Palmer, Archibald D.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Archibald D. Palmer, a deceased veteran of the War of 1812, was born in Tunica, La, August 25, 1790. His parents were natives of New Jersey and of Irish extraction. At the age of fifteen our subject deserted the parental roof and came to Bayou Sara, this parish. Subsequently he volunteered in Captains Rogers' and Nessom's company of the Tenth Louisiana regiment, commanded by Colonel Young, of East Feliciana parish, and took part in the memorable battle of New Orleans. On the restoration of peace he engaged in planting and acquired a large fortune before the Civil war began, owning many negroes and large landed property in Louisiana and Arkansas. During this struggle he was several times roughly handled by skulking and predatory soldiers, being more than once strung up to extort from him the secret of the hiding place of his money, and this rough usage was really the cause of his wire's death from fright. At the age of seventy-five years he rode on horseback from his home to the Mississippi river, which he crossed in a skiff, holding his horse by the bridle to guide its swimming across the stream. He eventually reached Caddo parish, where he died soon after. A contributor to the "Southern Watchman" in speaking of the character of Mr. Palmer says: "He was born a decided character. Bold, intrepid, temperate, clean, determined, deliberate, he was born to win. Opposition was but waste paper to his onward and upward calculations. After his military term as a faithful and tried soldier in defeat and victory, he returned to his beloved parish and home. The ardor of his virtuous ambition became more devoted to the true interests of his parish and state. Depending entirely upon his own personal perseverance and indefatigable genius and charity, to exhibit a praiseworthy example to his friends and neighbors, to build up his much honored country, to brighten the progressive ranks of civilization in farming and agricultural purity, establishing wealth by honest industry, befriending those he could, aiding churches and schools and charitable institutions--these were his leading and predominant characteristics."

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 297. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.