Seymour C. Palmer

PALMER, SIMPKINS, TUCKER, HANSON

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/16/2011 at 14:34:11

SEYMOUR C. PALMER is a practical and successful farmer who resides on section 4, Beaver Township, Grundy County. He was born in Albany County, N. Y., July 20, 1834, and is a son of Edmund and Susan (Simpkins) Palmer, also natives of the Empire State.

Of the parental family of six children, Seymour C. was the third in order of birth, his brothers and sisters bearing the respective names of Elizabeth, Catharine, John, Sarah and Mary. The latter is now deceased. Mrs. Susan Palmer was reared in Albany County, N. Y., where she was also born, and having received a good education, she taught school for many terms in her native state. She departed this life when in her fifty-second year. She was a working member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father of our subject, who was also born in the above named county in New York, was a carpenter by trade, although in later life he carried on farming. Like his wife, he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died when about forty-two years of age.

Seymour C. Palmer, after having attended the district schools of his native place, chose the occupation of a carpenter when beginning life for himself, and worked at his trade in Orleans County for many years. Finally, believing that he could better his condition by cultivating land in this state, he came to Iowa in 1870 and purchased a quarter-section of land, upon which he is residing at the present time. That he has been successful in his operations is proved by the fact that he is now the proud possessor of three hundred and twenty acres of as finely improved land as can be found in the county.

The lady who became the wife of our subject on the 1st of January, 1856, was known in her maidenhood as Sarah Tucker. She was born in Orleans County, N. Y., and is the daughter of Benjamin and Lucy (Hanson) Tucker, natives respectively of New Hampshire and Maine. She was one in a family of four children born to her parents and was given a good education, after which she taught school for several terms in her native place. To Mr. and Mrs. Palmer has been born a large family of ten children, namely: John N., George A., Alice L., Ezra R., Mattie E., Francis W., Katie M., Seymour J., Sherman L. and Wilbur W.

In public meetings for the promotion of the general good, Mr. Palmer is an active participant, and upon committees where active work is required his name usually appears. He is a stanch Republican in politics, and in addition to holding the office of Trustee has filled many other responsible positions. Socially he is a member of the Masonic order, holding membership with Lodge No. 239 at Parkersburg, this state.

The Palmers are of English descent, the first representative of the name coming to this country in a very early day and making a location in Connecticut. The Tuckers are also of English descent, and upon coming to this country made their home in New Hampshire, while the Hansons, who trace their ancestry back to Scotland, were farmers in Maine.

Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record
of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, Iowa
1894