Caledonia

PALMER, William A.

Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, pp 319-320
(extracted from a section on the history of Danville, Caledonia County, 
Vermont)

Hon. William A. PALMER was born 12 September 1781 in the town of Hebron 
[Tolland County], Connecticut, the son of Stephen and Susannah PALMER, who 
emigrated from England before the Revolution, and was the fourth son of a 
family of four sons and four daughters, who all came to the age of eighty 
years and upwards, except the subject of this notice. At an early age during 
his minority, he met with a casualty in falling upon the ice with an axe, by 
which he lost a part of one of his hands. This occurrence seemed to be the 
means of determining his future course of life. By being measurably 
precluded from manual labor, he resolved on the study of a profession, and 
soon entered, with this view, the law office of the late Hon. Judge PETERS, 
of Hartford [Hartford County], Connecticut. He remained here for a time; 
when he resolved to seek his fortune in the new State of Vermont, about 
which, at that time, considerable was said as being a good place to emigrate 
to. Following up the Connecticut River, he finally found his way to Chelsea 
[Orange County, Vermont], where he entered the office of Daniel BUCK, Esq., 
with whom he remained for some time, perfecting himself more fully in the 
practice of his profession.

Thinking himself tolerably well qualified for the practice of law, he applied 
for admission to the bar of Orange County, and was admitted in due form soon 
after. He then very soon started on a tour of observation northward, 
traveling as far as Brownington [Orange County], stopping a short time in the 
office of William BAXTER, Esq., who at that time and subsequently was a 
lawyer of considerable eminence in that place. He afterward went to Derby 
[probably means "Derby Center" of "Derby Line," both of which are in Orleans 
County, where he had been admitted to the bar, rather than "Derby" in Essex 
County] with a view of locating himself there, but not liking entirely his 
new situation there, returned as far as St. Johnsbury [Caledonia County], 
where he made a stand and opened an office for the practice of law. This was 
about the year 1805 or thereabouts.

He remained in St. Johnsbury for a term of two or three years, when he was 
elected to the office of Judge of Probate for Caledonia County, and removed 
to Danville, then the county seat. He held this office quite a number of 
years, and also during this time was County Clerk, in the meantime being 
frequently elected to represent said town in the state Legislature. He was 
elected Judge of the Supreme Court of Vermont in 1815 (I think). Holding 
this office for about two years, he resigned the same. In 1817 he was 
elected as Senator in Congress for six years, and also one year to fill a 
vacancy caused by the resignation of James FISK (I think). He took his seat 
in Congress in December 1818, serving in this capacity for seven years, which 
terminated in 1825. For the next two or three years he held no office, 
except, perhaps, representing Danville one year in the Legislature, where he 
was instrumental in getting passed the charter of the Bank of Caledonia, 
located at Danville, devoting himself during this time to his favorite 
pursuit of agriculture. In 1830 he was nominated for the office of Governor, 
but failed this year in the election, Hon. Samuel H. CRAFTS being the 
successful candidate. He was, however, elected Governor in 1831, holding the 
office four years, bringing it down to 1835. He was chosen as a delegate to 
the Constitutional Convention of the State once or twice [after having been 
Governor], the last time in 1848. Soon after this period his health became 
impaired, so much so as to withdraw him from all direct or active 
participation in affairs of a political or public character. 

He was a man of strong natural abilities, possessing a decided and 
penetrating mind. His heart and hand were ever open to the calls of want and 
distress, and if he erred at all in this direction, it was in being too 
benevolent, loving his neighbor better than himself. He was remarkable for 
his intelligence, high social qualities, and unpretending simplicity of 
manners. In politics he commended as a Jeffersonian democrat, adhering 
through all the phases of party to the democratic side, supporting every 
democratic administration from JEFFERSON to BUCHANAN. He helped make in 
Congress the famous Compromise line, and voted for the admission of Missouri 
into the Union with the constitution with which she presented herself. He 
always contended that his vote was cast honestly for that measure, and as he 
believed to be in accordance with his oath. He was, however, much censured 
at the time and afterwards for his vote on that occasion, but he lived long 
enough to see that line done away by the action of the party that was mainly 
instrumental in its creation. He [William A. PALMER] continued in a state of 
slow decline for upwards of ten years, only being confined for a short period 
before his death, which took place 03 December 1860. Governor PALMER was an 
honest and just man in all his business transactions, a most affectionate 
husband and father, and in all his relations of life an estimable man. His 
departure was lamented by a wide circle of friends.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly