Person:Robert Palmer (26)

His Dad became a naturalized citizen November 7, 1882, in Pittsfield, Illinois. That made all his children citizens too.

Notes from Bruce Palmer: Robert Henry Palmer was born on May 3, 1868 in Neath Abbey, Glamorganshire, Wales -- the son of John and Mary Thomas Palmer. In the later part of 1868 John Palmer came to America and the family followed in 1869, living first in Pennsylvania, then Logansport Indiana; Griggsville, Illinois; Hannibal, Missouri; and finally settling in Barry, Illinois.

Robert Henry Palmer's first term of school was the first session held in the then new Barry School Building, erected in 1874. He was graduated from the Barry High School on April 27, 1887 - he and one girl comprizing the graduating class and he was valedictorian. He was the second boy to graduate from the Barry High School.

He came to Texas in 1887 and settled at Cambridge, where he taught school for three years from 1887 to 1890. He moved to Henrietta, Texas in 1890 and was Deputy County and District Clerk from 1890 to 1894.

He married Ora Adelle Stearns in Barry, Pike COunty, Illinois on May 18, 1892.

Tax assessor of Clay County 1898 to 1902. From 1902 until 1915, he was in the employment of the W.B. Worsham and Co. Bank of Henrietta, being Cashier in 1914 and 1915. From 1916 to 1925 he worked for K. N. Hapgood and was was assistant secretary and treasurer of the Godley Oil and Gas Col. from 1919 to 1931 and when the company moved its offices to Dallas in April, 1926 he and his family located in Dallas at 5730 Vanderbilt St. From 1931 until 1936 he was with the Imperial Petroleum Company of Dallas, Texas.

Masonry - took his degrees in Henrietta Lodge No. 454 about 1890 - was secretary of the lodge for about 8 years and was chairman when the present lodge room was constructed in Henrietta. He took the Scottish Rite and the Shrine at Hella Temple in Dallas in 1909 - becoming a member of the first class initiated in the then new building. He was high priest of the Henrietta Chapter No. 161 for eight years. He was Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star on two occassions, both #474 and later when reorganized #474.

He joined the Methodist Church at Henrietta, Texas in 1902 under the ministry of Brother Spraggins. He was secretary of the Sunday School and a member of the board of Stewards for a number of years. He was secretary of the building committee when the present Methodist church was erected.

He was Mayor of Henrietta in 1917-18 and it was during his administration that the dam across the Little Wichita River was constructed for a source of water supply for Henrietta.

He organized and was first Scoutmaster of Troop 2, Boy Scouts of America at Henrietta, Texas. He served in this capacity of 6 or 7 years and was Deputy Scout Commissioner of Wichita Falls District for 2 or 3 years.

Per Bruce Palmer's Notebook: His first term of school was the first session held in the then new Barry School Building, erected in 1874. He was graduated from the Barry High School April 27, 1887 - he and one girl comprised the graduating class and he was valedictorian. He was the second boy to graduate from Barry High School.

He came to Texas in 1887 and settled at Cambridge, Texas where he taught school for three years, from 1887-1890. 1887-88 stayed at Johnsons 1888-89 stayed at Harue Catan's 1889-90 stayed at Johnsons Moved to Henrietta in 1890.

From a letter from Bruce Palmer to Clare Palmer Gambrill May 11, 1958: He came to Texas in 1887 and I believe he settled at Cambridge, Texas (then a small community three iles east of Henrietta (Clay County) Texas. I believe that Cambridge was the county seat of Clay County until 1890 when Henrietta was made the seat of the County government by popular vote and many people moved from Cambridge to Henrietta, Texas. Dad taught school at Cambridge, Texas for three years (1887-88, 1888-89 and 1889-90)

Obituary in the Barry Adage: Robert H. Palmer died at his home in Dallas, Texas, Wednesday July 19 at the age of 71 years. Mr. Palmer was born in Neath Abbey, Glamorganshire, Wales, May 3, 1868, the son of Jon and Mary Williams Palmer. His father came to the United States in 1868 and the family followed in 1869, living in Logansport, Ind. and finally settling in Barry. The first term of school Mr. Palmer attended was the first session of the Barry Public schools held in the school building erected in 1874, and he graduated from the Barry High school on April 27, 1887-he and one girl comprising the graduation class of which he was the valedictorian. He was the second boy to graduate from the Barry High school, W.R. Hatfield being the superintendent at that time. In 1887 he located in Cambridge, Texas, where he taught school for three years. He moved to Henrietta Texas in 1890, where he served as deputy county and district clerk from 1890 to 1894, later was tax assessor of Clay county for four years, and for 13 years was employed by the W.B. Worsham & Co. bank of Henrietta, being assistant cashier and later the cashier. For several years he was the assistant secretary and treasurer of the Godley Oil and Gas Co. and when that company moved to Dallas in April, 1926, he and his family located in Dallas at the family's present home. Mr. Palmer was a member of the building committee in charge of the Methodist church in Henrietta, and served as Mayor of that city in 1917-18, and during his administration the dam across the Little Wichita River was constructed, which is the source of water supply for that city. He also organized the first Boy Scout troop in Henrietta. He was a member of Henrietta Lodge No. 454 A.F. & A.M. and took the Scottish Rite and the Shrine at Hella Temple, Dallas in 1909 being a member of the first class initiated in the then new building. He was a member of the Highland Park Methodist Church of Dallas. Mr. Palmer married Ora Adelle Stearns of Barry, who graduated from Barry High school in the class of 1888, in this city May 18, 1892 Besides his widow, Mr/ Palmer is survived by two daughters, Mrs. B B Watson of Barry; Mrs. George T Short, head of the history department of the Highland Park High school of Dallas, and one son, Dr. R. B. Palmer of Lincoln, Neb.; four grandchildren, William W. Watson of Kemmerer, Wyoming, Mrs A H Robinson of Washington DC, Ann and Marilyn Palmer of Lincoln, Nebl, and one brother, Jon Palmer of Arizona.

Obituary in the Dallas paper PALMER - Robert Henry, 5730 Vanderbilt, age 71. resident of Dallas fourteen years, died Wednesday. Survived by wife, Mrs. Ora Palmer, Dallas; two daughters, Mrs. G.T. Short, Dallas; Mrs. B.B. Watson, Barry, Ill.; son Dr. R.B. Palmer, Lincoln, Neb.; four grandchildren: brother John Palmer, California. Services Friday, 3 PM, Guardian Funeral Home, Rev. Guy F. Jones, Huntsville, officiating. Internment Restland Memorial Park, under auspices Highland Park Lodge No. 1150, A.F. & A.M. Pallbearers: K.N. Hapgood, W.H. Cousins, O.T. Liles,Sr., Walter Ziegler, F.E. Squires, C.L. Oheim.

1870 US Census, living in Hannibal, Missouri with his mother while his father worked at a coal mine in Richmond Township, Ray County, Missouri

1900 US Census, Henrietta, Clay County, Texas 6/1/1900 Robert Palmer, white, male, born May 1868, age 32 married 8 years, born in Missouri (this is wrong), father and mother born in England, working as a tax assessor, 0 months unemployed, can read and write and speak English, owns house free and clear Ora A, wife, white female, born March 1870, age 30, married 8 years, bore 2 children, 2 children living, born in Illinois, father born in New York, mother born in New York, can read and write and speaks English Bessie M, daughter, white female, born July 1893, age 6, single, born in Texas, father born in Missouri, mother born in Illinois Ruth, daughter, white, female, born September 1899, age 8/12, single, born in Texas, father born in Missouri, mother born in New York

Apparently the family didn't know the facts about their parents' births in 1900, and acquired the accurate information for the 1910 census.

1910 US Census, Henrietta, Clay County, Texas Robert H Palmer, head, male, white, age 41, married 17 years, born in Wales native tongue English, father born in England mother tongue English, mother born in Wales native tongue English, speaks English, works as assistant cashier in a bank, working on own account but not at work on 4/15/1910, can read and write, owns own home with mortgage Ora A, wife, female, white, age 39, married 17 years, bore 3 children 3 living, born in Illinois, father born in New York, mother born in Ohio, speaks English, able to read and write Bessie M, daughter, female, white, age 16, single, born in Texas, father born in Wales native tongue English, mother born in Illinois, speaks English, able to read and write, attended school since 9/1/1909 Ruth, daughter, female, white, age 10, single, born in Texas, father born in Wales native tongue English, mother born in Illinois, speaks English, able to read and write, attended school since 9/1/1909 Robert B, son, male, white, age 4, single, born in Texas, father born in Wales native tongue English, mother born in Illinois, speaks English

1920 US Census, Henrietta, Clay County, Texas 1/9/1920 R H Palmer, owns home free and clear, male, white, age 51, married, immigrated to US in 1869, Naturalized in 1882, able to read and write, born in Wales mother tongue English, father born in England native tongue English, mother born in Wales native tongue English, able to speak English, works as bookkeeper Ora A, wife, female, white, age 49, married, able to read and write, born in Illinois, father born in New York, mother born in Ohio, able to speak English Ruth, daughter, female, white, age 20, single, attended school since 9/1/1919, able to read and write, born in Texas, father born in Wales native tongue English, mother born in Illinois, able to speak English Robert B, son, male, white, age 13, single, attended school since 9/1/1919, able to read and write, born in Texas, father born in Wales native tongue English, mother born in Illinois, able to speak English

1930 US Census, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas 4/16/1930 5730 Mortimer Robert H Palmer, head, owns home valued $7000, male, white, age 61, married, age 24 when married, did not attend school since 9/1/1929, able to read and write, born in Wales, father born in England, mother born in Wales, spoke English before coming to US, immigrated to US in 1869, Naturalized, able to speak English, works as assistant secretary for an oil and gas co., worker, at work, not a veteran Ora A, wife, female, white, age 60, married, age 22 when married, did not attend school since 9/1/1929, able to read and write, born in Illinois, father born in in New York, mother born in Ohio Ruth A, daughter, female, white,, age 30, single, did not attend school since 9/1/1929, able to read and write, born in Texas, father born in Wales, mother born in Illinois, works as a teacher in a public school, worker actually at work Robert B, son, male, white, age 24, single, did not attend school since 9/1/1929, able to read and write, born in Texas, father born in Wales, mother born in Illinois

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