GEORGE L. PALMER,
partially retired, although still living on his farm in Big Grove
township, was born in Ontario, Wayne county, New York, on the shore of
Lake Ontario, November 12, 1832. He is a son of Rensselaer and Mary
(Miller) Palmer, the former born at Granville, New York. Rensselaer
Palmer came with his parents to Walworth, Wayne county, New York, when
that section was a forest. His parents lived and died there, and
Rensselaer also married in Wayne county, where he lived until his death
in 1881, at the age of seventy-eight years. He served in various local
offices and was a successful farmer. Mrs. Palmer was born in Russia,
Herkimer county New York, and in her youth she removed with her parents
to Wayne county, New York; she was married there, and they located in
Ontario township. Mrs. Palmer died in 1890, at the age of eighty-four
years. Rensselaer Palmer and his wife reared nine children, namely:
Mary, who married Edward Pomeroy, resided in New York and died at
Kansas City, November 9, 1899; George L.; Permelia, who married George
Davis, and died February 21, 1892, at Valley Center, Kansas; Jonathan,
a soldier in the Ninety-seventh New York Infantry, Company D, and was
killed at the battle of the Wilderness, leaving a widow; Lorenzo, who
died July 8, 1907, at Lakeside, New York; Oliver II., who died July 21,
1891, at Lakeside, New York; Oscar, of Union Hill, New York, served in
the Eighth New York Calvary, Company B; Addie died March 26, 1865, at
the age of eighteen years, the first death among the children; and
Frank, residing at Orange, California, is married and has a family.
Oscar is a veteran of the Civil war, having served in the New York
Cavalry, and was badly wounded at the evacuation of Richmond.
George L. Palmer was reared in the state of New York and received a
liberal education. He taught school in New York and two terms in Benton
county, Iowa. However, his life work has been farming, in which he has
been very successful. He owns three hundred and sixty acres in sections
10, 11, 14 and 15, Big Grove township. He came to Benton county in the
spring of 1855, and in the fall of that year brought his wife and began
keeping house. He located first in sections 14 and 15, and first built
a cabin home, a semi-dugout, with four feet under the ground, three
logs high on the back and boarded in the front, with a shed roof, ten
by fourteen feet. It was one of the first homes on the prairie, and was
boarded up inside and floored. He and his wife had very meager fittings
and furniture, and began life in true pioneer style. They had a little
money and he made most of their first furniture. He bought out a claim
holder, and secured a quarter-section of prairie and a timber lot, to
which he added as he was able. Their first market was Iowa City,
although Cedar Rapids was quite a trading point. Grain and produce were
floated down the river from Vinton to Cedar Rapids. Later in 1865, he
sold out his land in Iowa and returned to New York state for a visit,
just after the Civil war. He started again for the west, spent some
time in Michigan, and then went to Kansas, where he spent one summer.
He then decided to return to Benton county, Iowa, and purchased his
present home. He has made many improvements, and has substantial
buildings and modern conveniences. He is well known in the community,
where he has a good standing among his fellow-citizens.
Politically Mr. Palmer has always been a Republican; he was the first
supervisor elected from Big Grove township, and served one term.
Mr. Palmer married, January 7, 1855, in Wayne county, New York, Mary M.
Smith, who was born in that county September 10, 1833; she died at the
home farm in Benton county, Iowa, January 26, 1885. She was a daughter
of Daniel and Elizabeth (Herendean) Smith, old settlers at Walworth,
where they died. She was of Quaker descent. During the winter of 1856-7
Mrs. Palmer taught a subscription school near their home, which was the
second term, of school taught in Big Grove township; there had then
been no public fund for schools. She taught in the same district during
the winter of 1858-9. Mr. Palmer and his wife became the parents of
five children, of whom three survive, namely: Byron S., Willis W. and
Jessie. Rensellaer, who was born in Benton county, was accidentally
killed in Michigan when nearly eight years old. Byron S., who was born
in Benton county, resides in the state of New York, althought he has
business interests in Chicago; he married Jennie Carman, and they have
two children, George T. and Irene. Willis W. was born in Benton county
and runs the home farm; he married Emma Huston, and they have one son
living — Gerald, besides one son, Paul R., who died in infancy. W. W.
Palmer owns a half-interest in the home farm in Big Grove township,
where he makes his home. Jessie married Charles Sebern, for years a
merchant of Vinton and now agent for a concert company; they reside in
Vinton, and have three daughters, Mary Gail, Charlene and Jean Evelyn.
Picture of George Palmer
