From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 628 - 629
 
BYRON S. PALMER.  One of the highly honored citizens of a past generation in 
Walworth county who led a life of industry and uprightness which resulted in 
material success and in winning the esteem of his associates was the late Byron 
S. PALMER, formerly of Linn township.  He was born at New Baltimore, Columbia 
county, New York, February 15, 1852, and he was the son of Robert and Mary 
(SCHEMMERHORN) PALMER.  Robert PALMER was born in Albany county, New York, 
September 27, 1823, and was one of the nine children of Joseph S. and Polly 
(PALMER) PALMER.  During his boyhood he went with his parents to Columbia 
county and while living there was married to Mary SCHEMMERHORN of that county.  
She belonged to one of the old families of New York, and her grandfather, Judge 
SCHEMMERHORN, was one of the prominent and highly esteemed citizens of that 
state in its early development.  Joseph G. PALMER, grandfather of Byron S. 
PALMER, was born in Dutchess county, New York, April 28, 1794.  He was a 
soldier in the war of 1812.  He came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1853 and 
here spent the rest of his life, dying in January, 1867, at the age of seventy-
four years.  Joseph G.'s father was born in eastern Connecticut, November 11, 
1768, but he spent the greater part of his life in Dutchess county, New York, 
where he settled in an early day and there his death occurred in 1799.  He 
married Mary GILLETTE, who was of a  Connecticut family.  The Palmer family is 
of English origin and they emigrated to America soon after the settlement began 
in New England.
 
Robert PALMER, father of the subject, farmed in the East until in May, 1853, 
when he came to Geneva township, Walworth county, Wisconsin, and bought a farm 
on which he spent the rest of his life, dying May 5, 1894, at the age of 
seventy years, his wife have preceded him to the grave in 1880.  Their family 
consisted of six children, Byron S., of this sketch, Frank, Joseph, Arthur, 
Eugene, and Charles, but the only one now living is Arthur, of Geneva township.
 
Byron S. PALMER came to this county with his parents and here he grew to 
manhood and attended the public schools of Geneva township.  When twenty years 
old he started out for himself as a farm hand.  In 1873 he was united in 
marriage with Climena ALEXANDER, daughter of Balthaser and Juliet (FULLER) 
ALEXANDER.  The father came from Germany to New York and lived near Rochester.  
There he married Juliet FULLER, daughter of John and Minerva FULLER.  These 
parents came to Wisconsin about 1845 and located first at New Berlin, near 
Milwaukee, and about 1850 came to Walworth county, locating in Linn township, 
about five miles from Geneva, where they spent nearly all of their subsequent 
lives.  The father's last days were spent with Mrs. PALMER on their farm west 
of Zenda where his death occurred on January 19, 1891.  The death of Mrs. 
ALEXANDER occurred in 1864.
 
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Byron S. PALMER, namely: Walter A., 
part owner of the home farm, married Helen SHELDON, of Lake Geneva, and they 
have two sons, Frank and Robert; Clarence died April 22, 1909, when thirty 
years old; Bertram also owns part of the homestead and is operating the same 
with his brother, Walter A.; Bessie, who lives with her mother in Lake Geneva, 
was graduated from the State Normal School at Whitewater, and has for some time 
been successfully engaged in teaching; recently she has been assisting her 
uncle, John G. SKEELS, in his work as surveyor and civil engineer in and about 
Lake Geneva, and she is often seen in the field carrying on the work like an 
old-time surveyor
 
Through hard work and indomitable industry, Byron S. PALMER acquired a 
competency and in the summer of 1909 moved to a beautiful home in the city of 
Lake Geneva, where his death occurred on April 8, 1910.  His life was 
characterized by industry, honesty and integrity.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)