Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1921-05-19
PIONEER
PASSES ON

pioneer residents of Wisconsin Rapids
died at the home of his daughter, Sat
urday evening, May IA, 1921, aged "a
years, of old age Mr.. .Palmatier was
always of a cheerful disposition and a
man of excellent character. He was
an excellent neighbor and a good citi-
zen. He was able to walk about and
was sick only few days. The exam
pies and precepts he set in his daily
life can well be emulated as ideal in
many respects. The writer has known
him for 60 years and we cannot say
anything against him. He was always
an affectionate and loving father, a
loving husband and good citizen. The
life he lived was exemplary thruout.
May he rest in peace.
Francis Palmatier was born April
z, 1927, in Cobleskill, Schoharie coun-
ty, New York. He is the son of Thorn
as and Martha (Davenport) Palmatier.
His grandfather was a native of
Paris and belonged to class who fell
into difficulties with the commoners on
account of wealth and aristocratic
position and fled to Holland. After the
amnesty, a portion of the family re-
turned to France, but the line to which
Mr.. Palmatier belongs came from that
country and settled on the Holland
patent in the state of New York,
where they engaged in agriculture
The mother was born in Long Island
and was of English descent.
Mr.. Palmatier's parents left Coble-
skill when their son was four years
old and went to Susquehanna County,
Penn. Later they went to Broome,
County, New York, and remained
there eight years. When the son was
sixteen years old they went to Chem
ung county in the same state, and four
years later, Mr.. Palmatier went to
Ohio, returning after years absence
to Chemung county. He came to Wis
consin in 1855 and after passing few
months in Columbia county, be located
in Centralia, where he arrived Decem-
Der IA, 1855. He was married July 4,
1888 at Centralia To this union three
children were born, the oldest Francis
who married Minnie Potter. Francis.
Jr. met tragic death on August IA,
1892 when he was burned to death
while asleep in the rear room in the
Clark and Scott store building in Ru-
oil WIraA1acar, l.
ployed as clerk. The youngest son,
Horace, died in infancy November l.
1857. The daughter, Ella Viola, mar
ried Charles Garrison, son of Orestes
B. Garrison, who was also one of the
pioneers of the early days in Centralia
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Garrison reside
in Portland, Ore.
When the Civil War broke out Mr..
Palmatier made repeated efforts to en-
list and was rejected for disability.
Toward the close of the war, when en-
listing was pressed and, recruits has
tened to take the places of experience
ed and hardy soldiers, he was accept
ed and enrolled February 8, 1866, with
Co. B, 46th Wisconsin Infantry at
Centralia for one year. He performed
military duty on the Nashville and
Decatur railroad until discharged Sep
tember Goth following, at Nashville,
Tenn. The regiment recruited and or
ganized at Camp Randall, Madison,
left the state March 5, 1865, and went
successfully to Louisville and Athens,
Ala, where the regimental headquar-
ters wer established, until the COM
mand went to Nashville to be muster
ed out. Four of his brothers were in
the service, enlisting from Michigan,
two of them sacrificing their lives.
After his return from the war, Mr..
Palmatier was employed as foreman
in Garrison's Gang Saw Mill where he
worked for six years. He also worked
as mill wright, cabinet and wagon
maker and at various other trades. His
handiwork shows marked skill. Mrs.
Minnie Palmatier, his daughter-in-law
has a rocking chair which he made
thirty-five years ago from logs taken
from his wood pile, and which is of
some value.
Francis Palmatier resided here from
1855 until 1900 when he went to Port
land, Ore, where he lived with his
daughter and family for fifteen years,
when he left for Banfield, Mich, to re-
side with his brother and family He
returned to this city last April to
spend the remainder of his days at the
home of his daughter-in -in-law, Mrs
Minnie Palmatier.
In politics Mr.. Palmatier was a re-
publican. He belonged to the G. A. R
Post No. % of this city. He has not
only helped to make the record of this
city, but is one of the many who have
been heroic makers of the nation.
Funeral services were held Tues
day afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the
late residence, the Rev. N. ]. Breed
pastor of the Congregational church
officiating. Burial took place in Forest
Hill cemetery.
Those left to survive his passing are
his daughter, Mrs. C. B. Garrison O.
Prinville, Oregon, his daughter-in-lav
Mrs Minnie Palmatier, of this city ans
-,-4ox, M~c Acn,