Robert John Palmer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives | |
| In office 1876–1878 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 18, 1849 South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | May 12, 1928 (aged 79) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Randolph Cemetery |
| Spouse | Julia Simons |
| Relatives | Dave Chappelle (great-great-grandson) |
Robert John Palmer (born January 18, 1849 – May 12, 1928) (there are multiple reported birth and death dates all within the same month)[1] was a tailor and politician born into slavery in South Carolina.[2] Palmer was a state representative from 1876 to 1878 and had a tailor shop opposite the post office on Main Street in Columbia, South Carolina.[3][4]
He had a daughter, Rosina C. Palmer, with Julia Simons in Columbia in the 1870s.[5] He subsequently married Adelaide Perry and had eight children.[3] After Adelaide died he married Leila P. Bruce January 12, 1913.[5]
He is the great-great-grandfather of stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle.[6]
He is buried in Randolph Cemetery along with eight other Reconstruction Era legislators.[7]
- ^ "Robert John Palmer (1849-1928) - Find A Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
- ^ Bryant, Lawrence Chesterfield (June 1, 1967). "Negro Legislators in South Carolina 1868-1902". School of Graduate Studies, South Carolina State College – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Deas-Moore, Vennie (September 18, 2012). Columbia, South Carolina. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781439610909 – via Google Books.
- ^ vitabrevis.americanancestors.org
- ^ a b "South Carolina leaders". July 2020.
- ^ Child, Christopher Challender, "South Carolina leaders". July 1, 2020.
- ^ National register of Historic Places - Randolph Cemetery. 12 Dec 1994. Retrieved 31 May 2020.