Harry A. Palmer

As printed in 1881

HARRY A. PALMER, Palmer & Pruner, artificial stone, Akron, Ohio, is a son of William and Sophia (Brock) Palmer, and was born July 16, 1851, in Somersetshire, England. The family came to the United States in 1852, when he was but 8 months old, and settled in Tallmadge Township on a farm, where he was brought up until he was 15, when he went to work in a paper mill at Cuyahoga Falls, remaining about one year, and then became engineer for his brother-in-law at Mansfield, in Richland Flouring Mills. Two years later, mills were burned down and firm removed to Ashland, and he was again employ'ed as engineer. In 1870, he went to Shelby and ran an engine about one year and then returned to Tallmadge in 1872, and took charge of a farm. In the fall of 1873, he went to Onarga, Ill., and Jan. 1, 1873, was married to Miss Mary C. Risser, of Ashland, Ohio. He bought a fruit farm near Onarga, Ill., and did well for two years, and in 1876, bought a farm in Edinburg Township, Portage County, where he farmer two years. In 1878, he went to Ashland, as engineer in the mills, until September 1 879, when he came to Akron and bought the right of manufacture and sale of artificial stone in Summit County. Jan. 10, 1880, he formed a partnership with Herbert A. Pruner, and opened a manufactory at 203 North Howard street. The following is given as a matter of scientific interest: Artificial stone has been in use probably as long as any other building material, and is unquestionably one of the lost arts. In confirmation of this, history informs us that the Moors long ago manufactured a durable artificial stone, specimens of which may yet be found at Gibralter, which have withstood successfully the storms of ten centuries. The Coliseum at Rome is a sample of artificial work by the ancients. The Cisterns of Solomon, near the city of Tyre, are of still more ancient origin, yet these immense structures are almost complete in their preservation. The noted Small Cob, together with a large number of scientific men, is of the opinion that the Pyramids were built of artificial blocks, manufactured upon the ground from the sands of the surrounding plains, by some cunning process that perished with the builders. Some of the largest and most permanent harbors and government works in the European countries, the great aqueducts of Central Europe, together with the Seagirt railroad station, and piers of the great bridge at New York, are instances where artificial stone is used almost entirely and with the best of success. Business blocks that are not surpassed in beauty and grandeur in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and many of the principal cities of the United States, are constructed entirely of this material. The great advocates of this building material are the eminent chemists and engineers of English fame, together with May. Gen. Gilmore, corps of engineers United States Army, whose engineering skill has given him a world-wide fame. Many different processes have been invented, et all have met with more or less difficulty in trying to obtain a solid, durable stone. Under the patent process which Messrs. Palmer & Pruner now control in this county, these difficulties have been overcome, and they are now manufacturing a quality of artificial stone, perfect in appearance and adapted to all classes of work where natural stone or any other building material is used. Being of a hydraulic nature, it will harden and improve in solidity under water, it resists the action of steam, acids, and other disintegrating influences as well as our best building stone. The Boston Journal of Chemistry says that artificial stone is as safe and durable as natural stone, that its chemical nature is such that it becomes almost as hard as granite, and that there cannot be a doubt that it will substi-ve all the desirable purposes for which that material is employed. In some of our larger cities this stone is fast superseding the use of other building material, and is being extensive used for walks, trimming brick buildings, lawn cases, fountains and ornamental work of all descriptions. The sand in this location is particularly adapted to making this stone, it being coarse, sharp and siliceous. Ornamental work can be furnished at about one-half the cost of natural stone and will stand fire much better.

As printed in History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.