PALMER, Archibald D., West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
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Archibald D. Palmer, a deceased veteran of the War of 1812, was born in
Tunica, La, August 25, 1790.  His parents were natives of New Jersey and of
Irish extraction.  At the age of fifteen our subject deserted the parental
roof and came to Bayou Sara, this parish.  Subsequently he volunteered in
Captains Rogers' and Nessom's company of the Tenth Louisiana regiment,
commanded by Colonel Young, of East Feliciana parish, and took part in the
memorable battle of New Orleans.  On the restoration of peace he engaged in
planting and acquired a large fortune before the Civil war began, owning
many negroes and large landed property in Louisiana and Arkansas.  During
this struggle he was several times roughly handled by skulking and
predatory soldiers, being more than once strung up to extort from him the
secret of the hiding place of his money, and this rough usage was really
the cause of his wire's death from fright.  At the age of seventy-five
years he rode on horseback from his home to the Mississippi river, which he
crossed in a skiff, holding his horse by the bridle to guide its swimming
across the stream.  He eventually reached Caddo parish, where he died soon
after.  A contributor to the "Southern Watchman" in speaking of the
character of Mr. Palmer says:  "He was born a decided character.  Bold,
intrepid, temperate, clean, determined, deliberate, he was born to win.
Opposition was but waste paper to his onward and upward calculations.
After his military term as a faithful and tried soldier in defeat and
victory, he returned to his beloved parish and home.  The ardor of his
virtuous ambition became more devoted to the true interests of his parish
and state.  Depending entirely upon his own personal perseverance and
indefatigable genius and charity, to exhibit a praiseworthy example to his
friends and neighbors, to build up his much honored country, to brighten
the progressive ranks of civilization in farming and agricultural purity,
establishing wealth by honest industry, befriending those he could, aiding
churches and schools and charitable institutions--these were his leading
and predominant characteristics."

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 297.
Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.