Person:William Palmer (1)

"William Palmer was born on the other side of the ocean, and came with his father's family to this country; lived with them in Charlestown, Mass., but did not go down to the Plymouth colony with him. He was admitted freeman in Massachusetts colony in 1639, and was admitted to the church there March 28, 1641. He remained with his brother John in Charlestown after his father removed to Plymouth, and continued to reside there until after his father's death, when soon after he sold that land that his father gave him in Rehoboth, and came to Stonington and stayed with his brother-in-law, Thomas Minor, from June 18, 1664 , to April 29, 1665, when he left him and went over to Killingworth, Conn., and received an allotment of land in the settlement of that town. He continued to reside there during the rest of his days, but the time of his death is not known, nor is it certain that he ever married. His brother, Gershom, under date of March 27, 1697, executed the following instrument:

"Know all men by these presents, that while as my brother William Palmer, deceased, did give and bequeath unto me his house and all his lands in Killingworth, Conn., forever, I, settling one of my sons thereon, and in compliance to my deceased brother's will, I do order my eldest son, Gershom Palmer, to settle in said house upon said land. I, the said Gershom Palmer, Senior, do give and bequeath the aforesaid house and lands with all the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging to my eldest son Gershom Palmer, to him forever according to the tenor of the will of my brother, William Palmer deceased."

This renders it certain that he left no wife or children. Whether he was ever married is not so clear. If he married it must have been late in life, or, what is more probable, he, like his brother John, lived and died a bachelor."^[2]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "Walter Palmer", in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995)
   III:1382.

   … b. say 1619; d. after 1672 (when brother Gershom had more than one son, since William indicated in his will that Gershom should settle "one of" his sons on William's land [Wyman 507] and probably before 1677 [when his brother John does not name in his will [MPR Case #16388]), but certainly before 27 March 1697 [Wyman 507, citing Gershom's deed].

   The citations here are not consistent with Wyman's Charlestown; in which page 507 deals with the surnames Hodgman, Hodsdon, Hoffens, Hoffman, Hogans, Holbrook and Holden. The Palmer surname is not mentioned.

2. ↑ Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton). History of New London County, Connecticut: with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men. (Philadelphia)
   653.