PALMER, Courtlandt, merchant, born in Stoning-ton, Connecticut, 11 November, 1800; died in New York city, 10 May, 1874. He received a common-school education, and in early boyhood came to New York city, where he entered the hardware business, and soon gained a large fortune. The financial crisis of 1837 was disastrous to his firm, but he invested the little capital that remained in real estate, which so increased in value that at the time of his death he was included among the rich men of the city. Mr. Palmer was for several years president of the Providence and Stonington railroad, one of the founders of the Safe deposit company of New York, and a director in several business corporations.--His son, Courtlandt, born in New York city, 25 March, 1843, was educated at Columbia and Williams, and graduated at the Columbia law-school in 1869. Mr. Palmer has taken much interest in the development of technical education, and has been an advocate of liberal ideas. In 1880 he established and became president of the Nineteenth century club of New York, an organization that meets periodically during the winter months, when leaders of art, literature, and social science are invited to speak, and their remarks are followed by open discussion, in which the utmost freedom of courteous speech is permitted. Mr. Palmer has made frequent addresses, and has contributed to the literature of free thought.