Allamakee co. IAGenWeb Project - School Records


Charles A. Palmer
&
Cora Henderson Palmer


 

Waukon, Iowa February 9, 1968
Mr.Clinton Kelly
Waukon, Iowa

Dear Clinton:

Since I used to give you Kelly boys lots of reading to do at school way back when, I thought you might like to get the obituary of possibly a grandparent of yours. It was among the clippings in a book from things I got from Mr. George Bircher back in the 1930's and I browsed around in it to see if I should throw it out. Sometimes materials in such clippings give an added interest and also background information which become handy to keep a family informed about some of his forbears.

I always enjoyed my Jefferson No. 7 pupils and appreciated your getting Otto and even Eddie Kuieger to enjoy washing their face and combing their hair without my having anything to do with reminding them, which might bring criticism to me as a teacher, if I had done it.

Cordially,
C.A. Palmer

Don't criticize the old typewriter for the above errors because they get old too. CAP

~*~*~

(Reverse side of the letter - his occupational bio is on the left, her's is on the right)

OCCUPATIONAL BIOGRAPHY OF

Charles Aaron Palmer
Born October 3, 1890 Clayton County, Iowa

Cora Viola Henderson Palmer
Born December 14, 1898 Fayette County, Iowa

Married at Little Brown Church, Nashua, Iowa
June 23, 1920

Members of First Presbyterian Church, Waukon and
Allamakee County Historical Society, Waukon, Iowa

Parents of following children: Lee Henderson Palmer, Oct. 8, 1922; Allen Verle Palmer, August 19, 1924;
Patricia Emma Palmer- Schwager, July 17, 1930; Helen Mar Palmer, July 20, 1933; Roger Sherman
Palmer, Sept. 4, 1942, U.S. Army at Anchorage, Alaska.

Mason- 50 year certificate

Ralph D. Waters No. 62 American Legion since Aug. 1919

Waukon Toastmasters Club since 1947

Attended short courses in commercial subjects in 3 schools 1908 to 1913

Taught rural schools in Allamakee County 1910 to 1915

Enrolled at State Teachers College, Cedar Falls, Iowa Sep 13, 1915; attended 3 years to 1919

Deputy Auditor 1917-1918

Enlisted in U.S. Navy, May 8, 1918 to Jan 21, 1919

Elected Allamakee County Auditor Nov 1920; served 2 terms to 1925

Conducted new Abstract business with Insurance and real estate from Jan 1, 1925 to May 31, 1953. Now Palmer Abstract Co.

U. S. Commissioner to appraise Wild Life Area, 1930 to 1933

Secretary Waukon Park commission from 1937 to 1952

Chairman of Allamakee County Selective Service Board from October 1941 to Dec. 1944

Elected to 51st General Assemby 1945-6

Treasurer of Waukon School District 1949 to 1953

Chairman of Allamakee County Republican Central Committee 1947-1953

Waukon Postmaster May 31, 1952 to March 30 1962. Retired
Past W.M. Of O.E.S

Member Women's Auxiliary of American Legion since 1920

Graduated from Hawkeye High School June 1915

Enrolled at Iowa State Teachers College Sept 13, 1915

Received Junior College Diploma from Teachers College in 1919

Taught rural schools in Fayette County before 1919; Floyd Consolidated School 1919-1920; Jefferson No. 7 fall of 1920

Deputy Auditor 1921 and 1922

Abstract clerk and insurance agency to 1953

Vice Chairman of Republican Central Committee of Allamakee County 1927 to 1933
Secretary of Allamakee Welfare Board from Jan 1, 1940 to Jan 1, 1951

Teacher in rural schools in Allamakee County, 1950 and 1951

Teacher Waterville Consolidated School 1953 to 1957

Substitute teacher in Allamakee Community at present

Title I in 1966 and 1967

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~Source: Personal papers belonging to Creston Calvin Kelly, a double cousin to Clinton Kelly
~Contributed by Connie (Kelly) Ellis, granddaughter of Creston C. Kelly
~Notes:

Clinton Lionel Kelly, born February 26, 1902 , was the son of Orange B. and Edith Mary (Robey) Kelly and Creston Calvin “Pinger” Kelly, born May 29, 1903, was the son of Jessie L. and Angie (Robey) Kelly. I am not certain how my Grandfather Creston Kelly ended up with the letter, but I am assuming that when Clinton Kelly received the letter, after reading it, he gave it to my Grandfather to read. The two boys, who were cousins, attended country school together and Charles A. Palmer was their teacher. At the time Mr. Palmer wrote the letter, he would have been almost 78 years of age. It was interesting that Mr. Palmer had typed his letter on the back side of his Occupational Biography for him and his wife Cora Viola Henderson Palmer. His conservation of paper says much about the old adage of “Waste Not, Want Not”. Mr. Palmer recycled LONG before recycling was the “In Thing” to do.

Charles Aaron Palmer died January 22, 1975 at the age of 84 and his wife, Cora Viola Henderson Palmer died on October 17, 1988 at the age of 89. Charles listed his children and I noticed the middle name for Helen was typed as “Mar” – I do not know if that was correct or if her name was “Helen Mae”.

~*~*~*~

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