attractive features. Mr. Hardin belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias lodges, all of Vancouver. He is interested in affairs of moment to the city and his public spirit is manifest in many ways, including his service as a member of the city council, to which he was elected on the republican ticket in November, 1909. Whatever tends to benefit Vancouver and promote its upbuilding receives his endorsement and sup- port. He is. yet a young man, having just passed the thirtieth milestone on life's journey and the position to which he has already attained in business circles in- dicates the progress that is yet before him. He is now at the head of an ex- tensive manufacturing and contracting business — a field of limitless opportunity in which his further advancement is assured.
ALMOND CHESTER PALMER.
Almond Chester Palmer, a splendid representative of the progressive elements in the citizenship of Portland, he has been accorded a liberal clientage in his practice before the courts, particularly in the field of his specialty which covers real-estate law and land claims, was born in Portage county, Wisconsin, Feb- ruary I, 1855. His parents were Hiram and Sophia Palmer, the former a mill- wright and mechanic, who gave four years of his life to service in the Civil war, acting as sergeant of the Eighth Wisconsin Battery. The mother was a daughter of William G. Lyman, who was born in Massachusetts and was a close rela- tive of the Lyman Beecher family.
In his youthful days Almond Chester Palmer went with his parents from Portage to Wood county, Wisconsin, where he pursued his education in the public and high schools, being graduated in 1874, He afterward engaged in teaching school and with a desire to become a representative of the legal profession, he took up the study of law, to which he devoted two years in the office of State Senator C. W. Webb and Jerry D. Witter. At the end of that time he suc- cessfully passed the required examinations but could not be admitted to practice before the courts, owing to the fact that he has not yet reached the age of twenty- one years. In 1876 he removed to Pawnee county, Nebraska, where he engaged in teaching and also filled a position in the office of the county clerk. He studied law for six months with Representative Babcock, of Pawnee City, and from life's contacts and experiences was learning lessons which have been a source of benefit to him since he entered actively upon the practice of law on the coast.
It was while a resident of Nebraska that Mr. Palmer was married in 1877 to Miss Hattie O. Gile, and after residing for two years in that state they re- moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1879. There Mr. Palmer engaged in merchan- dising, mining and contracting and met with good success, but owing to the state of his health came to Oregon in March, 1882. He first took up his abode in Mitchell, now in Wheeler county, where he engaged in teaching, his ability in imparting knowledge to others being manifest in the excellent results which he obtained in the work in the schoolroom. He became deeply interested in the questions which were then engaging public attention and which had important bearing upon the welfare of the community, and in 1884 was elected on the repub- lican anti-vigilantis ticket to the office of county clerk of Crook county, although at that time the county had an overwhelming democratic majority. His position in opposition to a policy which had been greatly abused led to his selection for the office. During his term the vigilanti troubles were settled and, the democratic power resuming sway, he was defeated when a candidate for reelection. In 1886, therefore, he turned his attention to business lines, engaging in general merchandising and in stock-raising. He had established his business upon a successful basis when the unusually severe winter of 1887-88 caused heavy
