Legislator Details
Number of sessions served 6
Gender: Male
Age at election: 42
Vital Records Information:
Birth
Date: 1/25/1878
City: Grand Rapids, MI
County: Kent County, MI
Country: US
Death
Date: 8/10/1932
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Type of Burial:
Burial
Date: 8/13/1932
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Cemetery: Woodmere Cemetery
Marital Information:
married Grace May Bedworth, dau. of Rupert and Anna (Zimm) Bedworth, 7/8/1905, in Detroit, divorced 9/26/1924
Number of Children:
Background
Religion:
Military Service:
Occupation: soap maker; newspaper editor, publisher, salesman
Race: Caucasian or White
Education:
attended public schools; attended West Side Business College of Chicago; and Institute of Technology
Biographical Sketch:
Of Scotch and American parentage. Son of Milton James and Jane (Bain) Palmer. He followed different occupations until 1899 when he came to Detroit, as a soap maker, a trade he had learned when a boy. In 1900, he entered the newspaper business with the Detroit Journal. He was also with the Cleveland News, Detroit Times, Detroit Saturday Night and editor of the Detroiter. For a time, he was office manager of Wolverine Motor Supply Co., and publicity secretary of Detroit Board of Commerce. He served 2 terms as member of board of estimates of the city of Detroit. He was also a sales agent for coal mining companies. He was active for a number of years in advocating good roads and also in furthering the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence waterway project Member of Corinthian the Masons; and a member of several clubs and of the Board of Commerce.
Notable Facts:
He was the author of the uniform traffic law of 1923 and of laws to protect investors. In 1926 he introduced the bill creating a commission to revise the criminal procedure laws and took part in the drafting of the Code of Criminal Court Procedure, passed by the 1927 legislature. Died of appendicitis and peritonitis.
Sessions Served:
Committees Served On: Aeronautics, Boys' Vocational School, Conservation, Public Utilities
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Township of Gratiot, Grosse Point, and Detroit city
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Departed
Notes: Chair of the Committees on Aeronautics; and Boys' Vocational School
Committees Served On: Aeronautics, Boys' Vocational School, Conservation, Geological Survey , Military Affairs
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Township of Gratiot, Gross Point, and Detroit City
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Chair of Military Affairs;
Committees Served On: Aeronautics, City Corporations , Rules and Joint Rules , Western State Normal School
Postions Held: Speaker Pro Tempore
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Chair of the Committee on Western State Normal School
Committees Served On: Ways and Means
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: Ways and Means
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: City Corporations , Liquor Traffic , State Industrial Home for Girls , Traverse City State Hospital
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Detroit city
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Bibliography:
Manual 1929 p.703; Manual 1931 p.673-74; Manual 1927 p.657; Manual 1925 p.611-12; Manual 1923 p.749; HJ 1932 p.13, HR6; Michiganology; MIMarRec 1867-1952; USCen 1900, 1920; MIDivRec 1897-1952
