Palmyra in Wayne County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Founders of Palmyra

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, August 23, 2025

1. The Founders of Palmyra Marker

Inscription.

The Founders of Palmyra. . General John Swift U.S. Army - Founder of Palmyra, New York (1761 - 1814). He joined the Revolutionary Army at 15 and fought for American freedom. He left the service as a Captain. In 1783 he and surveyor John Jenkins came to Genesee Country, later renamed Palmyra, in Upstate Ndw York. He built the first salary business and led the first town meeting as supervisor, a Brigadier General in the War of 18 12, Swift died of gunshot wound in 1814. His body was brought to the Swift Cemetery at the end of the war, in 1923, American Legion Post 120 installed a monument in his honor. , Joseph Smith, Jr. Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (1805 - 1844). . As a young man he lived on Stanford Road with his family. . It is believed that the Angel Moroni appeared to him telling him about the golden plates buried on Hill Cumorah. . His transitions and transcriptions of the plates became the Book of Mormon, printed in 1830 in Palmyra by E.B. Grandin. . Hill Cumorah is the site of the largest outdoor theater performance in America. Each July the founding and history of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints is celebrated with a pageant for thousands of followers and visitors. , Olin J. Garlock Founder of “Garlock Packing Company”. . The Garlock Packing Company, now Garlock Sealing Technologies, remains the largest packing company in the world, was founded in 1884. . It was incorporated by n 1905 as a stock company with capital stock of $1,000,000.00. . The building at the corner of Clinton and East Main Streets was his home and for many years a restaurant called the Garlock House. , Henry Wells Co - Founder of Wells Fargo. . Originally from Fayette, he apprenticed to Joseph and Palmer, Canners and shoemakers in Palmyra where he met and married Sarah Daggett. . In 1936 he became a freight agent on the Erie Canal and soon started his own business. . In 1941; with George Pomeroy and Crawford Livingston, he formed Pomeroy and Company which competed successfully with the U.S. Postal Service. A series of expansions and mergers followed which resulted in the creation of the Wells Fargo Company and American Express. . In 1868, Wells founded Wells College in Aurora, N.Y. It was one of the first women’s colleges in the U.S. , William T. Sampson Rear Admiral U.S. Navy (1840 - 1902). . He was born in Palmyra in 1840 in a house still standing on the corner of Vienna and Johnston Streets. . Appointed to the Naval Academy in 1857, Sampson graduated at the head of his class, where his assignment was the destruction of mines. . In 1888 he was appointed head of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. . President McKinley raised him to the rank of Rear Admiral and in 1894, President Cleveland made him Commander of the entire Battle Squadron. He was hailed a hero in the Spanish - American War after victory at Santiago, Cuba, on July 3, 1898. . The ‘Sampson Gun’, taken from the Spanish vessel destroyed at the Battle of Santiago, stands in honor of Admiral Sampson. , Leonard Jerome - Clarissa Hall Jerome. . Married in Western Presbyterian Church in April 1849, Palmyra, N.Y. . Their home was and still is on the south side of Canal Street. . Their daughter, Jenny Jerome, married Lord Randolph Churchill and was the mother of Sir Winston Churchill. . The great - grandparents of Winston Churchill, Ambrose Hall and Clarissa Wilcox Hall are buried in the Palmyra Village Cemetery. His great-great-grandparents, David and Anna Wilcox, are buried in Macedon.

General John Swift
U.S. Army - Founder of Palmyra, New York
(1761 - 1814)
He joined the Revolutionary Army at 15 and fought for American freedom. He left the service as a Captain. In 1783 he and surveyor John Jenkins came to Genesee Country, later renamed Palmyra, in Upstate Ndw York. He built the first salary business and led the first town meeting as supervisor, a Brigadier General in the War of 1812, Swift died of gunshot wound in 1814. His body was brought to the Swift Cemetery at the end of the war, in 1923, American Legion Post 120 installed a monument in his honor.

Joseph Smith, Jr.
Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints
(1805 - 1844)
• As a young man he lived on Stanford Road with his family.
• It is believed that the Angel Moroni appeared to him telling him about the golden plates buried on Hill Cumorah.
• His transitions and transcriptions of the plates became the Book of Mormon, printed in 1830 in Palmyra by E.B. Grandin.
• Hill Cumorah is the site of the largest outdoor theater performance in America. Each July the founding and history of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints is celebrated with a pageant for thousands of followers and visitors.

Olin J. Garlock
Founder

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of “Garlock Packing Company”
• The Garlock Packing Company, now Garlock Sealing Technologies, remains the largest packing company in the world, was founded in 1884.
• It was incorporated by n 1905 as a stock company with capital stock of $1,000,000.00.
• The building at the corner of Clinton and East Main Streets was his home and for many years a restaurant called the Garlock House.

Henry Wells
Co - Founder of Wells Fargo
• Originally from Fayette, he apprenticed to Joseph & Palmer, Canners and shoemakers in Palmyra where he met and married Sarah Daggett.
• In 1936 he became a freight agent on the Erie Canal and soon started his own business.
• In 1941; with George Pomeroy and Crawford Livingston, he formed Pomeroy & Company which competed successfully with the U.S. Postal Service.
A series of expansions and mergers followed which resulted in the creation of the Wells Fargo Company and American Express.
• In 1868, Wells founded Wells College in Aurora, N.Y. It was one of the first women’s colleges in the U.S.

William T. Sampson
Rear Admiral U.S. Navy
(1840 - 1902)
• He was born in Palmyra in 1840 in a house still standing on the corner of Vienna and Johnston Streets.
• Appointed to the Naval Academy in 1857, Sampson graduated at the

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, August 23, 2025

2. The Founders of Palmyra Marker

head of his class, where his assignment was the destruction of mines.
• In 1888 he was appointed head of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.
• President McKinley raised him to the rank of Rear Admiral and in 1894, President Cleveland made him Commander of the entire Battle Squadron. He was hailed a hero in the Spanish - American War after victory at Santiago, Cuba, on July 3, 1898.
• The ‘Sampson Gun’, taken from the Spanish vessel destroyed at the Battle of Santiago, stands in honor of Admiral Sampson.

Leonard Jerome - Clarissa Hall Jerome
• Married in Western Presbyterian Church in April 1849, Palmyra, N.Y.
• Their home was and still is on the south side of Canal Street.
• Their daughter, Jenny Jerome, married Lord Randolph Churchill and was the mother of Sir Winston Churchill.
• The great - grandparents of Winston Churchill, Ambrose Hall and Clarissa Wilcox Hall are buried in the Palmyra Village Cemetery. His great-great-grandparents, David and Anna Wilcox, are buried in Macedon.

Erected by Bonnie Hayes, Executive Director of Historic Palmyra.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce • Patriots & Patriotism • Religion & Religious Structures • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1783.

Location.

The Founders of Palmyra Marker on the Backside image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, August 23, 2025

3. The Founders of Palmyra Marker on the Backside

43° 3.912′ N, 77° 13.775′ W. Marker is in Palmyra, New York, in Wayne County. It is at the intersection of Canal Street and Market Street, on the left when traveling west on Canal Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 302 Canal Street, Palmyra NY 14522, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York,

specifically in Western New York,

in the Finger Lakes,

and in the Rochester Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast,

on the Great Lakes,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Palmyra - Macedon Vietnam Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Market Street Historic District (within shouting distance of this marker); Palmyra - Macedon Lions Club War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Grandin Print Shop (about 600 feet away); Memorial (about 600 feet away); Dr. Harriet Adams (about 700 feet away); 161 East Main Street (about 800 feet away); Pliny T. Sexton (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Palmyra.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Palmyra in History (was about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been confirmed missing).

The Founders of Palmyra Marker on the Other Panel of the Kiosk image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, August 23, 2025

4. The Founders of Palmyra Marker on the Other Panel of the Kiosk

Credits. This page was last revised on August 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 26, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. This page has been viewed 130 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 26, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.