From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, publ. 1912 - Page 519
 
PALMER GARDNER (Sylvester6, Palmer5, Sylvester4, Nicholas3, 2, George1), son of 
Sylvester GARDNER and Sarah COGSWELL, was born in the town of Hancock, 
Berkshire county, Massachusetts, February 23, 1803; his parents moved to 
Manlius, New York, in 1810, where he received an academic education, and to 
this added a year at Hobart College.  For some years he found employment as a 
surveyor and civil engineer in New York, Canada and Maryland.  In 1835 he went 
forth to see what prospect for him there was in the West.  Southern Michigan 
seemed already pre-empted, and he came by way of northern Illinois to 
southeastern Wisconsin.  Returning, he equipped himself abundantly for prairie-
breaking, grain-sowing and home-making.  Thus setting forth, he reached by well-
deliberated stops the prairie named for himself and in April 1836, built his 
cabin.  He entered land in sections 24, 25, 36, of Spring Prairie.  February 
14, 1844, he married Margaret S., daughter of Samuel WILLIAMS, of Manlius.  She 
was born in 1822 and died May 19, 1871.  The official list of his town shows 
his name but once - as town clerk in 1847, and in the same year he sat five 
weeks as representative at the first session of the last Territorial Assembly.  
His colleague, Charles A. BRONSON, of La Grange, also retired at the end of 
that session.  He seems to have had an unusual if not un-American indifference 
to public service.  After his wife's death he moved to Burlington, where he 
married again, and died there January 19, 1888.  Lucretia May, his daughter, 
was born November 24, 1844; died January 19, 1865.  Amy GARDNER, his father's 
sister, wife of Willard SMITH, brought her family into relationship with other 
old families of the eastern side of the county.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)