Palfrey, Charles

Submitted by Mike Miller

Palfrey, Charles, cashier Hibernia Bank & Trust Co. and Hibernia National bank, New Orleans--was born in New Orleans, La., Dec. 15, 1839; son of Robert Jenkins and Camilla (Davis) Palfrey, the former of whom was born in Boston, Mass., Dec. 27, 1798, and died in New Orleans, La., in Dec., 1876. He came to New Orleans in 1819, and there married Miss Camilla Davis, who was born in Baltimore, Md., in the year 1805 or 1806. She died at Bailey Springs, Ala., in 1858. To their union 10 children were born, of whom 2 survive at this time, Mrs. Col. Edward Ivy and Charles Palfrey, the subject of this sketch. The name Palfrey is Welsh, and is that of an old New England family, one member of which was William Palfrey, who served as paymaster-general of the American army in the Revolutionary war. He was born at Boston in 1741 and was appointed to represent the United States as consul-general to France. He was known as a man of the most sterling integrity, and enjoyed an international reputation as a man in every way worthy to represent the American republic. He lost his life at sea while in the public service. Robert Jenkins Palfrey, the father, was a banker. He was cashier of a branch of the Louisiana State bank, and when the city of New Orleans was entered by the Federals during the Civil war this bank was suspended. Charles Palfrey passed his boyhood in New Orleans, where he attended private and public schools and later the Jesuit college, following which he went to Bridgewater, Mass., and for 4 years attended a private school conducted by John A. Shaw, who was one of the originators of the public school system of New Orleans. On his return from the Bridgewater school Charles Palfrey became an employe of a cotton factor firm in the year 1855, and continued in commercial pursuits until 1882, when he was appointed cashier of the Hibernia National bank, which position he held until 1902, when he became cashier of the Hibernia Bank & Trust Co. During the Civil war Mr. Palfrey served 4 years in the Confederate army, enlisting as a member of Dreux's 1st Louisiana battalion. He later joined the fourth company of Washington artillery, and continued to serve with the command until the surrender. After the war he became connected with the White league movement in Louisiana, as a second sergeant in Pleasant's Co. E., participated in the street fight in New Orleans Sept. 14, 1874, which terminated "Carpet Bag" government in Louisiana. Mr. Palfrey is affiliated with the democratic party and is a Master Mason. In 1866 Charles Palfrey was married to Miss Elizabeth Robb Skillman, who was born at Quincy, Ill., but reared in the state of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Palfrey have 2 daughters, namely: Alice Taylor, now Mrs. G. H. Stevenson, and Miss Edith Putnam Palfrey.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 342-343. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.