Reuben Jonathan Palmer
Montgomery, Montgomery County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(January 18, 1829 - March 20, 1868) Born in Appomattox County, Va., son of Reuben DeJarnette and Martha P. (Christian) Palmer; he was educated at Randolph-Macon College. Moved to Texas in 1856. A Montgomery lawyer; served in 9th Legislature, State of Texas, and in Secession Convention, 1861. Married Frances Winifred, the daughter of Robert G. and Agnes (Wood) Branch. Had three children: Robert Guerrant, Cora Christian (later Blanding), and Edward Gray. Recorded - 1972
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born in Appomattox County, Virginia in 1829 and educated at Randolph-Macon College, Reuben Jonathan Palmer came to Texas in 1856 and made Montgomery his home as a lawyer. He served in the state's Ninth Legislature and, in 1861, sat in the Secession Convention that carried Texas out of the Union on the eve of the Civil War. He died in 1868, leaving a wife and three children.
Why it matters
His life links a Virginia-born frontier lawyer to the fateful political decision that pulled Texas into the Civil War.
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Related people
- · Reuben Jonathan Palmer
Related events
- · Texas Secession Convention of 1861
Themes & tags
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