Palmyra township embraces township 114-33. It is bounded on the north by Melville township, on the east by Martinsburg township, on the south by Bandon township, and on the west by Norfolk township.

The first settlers are said to be D. S. Greene and a Mr. Franklin, who came in June, 1870, later followed by E. H. Olson and in 1871 J. B. Johnson and Lorens and John Ericson. The first school was taught in 1876 at E. H. Olson's by Martha Ericson. The first marriage was that of T. A. Risdall and Anna Johnson, in June, 1871. Carl, son of John Olson, born in August, 1870, was the first birth.

Palmyra township, including townships 114, 115 and 116, range 33, was organized January 2, 1872, and an election ordered for January 30, 1872, at the home of E. H. Olson. The following officers were elected: Supervisors, E. H. Olson (chairman), John Anderson and Lafe Tennis; clerk and assessor, Thomas Risdall; treasurer, Ole Halvorson; justice, A. Tollefson; constable, Halver Halverson. By 1879 Palmyra township was reduced to its present boundaries. The town hall, a structure 16 by 24 feet, is located in the center of the town and was erected In 1876. The present supervisors are William Glesener, Oscar Nelson and John J. Johnson, Arvid Anderson has ably served as clerk for two years. The oldest minutes now in his possession date back to March 10, 1874, only two years after the town was organized.

Palmyra boasts of some of the finest farms and farm homes in the county and with its enterprising, wide-awake and public spirited farmers of Scandinavian and Germanic descent enjoys a rank among its sister townships in which its citizens all take a justifiable pride.

The first real estate assessment of Palmyra (116-33) was made in 1872. Those assessed were: A. Foss, section 6; George Meyer, 10; William Dawson, 10, 14; C. O. Porter, 8; R. J. Mundenhall, 13, 15, 17, 19, 23, 29, 34; William Pettit, 19, 21, 25, 29, 31; James Beaver, 20, 26, 27, 28, 32, 35; D. H. Holmes, 33, 34, 27, 28; Ezra Cornell, 33, 34; Charles M. Humstock, 12. By 1877 quite a number of people had acquired property in Palmyra, 114-33, the real estate assessment that year being as follows: B. Tollefson, section 4; Anfin Tollefson, 4; Hans Gronnerud, 4, 32; Eric Ericson, 8; Ammund Tollefson, 10; Thomas Dougherty, 18; John Dougherty, 18; A. G. Anderson, 24; Carl Anderson, 24; Peter Anderson, 24; S. Bergman, 22; Paul Ramberg, 30; Pat Gillan, 30; Carl Danielson, 32; George Karney, 32; Bernt Anderson, 34; Andrew Jorgenson, 34.

The first personal property assessment in Palmyra (114-33) was made in 1872. Those assessed were: Ben Anderson, John Anderson No. 1, John Anderson No. 2, Anton Christianson, Dora Caleff, George Carny, Nelson Ericson, Eric Ericson, John Ericson, Larens Ericson, Ole Ericson, Peter Ericson, P. Geland, D. S. Green, Ole Halvorson, L. Frank Hart, J. B. Johnson, T. Jacobson, Alex. Johnson, John King, Denis Lorden, Andrew Larson, Lafe Lavinson, A. C. Mark, E. J. Mark, John Olson, Ed. H. Olson, Newton G. Poor, P. J. Ranberg, C. A. Sargent, Nilson Reed, Ole L. Tinnes, Lafe Tinnes, Amond Tolfson, G. L. Yeager.