenwood Cemetery in Oneonta.