The Empire State was Mr. Palmer's native home, his birth having occurred September 3, 1820, at Lowville, Lewis County, N.Y. His parents were Ephraim and Hannah (Phelps) Palmer, natives of New York, and there they spent all their days. Ephraim Palmer came of a long and honored line of English ancestry, his forbears being of the Quaker faith, and he lived a well-rounded out life, reaching the age of eighty-eight years; the mother passed away in early womanhood, when Noah was but seven years of age. An older sister lived in Jefferson County, N.Y., and there Noah went to live after his mother's death. He remained there until he was eighteen years old, receiving a good education in the local schools of the vicinity. He then began life on his won account as a school teacher, continuing in this profession for ten years, first in New York, until 1840, when he went to Indiana. In 1849, when the news of the discovery of gold in California went like wildfire over the country, even to the backwoods hamlets, Noah Palmer, like thousands of other young men, was fired with an ambition to seek his fortune in this new Eldorado. Joining the Isaac Owen missionary train he set out on the long journey, and for six long, weary months they slowly wended their way across the plains and desert, a journey that was fraught not alone with hardship but with many dangers. The hard work of mining, at Hangtown, now Placerville, however, proved too much for Mr. Palmer, so he went to San Jose and began farming, later removing to Santa Clara, where he continued ranching for many years. In 1852 he returned East and with his wife and little daughter started back to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, making the rough trip across the Isthmus on mule back, there being no railroad in those early days. The family established their home in Santa Clara County, and for a number of years Mr. Palmer was quite active in political life, being a leader in Republican circles. For four years he served as tax collector of Santa Clara County, and represented his district in the state legislature for one term.
In August, 1873, Mr. Palmer came to Santa Ana, then only a small hamlet. There was little to attract one at that time, as there had been but little improvement of the surrounding country, and this offered but scant promise of the possibilities that eventually were unfolded. With that keen foresight that was ever a dominating characteristic, Mr. Palmer felt that success awaited the pioneer here who had patience and perseverance, coupled with energy. He returned to Santa Clara, and on December 1, of that same year, he closed a deal for 1765 acres, comprising a part of the old Santiago de Santa Ana grant, originally a tract of 62,000 acres. On his return to this locality he was accompanied by a number of his friends in Santa Clara, and to them he disposed of 1065 acres, giving them their choice of location. He retained 700 acres, and this he put under cultivation and produced some of the best crops ever seen in this section. This land was all within the corporate limits of Santa Ana, now all subdivided into town lots except forty-five acres. His friends built on their various properties, and also farmed with success for years.
In 1882 Mr. Palmer began his active interest in the banking field, for which his abilities especially fitted him. With W. S. Bartlett, Daniel Halladay and others he organized the Commercial Bank of Santa Ana, with Mr. Halladay the first president. After a very few years Mr. Palmer succeeded to that office, and held it until April 23, 1910, when he retired. He was one of the organizers of the Bank of Orange and served as its president until the bank was sold. He was also a director of the Bank of Tustin and of the Orange County Savings Bank--now the Orange County Trust and Savings Bank. He was active in the promotion of the Santa Ana, Orange and Tustin Railway and was the first president of the company. In each of these developments he was enabled to further the material progress of the county by stabilizing the financial foundation of the locality through his wise oversight, and by aiding those who were in need of capital to carry on the agricultural and horticultural development that has brought undreamed-of wealth to the county.
While a school teacher in Franklin County, Ind., Mr. Palmer was married in March, 1843, to Miss Susan Evans, born January 28, 1824, in that county. She passed away on October 28, 1903, after a wedded life of over sixty years, in which there had been more than the usual share of eventful interest. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, two of whom are living: Emma Palmer, Mrs. George J. Mosbaugh, who is the mother of a son by a former marriage--H. Percy Thelan of Santa Ana; and Miss Lottie E. Palmer. Mrs. Almira A. Hewitt, the eldest daughter, died in March, 1912, leaving three children, Fred P., William I., and a daughter, Mrs. Susy Deuel. Mrs. Mosbaugh and Miss Lottie E. Palmer are residents of Santa Ana, and through their loving ministrations the latter years of Mr. Palmer's well-spent life were surrounded with every care and comfort.
