RICHARD PALMER, farmer, P. O. Elco. William Palmer, the grand-father of our subject, was probably born and raised in North Carolina, and there John Palmer, his son, the father of Richard, was born. The former came to Tennessee when the latter was a young man. There John married, in Smith County, Miss Piety Vick, daughter of Joshua Vick. She was the mother of nine children, and of this number our subject was the third, and was born October 8, 1817. When our subject was about twelve years of age, his parents came to this county and settled about three miles northwest of Elco, where they resided until their demise, the father dying August 7, 1850, and the mother July 2, 1852. In this county subject received his education, attending mostly the old Hazlewood subscription school. After his schooling, he helped his father on the old home place until he was twenty- four, when he started out in life for himself, first settling about five miles southwest of Elco, on a tract of eighty acres. Here he remained about twelve years, and then moved to his present location in Section 16, Town 14, Range 2 west. His first purchase was a farm of 120 acres, of which about twelve acres were in cultivation. This has since been increased to a farm of 240 acres, of which about 100 acres is in cultivation. Subject was married August 19. 1841, to Irena Vaughn, daughter of Reuben and Nancy Vaughn of this county. She was born December 27, 1821, in Perry County, Tenn., and the mother of nine children, six of whom are living— Louis, born February 16, 1844 : Piety, born July 2, 1849; James R., born September 2, 1851; Elizabeth, born November 21, 1855, wife of Jacob Mitchell; Enda, born June 27, 1858, wife of James Harrell; John, born July 22, 1863. The three dead children are Nathaniel, born November 16, 1842, died April 22, 1844; Nancy, born October 8, 1845, died September 20, 1846; Reuben, born September 10, 1847, died October 6, 1848. This lady died October 30, 1881. Subject is a Democrat and is a member of the Southern Methodist Church.
Extracted 29 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, page 226.
| Cape Girardeau MO |
Union | |
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Pulaski | |
| Scott MO | Mississippi MO | Ballard KY |
