Person:William Palmer (13)

William Palmer was among the Puritan fathers from Leyden who were to emigrate in the Speedwell which proved to be unseaworthy and had to return to England leaving the Mayflower to proceed alone.

William was a nailer - his inventory included a bellows, anvil, vice and all the tools necessary for nailmaking. He sailed on the Fortune in 1621 and received a two-acre grant as a passenger on that ship - one acre for his servant William Carvanyell and one for himself. His son William also accompanied him in the Fortune, but was not yet 10 at the time of the land grants.^[2] His wife Frances followed on the Anne and received one acre, indicating she was not accompanied by any children over the age of 10. In the 1627 division, William, Francis and William, Jr. are on the list. William was taxed £1 7s in 1633 and 18s in 1634.^[3]

There is a great deal of confusion over the William Palmers born in the 1630s in Plymouth to William Palmer, Sr. One was born in 1634, the other posthumously in 1638, who claimed his inheritance at age 21 on 29 Apr 1659. If the 1634 William were the son of William, Jr. b. 1612, he would have been born only 3 months after the marriage, that seems an unlikely solution for a Puritan community. One possibility is that the father is indeed William, Jr, by servant Mary Trine (who joined the Palmer household after Sarah Palmer Rowley died). In order to protect his son, William Sr. married the young Mary and arranged with his friend Robert Paddock to care for the child. William’s will mentions his young wife and a coming heir. The inventory also shows a debt to goodwife Paddock “for the child”. The theory is that the earlier child was officially disowned, but William was providing for his care.^[4]

Not the son of John Palmer and Elizabeth Virney, oft given as baptized in 1585. That’s actually a burial record. ^[5]

Will

 In his will, dated 7 November 1637 and proved 4 December 1637, "William Palmer of Ducksborrow, nailer, being ill in body" named "my loving friends Mr. William Bradford, Mr. Edward Winslowe and Mr. Thomas Prence my executors"; "whereas I have married a young woman who is dear unto me I desire them to deal well with her but my desire is that my estate consisting of land, household goods, ... may be sold and turned into money all except such moveables as my executors think meet to give her for her personal comfort. Next my estate being wholly sold my desire is that my wife may not have less than one third and if she be with child then another third to be preserved and improved by my executors for that child as mine heir and that if in case she be not with child, then I would have mine executors as in conscience they are persuaded out of the remainder of my estate deal with Rebecca my grandchild and Moyses Rowley whom I love, but not so as to put into their father or mother's hands but preserve it for them till they come to years of discretion"; "somewhat to Stephen Tracy"; "somewhat towards the meeting house at Plymouth"; "young Rowley to be placed with Mr. Partridge that he might be brought up in the fear of God and to that end if his father suffer it I give to Mr. Patridge £5"; "in case my son Henry or daughter Bridgett be living, if they demand it, I give them 40s. apiece if they be living." Further "it was the will of the testator that his wife should be ruled by her ancient Mr. Edward Winslow in her marriage if she look to partake in any part of this estate, otherwise not" [ MD 2:147-48, citing PCPR 1:28].

   The inventory of "all the moveable goods of Will[ia]m Palm[e]r the elder, taken 13 November 1637, totalled £111 12s. 4d. [ MD 2:148-52, citing PCPR 1:28-29].^[6]

Text References

1. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).
2. ↑ “The Circumstantial Evidence Leading to a Possible Solution to the “Palmer-Paddock Puzzle”,” The Colonial Genealogist, Vol XII, No. 1-2, The Augustan Society, 1984.
3. ↑ Great Migration Begins
4. ↑ Palmer-Paddock Puzzle, above
5. ↑ See The Colonial Genealogist XII:3, page 115.
6. ↑ Great Migration