The Palmer Families of Boone County, Missouri

JOEL PALMER, DECEASED.

Joel Palmer, was one among the most enterprising farmers and stock raisers of Boone county. He was born in Clark county, Kentucky, in 1811, but removed in early life to Bourbon county, where he remained until his marriage, in 1831, to Miss Milly Fretwell of that county. He came to Missouri in 1833. He was the son of James and Elizabeth (Foster) Palmer. Landed in Boone county, Missouri, with a wagon and team and eight hundred dollars, and died worth about sixty thousand. He first settled about three miles south of Sturg-eon, where he lived from 1833 to 1865. After selling his farm he moved several times, finally settling down with his son, Lancelot, where he died October 29, 1879. He left two children, Lancelot and Mary Susan Stewart. His first wife having died, he was married the second time in his old age. Lancelot Palmer was born in Boone county, three miles south of Sturgeon, at the old Palmer homestead. May 10, 1834. He was raised in Boone county where he continued to reside until 1881, when he removed to Audrain, about one-half mile north of Sturgeon, where he now lives. He is largely engaged in farming and stock raising, which he has followed all his life. Was married, June 2, 1867, to Martha Ann Cook, a native of Boone county, daughter of Robert and Ann Eliza Cook. The parents of Mrs. Palmer were formerly of Kentucky. They have four living children. Letha Ann, Robert Lee, James and Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer are not members of any church. He belongs to no secret orders. Took no part in the late civil war. He owns about two thousand acres of land, one-half in Boone, the remainder in Audrain county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

This gentleman was born in Clark county, Kentucky, June 22d, 1809. His parents were James and Elizabeth Palmer, both of whom were born and reared in Kentucky. They came to this State when Henry was young, and settled near where Sturgeon now is, remaining ill Boone county till the time of their death. Henry was raised on the farm, and received his education chiefly in this county. He was married in about 1844 to Mrs. Sarah Stevenson, a widow lady, whose maiden name had been Ridgeway, a daughter of Zachariah and Sarah Ridgeway, Kontuckians, who came to this State in an early day. She had three children by her former marriage, but none by Mr. Palmer. She died in 1879, and Mr. P. was again married in 1881, to Mrs. Margaret J. Wolf, widow of Thomas Wolf, and daughter of James aad Eliza Lampton, who came from Kentucky to this State in 1830, settling in Boone county, and residing here till their death.

Mr. Palmer had no children by either marriage, though his last wife had ten children, four sons and six daughters by her first husband* Mr. and Mrs. P. are both members of the Christian church, as was also his first wife. He has been a member for about twenty-three years, and was baptized and received into the church by Thomas Allen. Mr. P. owns a good farm, which he cultivates successfully. To these old settlers who came to the county as early as did Mr. Palmer, it must be a great source of satisfaction to look back and contrast the present with the past. The county which was then but an unsettled wilderness, abounding with bear, deer, wolves and other wild beasts of the forest, has been touched by the magic wand of progress, wielded first by these pioneers, till now it blossoms as the rose, and has become the home of thousands who now enjoy the fruit of the toils and hardships endured by their first comers. Let us never forget the debt of gratitude due to those who labored that we might enjoy — the early pioneers of Boone county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.