*****Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. This message must appear on all copied files. Commercial copying must have permission. ***** Submitted by Cindy Bryant GEORGE W. AND ESTHER A. (NUTTING) PALMER Of the foreigners who leave their homes beyond the sea to find in America a home and competency, there are none who make better citizens or who are more gladly welcomed than the hardy, honest sons of Old England. Reared in a land where the people are taught from childhood that labor is honorable, and that all men's allegiance should be given to the government which protects them, they at once become industrious and law-abiding members of the government of their adoption. Such a one is George W. Palmer, who was born in East Kent, England, July 22, 1824. His ancestors had long been tenants-farmers. His father, Joseph E. Palmer, was at the time of George's birth living on a farm which was rented by him and his father for more than forty years. On this farm, Mr. Palmer, Sr., resided until too old to work, when he retired to a cottage in County Kent, where he died at the age of seventy-eight years. George W. was the ninth of a family of ten children, and remained with his father until he was fifteen, when he went to work for a farmer names Thomas Noakes, with whom he lived five years. He then bought a passage for New York in the sailing vessel "American Eagle." This passage was a long and stormy one. Being blown out of their course by contrary winds, they were compelled to go on short rations, coming down to three crackers and a half-pint of water per day. This continued for two weeks, when they made the Western or Portuguese Islands, where they ran into harbor for repairs, having lost a mast and being otherwise damaged. Here they also supplied the vessel with stores, and then again continued their voyage, finally arriving in New York City after a long and tedious passage of sixteen weeks. We now find Mr. Palmer, in January, 1844, a stranger in a strange land, with but a few dollars in his pockets. He at once turned his face inland, and soon brought up in Rome, Oneida Co., where he worked for a time in the lumber woods. We next find him in a glass-factory in New Bridge, where he remained for some time, then went to Ellisbury, Jefferson Co., N. Y., where he labored at anything he could get to do until the winter of 1855, when with four hundred dollars in his pocket he came to Michigan, and in the town of Bloomer bought eighty acres of wild land. The next May he brought his family, whom he soon took into a log house, the work of his own hands, and life in their own home had commenced. The eighty-acre farm has been added to until he now owns one hundred and eighty of which are under splendid cultivation, and constitute one of the fines farms in Montcalm County. The log house and barn have long since given way for a large house and fine outbuildings, a view of which is shown on another page. Mr. Palmer stands high as a citizen and as a model farmer,--a man whose word is as good as his bond. He is a Republican, but not a politician. He was married, March 7, 1855 to Esther A. Nutting, born in Henderson township, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Jan. 20, 1822, daughter of Ezra and Abigail (Hall) Nutting. Their union has been blessed with the following-named children: Cora A., born Jan. 10, 1856, married to John W. Meyers, Aug. 15, 1876, and died Sept. 1, 1880; Beatrice A., born April 5, 1858; Joseph E., born March 27, 1860, died April 29, 1860; and Alden, born March 11, 1861. This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia: D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881. Page 425. Bloomer.