Dolly Palmer and Bennett Root 1804-1879

Dolly Ann Palmer was born in 1821, probably in Niagara Co., NY. Very little information has been found about Dolly other than vital statistics. It is not clear whether she came to Michigan with her parents in 1833, or at a later date. She married Dr. Bennett F. Root in Manchester on 22 June 1837.

Bennett Fields Root was the son of Doctor Eleazar and Lucinda Root. They are both buried in Oak Grove Cemetery. Eleazar's grave is marked as being that of a Soldier of the American Revolution. Bennett studied medicine with his father and then attended Berkshire Medical School in New York (42).

Bennett appears to have arrived in Michigan at about the same time as his future father-in-law, Samuel Palmer. He is listed as one of the founding members of the First Presbyterian Church of Bridgewater and Sharon in 1835. (43) He was the first practicing physician in Manchester.

Elba Post Ofice

In 1837, the year that Dolly and Bennett married, he was appointed the second postmaster of the Elba post office, which was established in the east wing of their home. (The first postmaster was Harvey Squires.) A calendar published in 1995 by the Manchester Area Historical Society shows the Elba Post Office for September. We believe that the drawing was created from the photo on the left. The first five of Dolly and Bennett's children were born in this building while Bennett was postmaster. The Greek revival building served as the doctor's office as well. History of Washtenaw County observes that between 1830 and 1840 there was much fever, ague, dysentery, and scarlet fever in the county. Sometimes Dr. Root would see forty to fifty patients in a 24-hour period. These must have been difficult times for a family with five small children living in the post office/doctor's office quarters. Dolly and Bennett experienced their own personal sorrow in 1842, with the death of their oldest child, Henry Lyman. The family remained in Elba until 1852, when the post office closed.

The Washtenaw County Register of Deeds records purchases of lots in the village of Manchester by Dr. Root in 1852 and 1861. History of Manchester Township describes the family's first move to a frame house built by George Horne on the southwest corner of Jackson and Clinton Streets. It had been the residence of Philip H.C. Botherson, who operated the flouring mill and who died in 1852. The couple's sixth, and last, child, Edwin Eleazer, was born in this house. Dr. Root later, presumably in 1861 or later, built a brick home on Ann Arbor Street. This remained the home of the Root family for several generations. Both his son, Edwin Eleazar, and his grandson, Bennett C. Root, were bankers. The village of Manchester benefited mightily from the estate of the latter, who left bequests to two churches, money for improvements at a village park and scholarships to the high school (44).

Dolly died in 1865 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Manchester. Dr. B.F. Root remarried the next year. He died on 16 Jan 1879.

DOLLY PALMER

Dolly Ann Palmer, b-12 Jul 1821, Probably Somerset, Niagara Co., NY
d-20 Oct1865, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
m-22 Jun 1837, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI

Parents:
Samuel Palmer, b-23 Jun 1785, Hillsdale, Columbia Co., NY
d-5 Sep 1844, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
m-2 Nov 1809, Place unknown

Clarissa Shumway, b-21 Apr 1791, Charlestown, Sullivan Co., NH
d-14 May 1862, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI

Spouse:
Bennett F. Root, b-29 Feb 1804, Canaan, Columbia Co., NY
d-16 Jan 1879, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI

Parents:
Eleazar Root, b-About 1763, Coventry, CT.
d-31 Jan 1837 Bridgewater, Washtenaw Co., MI
m-Unknown Unknown

Lucinda, b-About 1773, Unknown
d-3 Oct 1849, Washtenaw Co., MI

Children of Dolly Ann Palmer and Bennett F. Root:

Henry Lyman, b-31 Aug 1838, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
d-22 Jun 1842, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI

Adora , b-10 Apr 1841, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
m-unknown, Mr. High

Henrietta, b-10 Oct 1842, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
Elnora, b-1 Mar 1845, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI
m-25 Oct 1868, Washtenaw Co., Mi, to Rev. Charles T. Allen

Emma Jane, b-28 Feb 1847, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI

Edwin Eleazar, b- 11 Jun 1853, Manchester, Washtenaw Co., MI

Sources

42. Root Genealogical Records, 1600-1870
43. History of Washtenaw County
44. Manchester's First Hundred Years

The source for birth and death dates for Dolly Ann and Bennett's children and for Bennett's birth date is Root Genealogical Records, 1600-1870, to which Bennett contributed. Unless otherwise noted, other Root death dates come from Oak Grove Cemetery records.