Santiago R. Palmer

Santiago R. Palmer
Santiago R. Palmer
Mayor of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
	In office; August 11, 1898 – December 11, 1898
Preceded by	Eliseo Font y Guillot
Succeeded by	Diego García St. Laurent
Member of the House of Delegates from the Humacao district
	In office; January 12, 1903 – January 9, 1905
Member of the House of Delegates from the Arecibo district
	In office; January 9, 1905 – March 31, 1906; (died in office)
Personal details
Born	Santiago Rosendo Palmer Irizarry; February 25, 1844; San Germán, Puerto Rico
Died	March 31, 1906 (aged 62); San Juan, Puerto Rico
Political party	Union Party
Spouse	Catalina Augusta Romaguera Ávila
Parent(s)	Gaspar Palmer; Juana Antonia Irizarry
Occupation	politician, journalist

Santiago Rosendo Palmer Irizarry (February 25, 1844 – March 31, 1906) was a prominent Puerto Rican writer and politician.

Biography

He was born in San Germán, Puerto Rico. He attended his school years in the classrooms of his hometown and later at the Royal Academy of Good Letters. He worked as a clerk (escribano) in the notaries of San Germán, Coamo and Mayagüez, and later in 1882 was appointed as formal Public Notary in Añasco and San Juan.^[1]

A supporter of autonomy for Puerto Rico, Santiago R. Palmer contributed to the foundation of the Liberal Reform Party in 1870. He was victim of persecution by the Spanish government authorities, being imprisoned in 1887 with Baldorioty and other Autonomistas.^[2]

During the short period of autonomy that Puerto Rico enjoyed between March and July 1898, he was a Representative to the Insular Chamber for Mayagüez.

After the American invasion of Puerto Rico Santiago R. Palmer is elected mayor of Mayagüez and in that position he created a new municipal police force.^[3] During the American military government he belonged to the "Advisory Board" of General George Davis. He was vice president and later president of the newly created Federal Party and also later helped to found the successor Union Party of Puerto Rico. From 1903 he was a Representative to the House of Delegates until his death in San Juan on March 31, 1906. He was buried at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery.^[4]^[5]

Freemasonry

Santiago R. Palmer helped founding the first official national lodge of Puerto Rico: the Logia Adelphia in Mayagüez on September 20, 1885. Also he was one of the first and most prominent members of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Puerto Rico, of which he was the first Grand Master.^[6]

Recognitions

Monuments

The San Germán Convention Center wears its name.^[7]
The Main Public Square of Caguas, Puerto Rico also bears his name.^[8]
A street in Downtown Mayagüez from former Eugenio María de Hostos High School building eastward to Oriente Street.

Schools

A public High School and a segunda unidad (elementary school) in Camuy, Puerto Rico^[9]^[10]
A former elementary public school in Salinas, Puerto Rico (now closed).^[11]^[12]^[13]
Another former elementary public school in Las Marías, Puerto Rico (now closed) ^[14]

References

M.R.H. SANTIAGO R. PALMER Fundadador de la Gran Logia Soberana de Puerto Rico at Minervas Magazine (in Spanish). Published September 25, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
LA CÁMARA DE DELEGADOS COMO INSTRUMENTO DE DESCOLONIZACIÓN: 1900-1917 by Carmelo Delgado Cintrón at Academia Puertorriqueña de Jurisprudencia y Legislación (in Spanish)

^ ¿Quién fue Santiago R. Palmer? by Miguel A. Pereira Rivera at "80 Grados" (in Spanish) Retrieved November 15, 2021.
^ ¿Quién fue Santiago R. Palmer? by Miguel A. Pereira Rivera at "El Nuevo Día". (in Spanish). Published February 25, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
^ Santiago R. Palmer: Alcalde de Mayagüez en 1898 by Luís E. Santiago Ramos at "Mayagüez sabe a mangó" ("On August 11, 1898, [...] at nine o'clock in the morning, the rest of the army made up of Captain Alexander Macomb, General Schwan with his General Staff, and the artillery and cavalry units entered the city. [...] The historian Martin Gaudier describes what happened by saying: "That day and with Brigadier General Theo Schwan in the power of the Municipality, he let the crowd gathered there in front of the Mayor's Office know that they should select by acclamation the citizen they wanted for Mayor; that he, Schwan, was going to name the candidates who had submitted it to him, and that through applause from those present he would express himself to the preferred one. Indeed, and through his interpreter, I first mention the name of Don Pascasio Fajardo Cardona; then he mentioned the names of Don Diego García St. Laurent, Don Mariano Riera Palmer and others. Each name received a corresponding round of applause and cheers. Lastly, he mentioned the person who had handed over the Municipal Government to him, the eminent and much loved physician Dr. Eliseo Font y Guillot. The crowd gathered there overflowed with cheers, shouts and thunderous applause for Dr. Font and Guillot." [...] General Schwan proceeded to proclaim Font and Guillot mayor of Mayagüez. Hours later, the newly elected mayor resigned from his position, alleging that his multiple duties as a doctor prevented him from exercising his functions as mayor. [...] Santiago R. Palmer, a 54-year-old notary, autonomist and Freemason, was selected in a second attempt to obtain a new mayor. [...] Palmer would be an attractive figure to serve as his mayor. An efficient administrator if we consider that he was the founder of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico that required a great organizational effort and the persecution of the Spanish authorities, in addition to having served as secretary and notary of some towns.") (in Spanish) Retrieved November 15, 2021
^ La Villa de San Germán
^ LA PARTIDA AL ORIENTE ETERNO DEL M.R.H. SANTIAGO R. PALMER by Luis E. Santiago Ramos ("On March 31, 1906, the Most Respectable Grand Master of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico, Santiago R. Palmer left for the Eternal East (he died) just twenty-four hours after his sixth election as the maximum leader of the Masonic Order. That day, being at his residence with his family on #23 Allen Street (today: Fortaleza Street), he began to feel dizzy and was taken to his room. One of his sons was told to go and seek help, which the young man agreed to. He proceeded to go to the balcony of the apartment, coinciding at that time with the passing of Brother José Celso Barbosa, who proceeded to go up to the aid of the Grand Master. Barbosa was joined by Doctors Muñoz and Del Valle. Br. Luis Muñoz Rivera, who had his printing press near the place, was called. At around 11:45 p.m. he was declared dead.") (in Spanish) Retrieved November 21, 2021.
^ LA MASONERÍA EN PUERTO RICO EnciclopediaPR, Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades. ("The first great Puerto Rican lodge to be established on the island was The Sovereign Grand Lodge. It was founded on September 20, 1885 in Mayagüez under the leadership of Santiago R. Palmer, an autonomist leader persecuted and imprisoned by the Spanish government because of his ideals. This does not mean that there were no lodges in Puerto Rico until then, but that those that did exist belonged to foreign obediences." Note: Those foreign obediences are Spanish, Cuban and British lodges.) (in Spanish) Retrieved November 21, 2021.
^ Centro de Convenciones Santiago R. Palmer (San Germán)
^ Ventana a la Historia: Plaza Palmer de Caguas
^ Para designar la Escuela Superior Santiago R. Palmer del Barrio Quebrada del Municipio de Camuy como “Escuela Superior Miguel F. Santiago Echegaray”
^ Escuela Segunda Unidad Santiago R. Palmer K-8, Camuy, PR
^ Escuela Santiago R Palmer, Escuela Publica Nivel Escolar Elemental en Puerto Rico. Calle Santiago R Palmer, Salinas, PR
^ Escuela Santiago R. Palmer, Salinas, PR
^ Northern Research and Training Institute, Centro de Extensión Salinas, Calle Santiago R. Palmer #9 (Antigua Escuela Santiago R. Palmer), Salinas PR
^ Centro de Servicios al Ciudadano, Calle Palmer, Antigua Escuela Palmer. Las Marías, PR

Bibliography

Reynal, V. (1992) "Diccionario de hombres ilustres de Puerto Rico y de hechos históricos", Editorial Edil, Río Piedras, PR.(in Spanish)

[1] ¿Quién fue Santiago R. Palmer? by Miguel A. Pereira Rivera at "80 Grados" (in Spanish) Retrieved November 15, 2021.

[2] ¿Quién fue Santiago R. Palmer? by Miguel A. Pereira Rivera at "El Nuevo Día". (in Spanish). Published February 25, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2021.

[3] Santiago R. Palmer: Alcalde de Mayagüez en 1898 by Luís E. Santiago Ramos at "Mayagüez sabe a mangó" ("On August 11, 1898, [...] at nine o'clock in the morning, the rest of the army made up of Captain Alexander Macomb, General Schwan with his General Staff, and the artillery and cavalry units entered the city. [...] The historian Martin Gaudier describes what happened by saying: "That day and with Brigadier General Theo Schwan in the power of the Municipality, he let the crowd gathered there in front of the Mayor's Office know that they should select by acclamation the citizen they wanted for Mayor; that he, Schwan, was going to name the candidates who had submitted it to him, and that through applause from those present he would express himself to the preferred one. Indeed, and through his interpreter, I first mention the name of Don Pascasio Fajardo Cardona; then he mentioned the names of Don Diego García St. Laurent, Don Mariano Riera Palmer and others. Each name received a corresponding round of applause and cheers. Lastly, he mentioned the person who had handed over the Municipal Government to him, the eminent and much loved physician Dr. Eliseo Font y Guillot. The crowd gathered there overflowed with cheers, shouts and thunderous applause for Dr. Font and Guillot." [...] General Schwan proceeded to proclaim Font and Guillot mayor of Mayagüez. Hours later, the newly elected mayor resigned from his position, alleging that his multiple duties as a doctor prevented him from exercising his functions as mayor. [...] Santiago R. Palmer, a 54-year-old notary, autonomist and Freemason, was selected in a second attempt to obtain a new mayor. [...] Palmer would be an attractive figure to serve as his mayor. An efficient administrator if we consider that he was the founder of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico that required a great organizational effort and the persecution of the Spanish authorities, in addition to having served as secretary and notary of some towns.") (in Spanish) Retrieved November 15, 2021

[4] La Villa de San Germán

[5] LA PARTIDA AL ORIENTE ETERNO DEL M.R.H. SANTIAGO R. PALMER by Luis E. Santiago Ramos ("On March 31, 1906, the Most Respectable Grand Master of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico, Santiago R. Palmer left for the Eternal East (he died) just twenty-four hours after his sixth election as the maximum leader of the Masonic Order. That day, being at his residence with his family on #23 Allen Street (today: Fortaleza Street), he began to feel dizzy and was taken to his room. One of his sons was told to go and seek help, which the young man agreed to. He proceeded to go to the balcony of the apartment, coinciding at that time with the passing of Brother José Celso Barbosa, who proceeded to go up to the aid of the Grand Master. Barbosa was joined by Doctors Muñoz and Del Valle. Br. Luis Muñoz Rivera, who had his printing press near the place, was called. At around 11:45 p.m. he was declared dead.") (in Spanish) Retrieved November 21, 2021.

[6] LA MASONERÍA EN PUERTO RICO EnciclopediaPR, Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades. ("The first great Puerto Rican lodge to be established on the island was The Sovereign Grand Lodge. It was founded on September 20, 1885 in Mayagüez under the leadership of Santiago R. Palmer, an autonomist leader persecuted and imprisoned by the Spanish government because of his ideals. This does not mean that there were no lodges in Puerto Rico until then, but that those that did exist belonged to foreign obediences." Note: Those foreign obediences are Spanish, Cuban and British lodges.) (in Spanish) Retrieved November 21, 2021.

[7] Centro de Convenciones Santiago R. Palmer (San Germán)

[8] Ventana a la Historia: Plaza Palmer de Caguas

[9] Para designar la Escuela Superior Santiago R. Palmer del Barrio Quebrada del Municipio de Camuy como “Escuela Superior Miguel F. Santiago Echegaray”

[10] Escuela Segunda Unidad Santiago R. Palmer K-8, Camuy, PR

[11] Escuela Santiago R Palmer, Escuela Publica Nivel Escolar Elemental en Puerto Rico. Calle Santiago R Palmer, Salinas, PR

[12] Escuela Santiago R. Palmer, Salinas, PR

[13] Northern Research and Training Institute, Centro de Extensión Salinas, Calle Santiago R. Palmer #9 (Antigua Escuela Santiago R. Palmer), Salinas PR

[14] Centro de Servicios al Ciudadano, Calle Palmer, Antigua Escuela Palmer. Las Marías, PR

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