Lewis S. Palmer

As printed in 1908

LEWIS S. PALMER, one of Stow Township's leading citizens and large landowners, was born in Green Township, Summit County, Ohio. October 29, 1857, and is a son of.Josiah and Margaret (Stephens) Palmer.

Jacob Palmer, the grandfather, Avas a na- five of Conneoticut. In 1833 he moved with his family to Virginia, where, with a brother, he purchased 500 acres of land. The untimely death of a son. about this time, disheartened Mr. Palmer, and he.old his interest in the 'virginia property and removed to Maryland and from there to Stark County, Ohio. Hi? son, Josiah Palmer, who became the father of Lewis S., was born in Connecticut, in 1824, and was twelve years of age when he came to Ohio. In 1853 he purchased a small farm in Green Township, but later removed to Springfield Township, where he carried on farming from 1869 until his death, in 1895, when he was aged seventy-one years. He was a Democrat in poUtics, and on numerous occasions his fellow-citizens elected him to office. Mr. Palmer was married to Margaret Stephens, who was a daughter of Jacob Stephens, of Jerseyshore, Pennsylvania, and to them were born eight children, namely; Albert, who died at the age of twenty-four years; William, who resides in Springfield Township; Cecelia Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Charles McColgan, of Stow Township; Catherine, deceased, who married David Brubaker, of Barberton, Ohio; Charles, who resides in Lake Township, Stark County; Lewis S.; Thomas who is a resident of Springfield Township; and Marcus, who is deceased. Mrs. Palmer died in 1884, at the age of fifty-nine years, in the faith of the German Reformed Church, in which her husband was a deacon. Lewis S. Palmer was educated in the common schools of Green Township, and until he was twelve years of age lived on the home farm. He then accompanied the family to Springfield Township, and he assisted in cultivating the home farm until 1880, when he engaged in farming on his own account on a tract east of Monroe Falls, which he purchased in 1903. In addition to this farm, which consists of 107 acres, he owns a tract of thirty,acres, which he bought in 1884, and the Singleton farm of 148 acres, in Streetsboro, which he secured in 1898. Two of these farms he rents, having fifty-two acres under cultivation on his own account. In 1874-5, when the Valley Railroad was under construction. Mr. Palmer worked as a foreman for E. A. McChesney. In the spring of 1899 he purchased a portable sawmill, which he has operated throughout this section, sawing on an average of 500,000 feet annually, and since 1892 he has operated a threshing machine, giving three men employment. Mr. Palmer is a Democrat in politics, and although he is not inclined to have political aspirations, he has served his tow-ship as assessor. He belongs to the order of Eagles at Kent. Among his most cherished possessions is an old musket, which one of his paternal ancestors carried in the Revolutionary War.

Mr. Palmer was married to Almeda E. Swinehart, who is a daughter of Levi Swinehart, a prominent citizen of Stow Township. Eight children have been born to this union, as follows: Nelson, Maude, Bertha, Blanche, Chauncey, Ira, Coy and Elmo. Chauncey died agee ten years.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.