Almeda said of her father: “He wore a beard, was very particular about his personal appearance, and was of average build. My father was a very strict man. When he spoke to us he wanted us to be moving right now. I remember while at the cotton farm, he taught school to the youngsters at night. I also remember while there, I had a very bad toe. I had stubbed it and had torn the nail loose from the roots. It developed proud flesh under the nail and they had to pull the nail off to get at the proud flesh to cure it. I remember I thought it would just about kill me to have this done, but just one word from Father and I was quiet.”86
She also said her father fixed shoes, and had a little work table where he kept his needles, awls, thread, beeswax, soles, leather, scissors, shoe forms, hammer, tacks and such. The neighbor youngsters were curious about his things and wanted to get into them. He warned them to leave them alone. One warning was all they received. And if any picked up one of his things, he would rap them sharply on the hand. That proved to be sufficient for each child thus treated. A comment from the Palmer book by Sarah Collinwood reads: “He was thoroughly honest in all his dealings, and taught his children these principles.”87
86- Ibid, p. 37
87- History of Our Pioneer Ancestors, History of Zemira Palmer, p. 81
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