Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-01
PALMS AND HIS MILLIONS
,oNANCE OF TIE FAMILY OF
nETKOITS CROISUS.

Pich in Western EImOer Lanus-h1s
child Bsn;shed in BOyhOOd and Re-
LIED on the Stepmother's Death
uiss Palms Pursued by Fortune
Hunters.
The following from the New York World
lives a fuller account Of the death of a
notroit millionaire, whose daughter Sem
o.or Jones, of Florida, wants to marry,
han originally appeared in the MORNING
News. On Tuesday, Nov. %, Francis F.
palms. of Detroit, Mich, was his fathers
clerk on a salary of $1,000 year. On
wednesday he became the heir to at least
100000. His stepsister Clothilde comes
N for like amount. Together they have
become the possessors Of the largest
property in Michigan.
The children of the very rich are apt to
no commonplace persons, but in the Palms
Iav,con there is no such word as common
Mace, When Waterloo put an end to the
{ortunes of Napoleon it also wrecked the
finances of his devoted young Secretary,
Anoe Palms, of Antwerp, Belgium. After
struggle TO regain wealth, the elder
palms came TO America with his wife, his
four sons and his two daughters. just
what led them to Detroit no one knows,
hut the father soon went to New Orleans,
where be prospered. Only two of the
family remained behind-one of the sons
and one of the daughters. BY one OF those
lucky chances the boy got place with
vholesale grocer, who became attached
10 him. By dint of hard work and
great business foresight young
Palms worked his way into
the firm. and by the time he was So years
old he was able TO take $50, 900 out of the
firm and retire. Giving his attention TO
farming lands. he bought 10000 acres at
81 TO 81 % an acre, and sold again for S25
an acre for the land and another $25 tor
the timber. AS many as 40 families in a
single county have owed him for lands
and not one has ever complained of him
as landlord.
His Investments have reached as high
as 400, 900 acres at time, and yet with
only one clerk he has been able to take
the entire management OF a property
valued at not less than $1,000 900 at the
lowest estimates. He never had to con-
suit map in order to verify his taxes, so
comprenensive and accurate was his
memory.
So much for the money side or Francis
Palms. There is, however, another side
less known and far more Interesting. Mr..
Palms married when be was about %
years old and had one son, in giving birth
TO whom his wife died. When he was to
marry d second time the stepmother acted
the part marked out for her by the novel
lists OF all generations. She would have
nothing to do with the baby. The BOY
therefore was sent to his grandfather at
New Orleans to be cared tor, and once out
OF sight be was also out of mind. So the
boy grew up among southern influences
and became a genuine son of the South.
On being graduated from Southern col
lege be set out on a travelling apprentice
ship after the manner of Wilhelm Mels-
ter, but on reaching Virginia he sudden
" resolved to go in search of his father.
All he knew was that his sire lived in
Detroit and that there had been a STEP
mother In the house.
Arriving in the CITY of the Straits he
took rooms at the Michigan Exchange,
then the fashionable hotel of the city, and
began his Investigations. OF course
everybody knew about Francis Palms,
for even in those DAYS he was the richest
man in the State. And what was more it
was his habit to drop in at the hotel
every evening to read his letters and take
glimpse at the newspapers. Early in
tie evening young Palms took his stand
in tie office to watch for his unsuspect-
ing parent. Soon he saw enter a me-
dlum-sized man with pleasant face and
tWinEiing eyes. That, the clerk told him,
was his father. A more impulsive youth
would have rushed forward to make him
self known and receive the paternal en-
braces. But the Palms family are made
of different stuff. Waiting until his
father had finished reading his letter he
watched his opportunity to start little
conversation. He began by praising De-
troit and contrasting it with New Orleans.
Noticing slight interest on the part of
the listener, the young man ventured to
ask If the former had any acquaintance
In the Crescent City.
Il believe | have father and brothers
there" was the seemingly reluctant reply.
Indeed" returned the youth. "MIght
ask their names?'
"Palms-Ange Palms, was my fathers
name" said the elder.
That is the name of my grandfather"
SAID the young fellow, with slight trem-
Die IN mis- voice.
Francis Palms was not surprised, be-
cause nothing ever surprised him. More
over, with the thought "this boy is my
SOD, came the other: EWhat shall do
with him." He did not know quite what
TODD.
=, he explained that there was lion In
Tue path OF his return to the paternal
Iool. The result was that the young man
Shook the dust of Detroit from his feet
.
ing out OF the war found him a Louisiana
plahter and the atfianced husband OF a
beautiful Scotch girl. With the iii st gun
lFed at Sumter he entered the Confederate
army and there he stayed until Lees sur
render. Having the Palms shrewdness |
We exchanged his plantation for cotton |
anu worked his cotton as far as Charles |
ION, where 1t was cOntiscated. But some |
lOophole was found in the act of Congress- !
granting payment for property taken |
ION 10y al citizens, and eventually young |
rams got paid for at least part of his |
soo,oOO loss, Returning to New Orleans
tue FAMILY influence was strong enough |
" gel him position in the United States
courts. The war had separated him from
nlS alhanced. Peace brought them to-
eetner again, but she died shortly after
'helr marriage.
FOR his second wife he married creole |
iauy, VINO 10 now the mother of his six |
children,
he Somebody's visit TO Detr oft had not
S SVen forgotten by the father, but still he
S'u not see his way clear to getting his
I!u 10 return to Detroit. Mr.. Palms and
t nas "lle mad separated by mutual con-
sent. She maintained large establish
meHt IN another part OF the city from the
Snc ID which Mr.. Palms lived with their
Son ugnter for his housekeeper. The $500
wv "hlch she received from her fatbG.Ss
state was spent with q rapidly that
convinced her friends that her mind WINS |