Hiram H. Palmer, one of the highly esteemed citizens of Anderson, Ind., belongs to an old English Puritan family of North Carolina. He was born Jan. 21, 1844, in Canton, Ohio, son of George and Catherine (Hoover) Palmer.
Christopher Palmer, grandfather of Hiram H., was a native of Lancaster county, Pa., but after marriage he removed with, his family to Stark county, Ohio, near Canton, where he cleared up a farm of 250 acres, becoming one of the substantial citizens and good, practical farmers of that section. He served during the Mexican war. His children were: Christopher, John, Henry, George, Christina and Rebecca. The father of these children died on his farm in Ohio, an aged man.
George Palmer, father of Hiram H., was also a native of Lancaster county, Pa., and as a boy removed with his parents to near Canton, Ohio, where his agricultural operations were commenced, but in 1844 he removed to near Auburn, in the woods of DeKalb county, Ind., making the trip by horses and wagons. There he cleared 120 acres of wild land, and he died on his farm aged seventy-two years. A Presbyterian in religious belief, he was a good and pious man, and assisted in building the church of his denomination in that section. In politics he was a Democrat.
Mr. George Palmer was twice married, and his first wife, who died in Ohio, left him these children: John, Elizabeth and Mariah. He married (second) Catherine Hoover, daughter of Judge Jacob Hoover (whose wife was a Nusbaum), for many years Judge of the Common Pleas Court of Stark county. To this union there were born: Elias, Lucinda, Margaret, Matilda, Lewis, Hiram H., Mary, Anthony and Ferdinand.
Hiram H. Palmer was four years of age when the family located in Indiana, and he was reared amid pioneer surroundings in DeKalb county, attending the district school in the winter months and working on the farm during summers, as was the custom of the pioneer Indiana farmers’ boys. He went to Auburn when about seventeen years old, and had worked for about one year at the trade of bricklayer, when, Aug. 6, 1862, he enlisted as a private of Company A, 100th Ind. V. I., to serve three years or during the war, his term of service expiring after two years and nine months. He was mustered out at Washington, D. C., June 8, 1865, receiving his honorable discharge at Indianapolis, Ind. He participated in the battles of Vicksburg, Jackson, Colliersville, Stockdale No. 4, Holly Springs, Corinth, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Marietta, Atlanta Campaign, New Hope Church, Kenesaw. Mountain, the last battle of Atlanta, Sherman’s March to the Sea, Savannah, Goldsboro and Cumberland Gap. He took part in the Grand Review at Washington. At Missionary Ridge he was called by a Confederate soldier, who was wounded, and asked for a drink of water. As he was about to go, after having given his enemy all the water in his canteen, the Confederate raised his gun and attempted to shoot him, but the quick action of Lieut. Vesey of the 6th Iowa, who struck the Confederate on the head with his sword, probably saved Mr. Palmer’s life. He received a scalp wound in the charge at Missionary Ridge, and was also slightly wounded in the left shoulder, which necessitated his confinement in the hospital at Memphis, Tenn., for one month. He was also in the hospital at Grand Junction, Tenn., for three months, suffering from typhoid fever with complications. He was ever a faithful, brave and active soldier, and earned promotion to the rank of duty sergeant, serving for about two months on the staff of General Grant, at Washington, about the time of the close of the war.
After the war was over Mr. Palmer returned to Auburn, Ind., and later worked at the slater’s or roofer’s trade in Toledo, Ohio, but again engaged in bricklaying, at which he continued for five years. In 1872 he went to Chicago, where two years were spent, at the end of which time he returned to Auburn for one year, then going again to Toledo, he remained there three years, and the next eighteen years were spent in Auburn in contracting. He has also resided in Fort Wayne, Muncie and Indianapolis, following contracting at all of these places, but in 1899 he came to Anderson, where he is still in active business, having erected many fine buildings here.
Mr. Palmer was married (first) July 23, 1871, at Fort Wayne, Ind., to Cordelia Worley, born near Massillon, Ohio, daughterof Samuel T. and Rebecca (Dickerkoof) Worley, and to this union there were born: George W., who served two years in the U. S. regular army; Milford S.; Harry W., who served in the Spanish-American war in Cuba with a good record; and Maggie A. The mother of these children died in December, 1886, in Fort Wayne. Mr. Palmer was married (second) at Fort Wayne, Ind., Aug. 14, 1893, to Mary C. Walker (nee Daly), born March 11, 1847, in Franklin county, Pa., daughter of William G. and Mary C. (Bowen) Daly, the former of Irish and the latter of German descent.
William G. Daly was born June 30, 1825, and died March 8, 1877. He was the son of William Griffith and Mary (Locke) Daly, natives of Ireland, who came to America and settled in Pennsylvania, the son being born in Franklin county. He owned a farm in that county, but sold it and located in Indiana Dec. 25, 1857, purchasing a farm of eighty acres in the woods of Noble county, half of which property he cleared. He sold this and soon after located in Whitley county, near Columbia City, where he was living in August, 1862, at the time of his enlistment in Company B, 74th Ind. V. I., for three years or during the war. He served until the close of the struggle, being honorably discharged at Washington. For eight months he was color bearer of his regiment, two other color-bearers having been shot, and while thus serving his country he received a wound from which he never fully recovered. He participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Bull Run, Chattanooga, Burnt Hickory, Gumberland Gap, Lookout Mountain, Raleigh, and the Atlanta Campaign, including Sherman’s March to the Sea. He was married in Pennsylvania to Mary C. Bowen, born in 1827, in Germany, daughter of Jacob and Ann Mary Bowen, and she died Feb. 19, 1899, in the faith of the Dunkard Church. Mr. Daly was a Presbyterian. Jacob Bowen was educated in Germany for the Catholic priesthood, but on coming to this country became a weaver which trade he followed for some time, but later he engaged in agricultural pursuits in Noble county, Ind., where he died.
Mrs. Palmer’s first marriage was at Columbia City, Whitley Co., Ind., Sept. 27, 1866, to Lewis J. Walker, a farmer of that county, and to them were born these children: John A. whose death occurred in his twenty-sixth year Cora J., who died when twenty-one years of age; Ella S., who died aged fifteen years; Lewis J. Walker died in Columbia City, Ind. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs Palmer.
Mr. Palmer is connected with the G. A. R., as officer of the day of Major May Post, of Anderson. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, at Muncie, and the I. 0. 0. F., al Fort Wayne. Mrs. Palmer is a member of the Woman’s Relief Corps, and active in the proceedings of that organization. She and her husband are both active in the work of the Catholic Church in Anderson, of which they are consistent members and liberal supporters. They are very well known in society circles of the city, and have a large number of warm personal friends. Mr. Palmer is a Republican in his political belief, but takes only a good citizen’s interest in public matters.
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