MARION (Iowa) SENTINEL, Thurs., December 7, 1893.
Mrs. Martha Palmer, nee Clark, was born in Schenectady, N. Y., March 18, 1818, died Marion, Iowa,
Dec. 3, 1893, aged 75 years, 8 months, 15 days.
Mrs. Palmer's health was poor for the past year, but her last and fatal illness began two weeks
ago with a stroke of paralysis, which terminated in death on Sabbath morning.
Mrs. Palmer was
united in wedlock to Mr. Sylvanus W. Palmer, April 2, 1836, and lived nearly 40 years of married
life. Jan., 2, 1875, death broke the happy union, when her husband who was a devoted and
earnest Christian worker in the M. E. church, and a loving and true husband was called to the
higher life. This union, was blessed with seven children, five sons and two daughters. One of
the sons died in infancy. The two daughters after grown to womanhood and enjoyed a brief period
of marriage life [Sic.], died at the age of 24. The other sons survive their mother's death and
were present in her last illness administering every comfort possible.
Mother Palmer gave her
heart to the Lord at the early age of 15, and became a member of the M. E. church, and remained
a faithful and honored member ever since. In the year 1843, she with her husband moved from
New York to Kane Co., Ill., where they shared in the hardships and privations of early Methodism
in that state; the home was always open for the minister of the Gospel of Christ, then
hospitality was given cheerfully and freely.
In 1863 they moved from Ill., to Linn Co., Iowa.
Here after 12 years of united toils and strugglings our sister suffered a severe stroke of
affliction by the death of her husband, but she bore it with perfect resignation and Christian
fortitude.
Since then Mother Palmer has lived with her sons spending the last 4 years of her
life with her son C. A. Palmer. Mother Palmer was an honored Christian woman, and that
Christian patience and fortitude which characterized her whole Christian fife of 60 years was
more perfectly exemplified in her last sickness. She was willing to suffer, as well as to do,
for her Master. Her faith was strong in God and her hope bloomed with immortality. She has
entered into hopes fruition.
Services were held at the M. E. church, Springville, conducted by Rev. Walter Piper, Rev.
Schaffer assisting. Internment in the Springville cemetery.
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