Palmer, Luke, Sr., was born in Stonington, Conn., October 18, 1808, and is the descendant of Walter Palmer, who came from England in 1629. At the age of 14 he was left fatherless. He went to school until his 19th year, learned the carpenter trade, and in his 25th year went to New Orleans to work at his trade. He shipped a stock of goods to cover expenses, found it paid and shipped more goods. He remained four years, found the climate unhealthy, and in 1837 determined to move. The bank asked 24 per cent exchange for a New York draft, which he declined to pay, so he bought sugar and shipped it to New York at a profit. Mr. Palmer then spent several months, in 1838, traveling about in the Mississippi valley. He finally bought a stock of goods in St. Louis, and, on January 15, 1839, shipped it up the Mississippi, the river being then open, though closed in the previous November. At Quincy, ice stopped the boats, and teams were hired and the stock brought to Burlington, crossing from Illinois on the ice at considerable risk on January 23, 1839, the legislature being then in session. He opened a general store in Burlington, and remained in business about twelve years.

On January 8, 1851, he married Miss Mary E. Holbrook, a lady who was reared in Connecticut, educated in Hartford and taught school in Connecticut, and, afterwards, a private school in Burlington, Iowa. The union was a happy one until the death of Mrs. Palmer, October 19, 1888, nearly thirty-eight years after the marriage. There were two children, Luke, Jr., a sketch of whose life is subjoined, and Sarah M., who married John S. Cameron, a civil engineer, afterwards secretary of the railroad commission of Iowa, then assistant to general manager of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway company, later with the Union Pacific railroad, and finally proprietor of an electric railway in Salt Lake city, Utah. Mrs. Cameron died February 24, 1881, leaving two sons, now in Yale, and a daughter, now with her uncle, Luke Palmer, Jr., at Burlington, Iowa.

In 1850 Mr. Palmer closed out his stock of merchandise and turned his attention to the improvement of the real estate which he had accumulated. In 1872 he undertook the erection of an opera house in Burlington, which, when near completion, he lost by fire, June 19, 1873. This was Burlington's largest fire, covering several squares and destroying the county court house and part of the county records. Mr. Palmer cleared away the debris and rebuilt.

Mr. Palmer was elected to the territorial legislature in 1845, but never took his seat, because the territory was admitted as a state pending the meeting of the legislature. He served in the city council as alderman repeatedly, between 1842 and 1861; served upon the board of trustees of the asylum for Insane at Mr. Pleasant for fourteen years, from 1862 to 1875 inclusive, and was president of the board for the last four years of the period; served as a school director in Burlington, and was president of the board several years. He subscribed to the stock of all the plank roads and all the railroads built into or out of Burlington. He contributed to the building of the First Congregational church in Burlington, as well as to the present edifice, and gave much of his time, for three years, to the supervision of the work of building. He was for many years president of the board of trustees of this church.

Mr. Palmer was always a toiler, hard-working with hands, as well as with brains, at whatever he undertook, and he followed this practice after he became an octogenarian. He had a remarkably robust frame and great vigor and physical energy, as well as great power of endurance. His chief interests centered in his family. At an early period in his married life he built a fine residence, which he occupied until his death. On June 15, 1892, he was stricken with apoplexy. He lingered nearly three years and died suddenly of a second stroke April 22, 1895, in his 87th year. He is buried in Aspen Grove cemetery.