Shumway N. Palmer was born in 1815, probably in Tioga Co. PA. His parents apparently moved from Cayuga Co., NY to Niagara Co. NY about 1817; but in the 1850 Federal Census for Washtenaw County, his place of birth is listed as Pennsylvania. His family may well have gone to Tioga County, where his mother's parents lived, until a home in Niagara could be built and made ready for the family. He would have been about 18 at the time his parents came to Michigan in 1833, and it is likely that he came with them.
In June of 1840, he married Christiana J., whose maiden name is unknown. Two children were born of this marriage, Henry S. and Helen A. Palmer. The Horning list identifies Shumway as having lived on section 7; but the 1850 Federal Census for Manchester shows the family living in the village of Manchester. Shumway is listed as deceased. Christiana is thus probably the source of the designation of Pennsylvania as his birthplace.
Shumway was active in the Manchester community. He served as treasurer of Manchester Township in 1842 and 1849; and he was also town clerk for 1845, 1846,1847, and 1850, the year he died (39). He is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Manchester Township, where the monument on his grave was erected by the I.O.O.F.
Land records show that Shumway bought and sold property in Kalamazoo County as well as in Manchester. The records are very puzzling, however, in that they show frequent land transactions between Shumway and Samuel, his father, often involving the same property to no apparent end except, perhaps, as a way for Samuel to help Shumway financially. The Register of Deeds shows that, in 1844, shortly before Samuel died, Shumway and Christiana signed a Release of Dower, by which they gave up all rights in Samuel's estate. In 1846, William sold Christiana, "wife of Shumway Palmer," village Lot 6 in Block 4, property which had passed back and forth several times between Shumway and his father and which William had inherited. The couple sold that lot the following year and bought Lot 11 in Block 3. They were living there when Shumway died, in 1850.
His death appears to have left the family in a difficult financial situation. His estate was filed 21 October 1850. On 8 June 1852, Christiana and an attorney, James W. Hill, who appeared in the 1850 Federal Census to be living next door to the Palmers, swore to the absence of a will and requested that the administration of the estate be extended in order to collect outstanding debts. Christiana stated that the deceased had left two minor children, Henry Sage, under seven years of age, and Helen A., under nine years of age. She also stated that she had had no allowance and that the family had been "ill considerable" and thus in need of more money than usual. Exactly one week later, on 15 June 1852, according to History of St. Clair County, Michigan, English-born Hiram Barnett, owner of a foundry and machine shop in Port Huron, married his second wife, Mrs. Christiana J. Palmer. The St. Clair County Marriage Records include a record of that marriage. The Washtenaw Register of Deeds records the sale of lot 11 in Block 3 by Hiram and Christiana J. Barnett of Port Huron, St. Clair Co., on 4 Nov 1854, thus ending the story of this branch of the Palmer line in Washtenaw County.
SHUMWAY PALMER
Shumway N. Palmer, b-10 Aug 1815, Tioga Co., PA, or Niagara Co., NY
d-30 Aug 1850, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
m-21 Jun 1840, Washtenaw Co., MI
Parents:
Samuel Palmer, b-23 Jun 1785, Hillsdale, Columbia Co., NY
d-5 Sep 1844, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
m-2 Nov 1809, Place unknown
Clarissa Shumway, b-21 Apr 1791, Charlestown, Sullivan Co., NH
d-14 May 1862, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
Spouse:
Christiana J., b-About. 1821, Unknown
d-unknown
Parents:
Unknown
Children of Shumway N. Palmer and Christiana
Helen, b-About 1841 (41), Probably Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
d-Unknown
Henry Sage b-About 1845 (42) Probably Manchester Washtenaw Co., MI
d-Unknown
Sources
39. History of Washtenaw County, Mich.
40. Probate file of Shumway N. Palmer
41. Probate file of Shumway N. Palmer