David James Palmer was born on November 15, 1839, in Pennsylvania. His parents first moved to Ohio when he was a child and later moved to Washington County, Iowa. Palmer attended the United Presbyterian College in Washington, Iowa. In July 1861, he enlisted in Company C of the 8th Iowa Infantry. On April 6, 1862, he was severely wounded in the Battle of Shiloh. He was sent home, unable to walk and with his left arm completely paralyzed. By July of that year, he was once again able to walk and was commissioned by the Governor of Iowa to recruit a company. He returned to the war as the captain of Company A, 25th Iowa Infantry and within a short period of time was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He served the rest of the war with this regiment, taking part in the siege of Vicksburg and Sherman's March to the Sea.

After the hostilities ceased, Col. Palmer returned again to Washington, Iowa, and the family farm. In the 1880s he was elected to the state senate and became a state railroad commissioner. One of the greatest honors of his life was being appointed to the Grand Commandership of the National G.A.R. in 1914. Palmer died at the age of eighty-nine, on November 19, 1928.