Palmer, Charles

The end of a great life of mental struggle was reached when our fellow citizen, Charles Henry Palmer, turned upon his side Saturday morning, April 9, 1887, and passed away. When he added three years to the allotted three score and ten, his prospects for many years of vigorous, healthy life, and absolute freedom from the anxieties attending finance and business, were at their very zenith; but alas, when prepared to live, the seeds of disease, long hidden, germinated and hedged him around with difficulties unknown to
his before unconquerable will, and he waged the unequal contest with courage and determination. For several hours previous to his death he was painless, and greatly encouraged, and talked cheerfully of future plans for travel and enjoyment, and from these cheerful anticipations he turned in bed and was dead. Mr. Palmer was born in Lenox, N. Y., in 1814, graduated from Union College, N. Y., in 1837, became principal of the Fredonia (N. Y.) Academy soon after graduating, and was afterwards principal of Geneseo Academy.
121 In 1839 he was united in marriage with Miss Betsey A. Cowles, a highly educated and accomplished lady and teacher, who survives him. His parents having removed to Michigan in 1835, he naturally followed to the new state, and became principal of Romeo Academy in 1847. In those years the numerous academies were the nurseries of the colleges and universities, and furnished the educated men of the land. At the head of various institutions of this kind Mr. Palmer ranked among the most accomplished educators of his time, and the Romeo Academy was at the head of the academical institutions of the state. The rich, intellectual fruit of his training is found to-day among the
brightest intellects of this and other states. In 1851 he was elected one of the regents of the University of Michigan, and was soon recognized as the leader and best equipped member of the board. He was ardently devoted to the upbuilding of that institution, and threw his whole energy into the work of its reorganization and the perfecting of measures looking to the making it the great institution of learning which it has since become. He was
made corresponding secretary of the board, and through his untiring efforts and in the face of great difficulties, the celebrated Dr. Tappan, the patron saint of the University, was secured as its president. The wisdom of Mr. Palmer's choice has since been demonstrated in a thousand ways, but in no direction more apparent than in placing the institution upon a substantial educational basis. Mr. Palmer's temperament called for a more active and remunerative field of operations, and in 1853 he settled his family in Pontiac, as a permanent home, and in 1854 went to Lake Superior and immediately entered a career of mining development and speculation,
in which he continued till near the close of his life, experiencing all the ups and down of the mining business, but persevering against odds at times which would overwhelm most men. He first opened and managed as one of the owners the Pewabic copper mine, the first successful venture of the kind in the now famous Portage Lake district. He was one of the incorporators of the Franklin mine in 1857, South Pewabic mine in 1865, the Ossipee, now Oscoda mine, in 1867, and the Kearsage mine the same year. In 1869 he purchased the
celebrated Palmer-Loring tract, adjoining the Calumet and Hecla property, and out of the attempt of Loring and a Boston party to defraud Mr. Palmer of his rights in this purchase by the freeze-out process, arose the great suit to maintain his claim, which went to and was last fall decided in his favor by the United States Supreme Court, and which suit for the last dozen years absorbed all the intense mental and physical activity of the man. By this decision his old age was crowned with affluence, a transfer from darkness to the broad sunlight of prosperity, and he greeted the decision with a satisfaction unspeakable. Also, in 1856 he was one of the chief promoters and corporators of the Portage Lake and River Improvement Company, connecting Portage Lake with Lake Superior by canal. In 1870, in connection with W. N. Walker, George Jerome and S. L. Smith, the Houghton and Ontonagon railroad was incorporated, built 30 miles of road from Champion to L'Anse, bought the Marquette & Ontonagon road, and formed the present M. H. & O. railroad company, and was the chief promoter in several other large enterprises of a similar character. Since 1875 he has resided almost entirely at his home in Pontiac, engaged in the prosecution of his suit mainly, but always wide awake to surroundings, and aided materially in securing the asylum for this city, of which he was one of the early trustees; he also took a warm interest in the Michigan military academy of which he was trustee; also a vestryman of Zion Episcopal church from 1861 to 1877, except the year 1872. Charles H. Palmer was a broad gauge man, of fine culture, great capacity for organization and business, splendid physique and perfect address. His perceptions were keen and quick, and his power of analyzation was remarkable.
He leaves besides his widow, two daughters, Mrs. Virginia Louise Pickman, of Dillon, Montana, Miss Philomela C., residing at home, Charles H. Palmer, of Lake Superior, and Clarence A., of Toledo.