A Lost Family!

The Palmer family seems to enjoy reusing names, especially Truman. So you can imagine how confused I was to find another Truman. This one came from a second family of the eldest Truman.  The Truman Palmer who was born in 1798 in Vermont lost his first wife, Meribah or Merab, in 1837. But I found him in the 1855 New York census with a wife named Elisa M. His daughter, Sarah Cecilia, was also there. But she was from his wife Merab. Only after locating the graves of Truman and Merab did I find two more children both to Elisa.  Truman and Robert were born in 1839 and 1845, respectively. Sadly they died a week apart in December 1851.  Both Trumans, Merab and Sarah are buried in the same cemetery. I will have to look for Elisa. And there are more Trumans in the family. Alvah Palmer, the elder Truman's brother, named a son Truman. And there is a Walter Truman Palmer in the family!

It was sad to learn that neither of Truman's young sons lived to carry on his name. But I was glad that I pursued the 1855 census to find his second family.

New York New York!

I am coming to the realization that all of Phil's family - both Norton and Palmer - were in upstate New York within a 100 mile radius during the 1800s.  Yet the two families didn't come together until Doris Palmer (from Pennsylvania) and Clinton Norton (from Michigan) met at the University of Rochester in the 1950s.  Nearby were the final resting places of their grandparents.  The Palmer side  stretches from Buffalo (where the Pattisons are buried) to Alfred (where the Palmers are buried).  The Nortons can  be found in Geneseo with status as founding pioneers of Groveland.  And just over the line in Pennsylvania we have the Hacketts.

Now I just need to organize my thoughts and research to spend a week or two driving the backroads!  But at least this week I'll be able to get to Geneseo and Temple Hill Cemetery for a visit with Asahel Norton. More picture to come I hope!

Pictures to come!