Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - Thomas Haig Palmer


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features Thomas Haig Palmer and two of his descendants down to the third generation.


First Generation
1. Thomas Haig Palmer,1 born 27 December 1782 in Kelso, Scotland (parents not determined);1 died 20 July 1861 in Pittsford, Rutland County, Vermont.1 Thomas married, 8 July 1822 in Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont, Johanna P. Fenton2 (born 25 September 1800 in Georgia, Franklin County, Vermont, parents not determined;1 Johanna died 14 May 1872 in Boston, Massachusetts1).

Child of Thomas Haig Palmer and Johanna P. Fenton:

+2i. Charles Edwin Palmer, born 21 August 1842 in Pittsford, Rutland County, Vermont; died 24 January 1906 in River Forest, Cook County, Illinois. Married Ellen Adelaide Gazlay.

  1. wikitree. Entries for Charles Edwin Palmer, wife Ellen Adelaide Gazeley [sic, Gazlay], and son Charlie Palmer. Orphaned profiles, probably entered by Robert Palmer, a direct descendant of Charles’ brother George Henry Palmer. The profiles include vital and biographical details, plus several sources, so reliability of the information is considered good-excellent.
  2. Vermont Marriages, 1791-1974; Thomas H. Palmer and Johanna P. Fenton, 8 July 1822 in Rutland, Rutland [County], Vermont.
Second and Third Generations
2. Charles Edwin Palmer2 (Thomas1), born 21 August 1842 in Pittsford, Rutland County, Vermont;1, 2, 3 died 24 January 1906 in River Forest, Cook County, Illinois.4 Charles married, 8 September 1864 in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, Ellen Adelaide Gazlay1, 2, 3, 9 (born 10 January 1844 in Norwich, Chenango County, New York, the daughter of Orville F. Gazlay and Mary Elizabeth VanCise;1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 Ellen died 15 August 1919 in Gallup, McKinley County, New Mexico3). Charles and Ellen are buried in Forest Home Cemetery, Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois.3, 4

Charles and his wife Ellen lived in Rutland County, Vermont, early in their marriage, and moved in the early 1880s to Chicago, Illinois. They were in the catering business, and Charles managed the tearoom at Marshall Field’s department store in Chicago up to 1906 when Charles died, the same week as Marshall Field. Marshall Fields developed the concept of a department store tea room. In the 1800s, it was considered improper for a lady to have lunch in a downtown restaurant while being unescorted by a gentleman. In 1890, when a Marshall Fields store clerk, Sarah Hering (or Herring) offered a chicken pot pie with a shopper, Fields store manager Harry Gordan Selfridge came up with the idea of opening a department store tea room so women could luncheon downtown during their shopping trips and avoid having to return home just for lunch. It is unclear which tea room Charles Palmer managed, but it may have been the original South Tea Room. It was certainly not the renowned Walnut Room, since that opened in 1907, the year after Charles’ death.3, 10

Ellen (known as Adelaide) moved to Benzonia, Michigan, after her husband Charles’ death, and she operated a small orchard there. On the return trip from Pacific Beach, California, where she had sought medical improvement, she was traveling by train with her sister Rena G. Judson. Ellen became ill during the trip, which took them across the Mojave Desert during the daytime, and she died from exhaustion in Gallup, New Mexico.3


Child of Charles Edwin Palmer and Ellen Adelaide Gazlay:

 3i. Charlie Palmer, born ca. 1869;3 died ca. 1869.3 Charlie is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Pittsford, Rutland County, Vermont.3

  1. U.S. Federal Census, 1880, Vermont, Rutland County, Rutland Village, Enumeration District 188, Page No. 15B; borders (among others) in the family of Francis P. and Martin G. Everts: Chas. E. Palmer (37, Vermont, merchant-clothing); wife Ellen A. Palmer (35, New York); wife’s sister Rena C. Gazlay (22, New York); mother in law Eliza Gazlay (65, New York).
  2. U.S. Federal Census, 1900, Illinois, Cook County, Proviso Township, River Forest Village, Enumeration District 1182, Sheet No. 8A; family of Chas E. Palmer (55, Vermont, 1844, caterer); wife of 36 years Ellen A. Palmer (55, New York, 1844, 1 child, none living); m-in-law M. Gazley (83, New York, Nov 1816, widow, 4 children, 3 living); step sister [sic, actually sister-in-law] Hattie A. Miller (68, New York, July 1841, widow, no children); step sister [sic, actually sister-in-law] Mrs. Stimpson (39, New York, Oct 1858, no children); b-in-law, married 7 years, Chas. L. Stimpson (62, Massachusetts, Mar 1838, salesman); plus four servants.
  3. wikitree. Entries for Charles Edwin Palmer, wife Ellen Adelaide Gazeley [sic, Gazlay], and son Charlie Palmer. Orphaned profiles, probably entered by Robert Palmer, a direct descendant of Charles’ brother George Henry Palmer. The profiles include vital and biographical details, plus several sources, so reliability of the information is considered good-excellent.
  4. Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1922; Palmer, Charles Edwin, died 24 January 1906 in River Forest, Cook [County], Illinois, age 63; birthplace: Pittsford, Mass. [sic, Pittsford is in Vermont]; occupation: private catering; burial: Forest Home Cemetery.
  5. Last Will and Testament, David M. Gazlay, will written September 8, 1876. Summary of will provided by Adine Wakefield in a posting at genforum.genealogy.com. The will names the following individuals: widow Angeline E. Gazlay; brother Henry M. Gazlay, Putnam CT; A. M. Gazlay, Louisville, KY; sister Sally Warner, Woodstock, NY; brother Charles M. Gazlay, Jefferson County, KY; brother Albert S. Gazlay; deceased brother Oroville Gazlay; Renu (sp?) C. Gazlay, daughter of Oroville Gazlay; Ellen A. Palmer (formerly Ellen A. Gazlay), daughter of Oroville Gazlay, lived in Ruttum (?) Vermont; Abbie (Abby) A. Miller (formerly Abbie A. Gazlay), daughter of Oroville Gazlay, lived in State of Florida, San Mateso. [Note: the family members in this Will match nearly exactly the composition of children of Aaron and Abigail Gazlay named in at least one other record, so this David M. Gazlay is strongly believed to be their eldest son.]
  6. U.S. Federal Census, 1850, New York, Chenango County, Town of Guilford, family of Orville Gazlay (age 35), Mary E. (age 35), Abigail A. (age 11), Delos M. (age 9), and Ellen (age 6).
  7. U.S. Federal Census, 1860, New York, Chenango County, Smyrna, Page 112, family of Orvill (age 43) and Mary Gazley (age 42), daughter Abbie (age 21), son Delos (age 18), and daughter Ellen (age 16).
  8. U.S. Federal Census, 1910, Michigan, Benzie County, Benzonia Village, Enumeration District 2, Sheet No. 17A; family of Ellen A. Palmer (65, New York, widow, farmer, fruit farm, 1 child, none living); sister Abbie A. Miller (69, New York, widow, no children); sister Rena G. Stinson (49, New York, widow, no children).
  9. Iowa County Marriages, 1838-1934; Charles E. Palmer and Ellen A. Gasley, married on 8 September 1864 in Polk County, Iowa.
  10. Marshall Field’s Food and Fashion, by Joan Greene. Published by Pomegranate Communications, Inc., Petaluma, California, 2005.