Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-03
OBITUARY.
Hon. William Henry Palmer.

The death of Hon. William Henry Palmer occurred on Saturday evening about o'clock at his home at Norwich
 Town, where for some time past he
 had been in poor health.S
 William Henry Palmer was born in
 the town of Montville Oct. I, 1S43, and
 his early life was passed there. He
 was the son of William Henry and
 Clarissa Stanton Palmer, and was a
 descendant in the eighth generation from Waiter Palmer, the ancestor of this branch of the family in New Eng
 land.
 After the outbreak of the Civil war
 MT. Palmer joined the army as a
 volunteer and served in Company F,
 Twenty first. Connecticut Volunteers,
 being mustered out June. 16, 1865. At
 the close of the war he became su-
 perintendent of the Arawanna mills
 in Middletowp, which belonged to his
 great P. E. Palmer, in which
 position he remained several years.
 After this he was treasurer and man ager of the Palmer Tenterfng Machine company, also of Middletown.
 Tn 1886 he moved to Norwich and
 became mechanical engineer for Pal
 mer Brothers, then partnership, now
 an extensive business in the manli-
 facture Of bed comforters. This po-
 sition he retained till his death, his
 labor and responsibility constantly in-
 creasing with the great development of the business of the concern. This development was largely due to the
 ability of the concern to produce su-
 perior goods at lower prices than other makers could produce them.
 And this ability to produce cheaply
 was due in great part to the labor saving machines invented by MT. Pal
 mer. One of them is called a knot ter" In order to hold the filling and the covering of the comforter in their proper places with reference to each other, many threads of worsted are
 machine, which also knots their ends,
 and thus the filling is held in its place between the covers.
 Another machine to accomplish the same object even more perfectly Is
 called a sscron stitching machine, 7 and, being somewhat more expensive
 to use, is employed upon the better goods. This machine sews through and through the comforter in a scroll
 pattern and so holds cover and filling very firmly together.
 The comforters are, made by the
 mile and cut off from the endless piece at proper lengths. Another machine called a "binder'' measures off proper lengths of com forter, cuts them and binds the ends. There are also in use many other machines of MT. PaImers invention,
 such as sewing machines and baling presses.
 Up to the time of his last illness he was at work upon new mechanical devices for the Improvement and pany
 Mir Palmer was a member of the re- publican party He served several years in the Norwich common coun- cil; was member of the state house of representatives in 1893, and state 4f1 140E {. For eight years he was a member of the republican state central com mittee In 1889 he was elected a member of the state board of educa- tion and served thereon until his death. He was for a time member of the school board in Norwich. From the time MT Palmer came to Norwich he attended Christ church and has
 been for many years one of the ves- trymen. He was Free Mason, a member of Somerset lodge. No. 34, F. and A. M, Franklin council. No. 3, R. and s. M, and Franklin chapter, No. (, R. A. M. He was also member of 6edgwick post, No. l, c. A. R., of | the Army and Navy club. of the Nor- wtch Golf club, and was vice pres and secretary of the Norwich Indus- trial Building company.
 | MT. Palmer first married Adelaide R. 1 Wood, a native of Rhode Island, and n1g @ec0nd WIG was blien Htli Hey- holds of Norwich. He is survived by | his wife and three Eons, Frank H. and Randall W. Palmer, both in the em- | pioy of Palmer Brothers, and Henry Reynolds Palmer, boy of ten years, 1 As to MT. Paimerg character no praise fa needed in addressing those who knew him. That characteristic Iof his which most strikes one long acquainted with him is his honorable ness. His constant habit in dealing with others was to do as he would
 he dona by. Evefybcay trliatsd him | have @ncmed unnaturnl, 50 much did | the highest Integrity appear to be an lingeparGbie part Of him.
 | Hn had keen and exact mind, with
 great power of continuous noneentra- ton. "A study of some of his wonder ] fuI machinery proves this. He was
 han Of most kindly and affeetfon-
 ako h@kuE@. which Nas dsaaaRstEatad