Isaiah Palmer was 3rd born/3rd son of George Palmer (1820-1885?) and Elizabeth Grable (1821-1905). George's ancestry is uncertain. Isaiah's US Census records & his Death Certificate indicate his father George was born in Pennsylvania but George's own US Census records indicates born in Ohio; it's possible he was Pennsylvania Dutch/German, as most Palmer names came from PA.

Elizabeth Grable's ancestry is Pennsylvania Dutch/German, traceable thus far back to Germany & Switzerland c. 1700. Together George & Elizabeth had nine (9) children that we know of; here's a list of Isaiah's siblings, all born in/near Congress Twp., Wayne Co., Ohio:

1-Jacob Palmer (1836/42 – 1905) possibly a 1/2 brother
2-George Dallas Palmer (1844 – 1886)
3-Volney (Valentine) Palmer (1848 – 1948)
4-Ellenor (Ellen) Palmer (1857 – 1858)
5-Rose Anna Palmer (1855 – 1860)
6-Sarah Ann Palmer (1856 – 1932)
7-Susannah Palmer (1859 – )
8-Infant Palmer (1860 – 1860)

From Debra Hart Blackgrave Tyre, April 2011: Isaiah's family history was recounted by someone in the Palmer family. I personally believe it was his daughter Bertha, as she was a) the first-born girl, b) writer of a similar biography on her grandfather Adam Gibe Strayer, c) except for 1st-born Volney, hers is the only sibling with last name listed, and d) she was close to her parents, both later dying in her home. She writes at the end "Mother was not sure if all these dates are correct" and assuming mother is Elizabeth (Libby) Strayer Palmer, who lived until 1939. Since Isaiah died in April 1930 and his death is not mentioned in this history, it's possible it was written prior to then or perhaps in preparation for Isaiah's obituary.

The Isaiah Palmer bio/document came to me in 2006 from Teresa Howe Makin, granddaughter of Lewis Lyle Palmer, in photo (.jpeg) format in two versions. One was a draft with handwriting on it and a second copy was finished. It is transcribed verbatim below from the finished version:

"Isaiah Palmer was born in Wayne County, Canan Township, seven miles from Wooster, Ohio on a farm. He was the third son of George Palmer and Elizabeth Grable. Isaiah was one of a family of nine children, four boys and five girls. Ellen and Rose Anna died in childhood and the last child, an infant girl, died at birth.

Isaiah was born on October 9, 1846. In 1869 when Isaiah was twenty-three years of age he left Ohio and spent some time in Kansas and Missouri working on the Missouri Valley Railroad and in the harvest fields.

Isaiah returned to Ohio in 1871 and then came to Michigan to work on the Michigan State College farm. He worked under Professor Beal and plowed and fitted the first ten acres that was planted into an apple orchard. He also tended a mason on what was formally the president's home and worked on the first greenhouse in the autumn of 1873.

He married Elizabeth Strayer on December 23, 1875. They returned to Ashland County, Ohio for one year where their first child Volney H. Palmer was born on November 23, 1876. Returning to Meridian Township, Ingham County, Michigan they located near Okemos where:

Bertha E. Palmer was born on January 9, 1878.
Vern was born December 13, 1879.
Maggie was born on September 16, 1881.
Maude was born on April 29, 1883.
Adah was born on June 14, 1886.
Vina was born on November 9, 1888 and then moved to Aurelius, Michigan in ?.
Irene was born on August 23, 1900.

Mother was not sure if all these dates were correct."

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Isaiah married Elizabeth Mary Margaret "Libbie" Strayer on December 23, 1875 in Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan. They were the parents of eight children:

1) Volney Adam Palmer (1876–1930) m. Nettie Maria Stotts (1882–1918) 5 ch.

2) Bertha Elizabeth Palmer (1878–1953) m. 1st John C. Arend (1865-1910), 1 ch.; m. 2nd Joseph George Rankey (1880-1950), 1 ch.; m. 3rd Warren Carl Warner (1880-1965) no ch.

3) Vern Isaiah Palmer (1879-1960) m. 1st Zelma Hopkins (1874-1920) 5 ch.; m. 2nd Carrie McLaughlin (c. 1881-) no ch.; m. 3rd Carolyn --- (c. 1878-) no ch.; m. 4th Lepha M. Bunker, Walton (1890-1978)

4) Margaret (Maggie) Palmer (1881-1882) d. in infancy

5) Maud A. Palmer (1883-1924) m. Warren Carl Warner (1880-1965) 4 ch. Maud died young (41) of cancer, leaving 3 young children and Carl married her older sister Bertha a few years later.

6) Ada M. Palmer (1885–1922) m. 1st William Lewis Eckhart (1880-1918) 1 ch.; m. 2nd Dr. Wilson J. Canfield (1859-1939) no ch.; m. 3rd Clifton Glee Casner (1891-1970) no ch.

7) Lovina "Vina" Palmer (1888–1930) m. Enoch H. Field (1885-1938) 1 ch.

8) Irene R. Palmer (1900–1958) m. 1st Daniel R. Smiley (1900-?) 2 ch.; m. 2nd Harry G. Andree (1899-1961) 2 ch.

TIMELINE:

Birth - 1846 9 Oct, Canaan Twp., Wayne, OH USA
SOURCE: 1) Family Bio; 2) US Census records for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920.

Residence - 01 Jun 1850, Age: 3, Congress Twp., Wayne, OH USA. SOURCE: 1850 US Census. George Palmer 30 (b. 1820 OH); Elizabeth 26 (b. 1824 OH); Jacob 8 (b. 1842 OH); George M D 6 (b. 1844 OH); Josiah {Isaih} 4 (b. 1846 OH); Valentine 2 (b. 1848 OH). Bernhart Palmer 18 (b. 1832 OH)...prob. a relative/nephew of Geo.

Residence - 01 Jun 1860, Age: 13, West Salem Post Office, Congress Twp., Wayne, OH USA. SOURCE: 1860 US Census. Geo Palmer 40 (b. 1820 OH); Elizabeth 39 (b. 1821 OH); Jacob 17 (b. 1843 OH); George D 15 (b. 1845 OH); Isaiah 13 (b. 1846 OH); Volney 11 (b. 1849 OH); Sarah 3 (b. 1857 OH); Susannah 1 (b. 1859 OH).

Occupation - 1869-1871, Kansas & Missouri: Missouri Valley RR, harvest field laborer, age 23-25. Kansas & Missouri, USA
SOURCE: Isaiah Palmer bio, c. 1930

Residence - 01 Jun 1870, Age: 23, Ashland Post Office, Jackson Twp., Ashland, OH USA. SOURCE: 1870 US Census. Geo Palmer 56 (b. 1814 OH); Elizabeth 49 (b. 1821 OH); Isaiah 23 (b. 1846 OH); Sarah 18 (b. 1852 OH); Dusan {Susan} 11 (b. 1859 OH); Volney 21 (b. 1849 OH); Jennie 17 (b. 1853 OH).

Marriage - Elizabeth Mary Margaret (Libbie) Strayer, 23 Dec 1875, Age: 29, Lansing, Ingham, MI USA. SOURCE: Michigan Marriages (1868-1925): (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N36X-RLQ)

Residence - 01 Jun 1880, Age: 33, Meridian Twp., Okemos, Ingham, MI USA. SOURCE: 1880 US Census. Isaih Polmer {TRANSCRIPTION ERROR: Should be PALMER}, 33 (b. 1847 OH); Elisabeth 22 (b. 1858 MI); Volney 3 (b. 1877 OH); Burtha 2 (b. 1878 MI); (Volney) Isaih 6m (b. 1879 MI). Occupation: Farmer

Residence - 01 Jun 1900, Age: 53, Aurelius Twp., Mason, Ingham, MI USA. SOURCE: 1900 US Census. Uriah Palmer 53 (b. Oct 1846 OH); Elizabeth 42 (b. Jun 1847 MI); Bertha 22 (b. Jan 1878); Vernie 13-should be 19 (b. Dec 1886; should be Nov 1876 OH); Maud 17 (b. Apr 1883 MI); Adah 14 (b. Jan 1885 MI); Lavina 11 (b. Nov 1888 MI).

Residence - 15 Apr 1910, Age: 63, Aurelius Twp., Mason, Ingham, MI USA. SOURCE: 1910 US Census. Isiah Palmer 64 (b. 1846 OH); Elizebeth Palmer 52 (b. 1858 MI); Irene R Palmer 9 (b. 1901 MI).

Residence - 01 Jan 1920, Age: 73, Aurelius Twp. Mason, Ingham, MI USA. SOURCE: 1920 US Census. Isaac {Isaiah} Palmer 73 (b. 1847 OH); Elizabeth Palmer 63 (b. 1857 MI); daughter Ada M Eckhart 38, widow (b. 1882 MI); granddau. Elizabeth Eckhart 11 (b. 1909 MI); grandson Ferris Palmer 8 (b. 1911 MI). Ferris' mother is not Ada.

Death - 10 Apr 1930, Age: 83, Aurelius Twp., Mason, Ingham, MI USA. SOURCE: Isaiah Palmer Obituary; died at daughter Bertha (Palmer,Rankey) Warner's home in Aurelius Twp., Mason, Ingham, MI USA. Buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Eaton Rapids, MI USA.

Burial - 13 Apr 1930, Rosehill Cemetery, Eaton Rapids, Eaton, MI USA. SOURCE: www.findagrave.com, Memorial #66046674
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Bio and timeline courtesy Debra Hart Blackgrave Tyre on 05.21.2013; updated 11.03.2015; please retain original credits if copied. Thank you.