W. L. Palmer Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1349-1350 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	W. L. PALMER, a prominent banker at Carthage, was born at 
Watertown, New York, in 1844, attended the public schools and later took 
a course in a commercial college at Poughkeepsie. When nineteen years 
old he went over to the Brooklyn navy yards and offered his services in 
the cause of his country. His enlistment occurred in August, 1863. In 
1866 he obtained an honorable discharge and shortly thereafter engaged 
in the hardware business, but two years later built at Watertown the 
first manilla paper mill ever erected in the United States. He began the 
manufacture of paper flour bags on a large scale and did a thriving 
business in this line for a number of years, but finally decided to cast 
in his lot with the enterprising emigrants then swarming to the 
territories beyond the Missouri. It was in 1881 that he turned his face 
westward, stopping in Chicago, but going to South Dakota in the 
following year. Taking up his residence at Langfort, he established the 
James River Bank of Palmer, but in 1888 came to Carthage, where he 
founded the bank of that name and is at present the owner of the 
Farmers' Bank. Mr. Palmer is an ardent Republican and many prominent 
offices at the hands of his party have been within his reach had he not 
persistently declined owing to reluctance to take the time from his 
important business affairs. At one time he was vigorously urged by the 
Republican press to accept the nomination for secretary of state, and 
this movement was aided by prominent Republicans all over the state, but 
Mr. Palmer politely declined this alluring honor. He has been a member 
of the Grand Army of the Republic ever since its organization in 1867, 
and was elected commander of the South Dakota branch in 1899. He filled 
that office for one year and is now quartermaster general of the 
department. 

	In October, 1883, Mr. Palmer was married to Miss Stella Driscoll 
and they have one child, Miss Edna, a pretty and vivacious girl of 
fourteen summers.