My Genealogy Hound

T. F. PALMER was born May 23, 1858, in Benton, the fourth in a family of eight children born to Philander and Susan (Whittimore) Palmer. The father died March 6, 1880, in Marshall County, after a long life devoted mostly to the practice of law. He was a native of New Hampshire, and received a thorough education in the Norwich University of Vermont. When a young man he came to Kentucky and located near Paris, and in 1842 came to Marshall County, about the time of its organization, being the first law practitioner to locate within its limits. He was likewise a civil engineer. During his lifetime he was prominently identified with many popular measures and enterprises, and in his death the public lost an efficient officer, and a citizen of high social worth. Nearly all the leading members of the bar of Marshall County and vicinity were educated under his advice and instruction, and owe their success largely to his example and able instruction. T. F. Palmer was reared in Benton, and attended its schools and academy until sixteen years of age, when he taught school himself. In 1877 he went to Indiana and attended the Butler University a term, when he returned to Marshall County and resumed teaching, and was shortly after elected principal of the Benton Male and Female Academy, a position he held two years, when he was elected to his present office, that of circuit clerk, and his services in this capacity have since been continued. He had in the meantime devoted himself to the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1879. He was married on August 27, 1879 to Miss Lucy V. Stilley, of Benton. They have one child living, Nellie G. T. F. Palmer has been one of the examiners of common school teachers of Marshall County for over six years, and will enter upon the practice of law in 1886 at the expiration of his term of office as circuit clerk.