CAPTAIN JOSHUA PALMER OF VIRGINIA AND UNION COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA

©2008 Donna Meszaros

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Another Joshua Palmer lived in South Carolina at the same time as Reverend Joshua Palmer. The two men have often been confused by researchers. This second man was a Revolutionary War veteran. Most of what we know of him comes from his application for a pension. In the application, dated 3 October 1832, he stated under oath that he was born in Amelia County, Virginia on 12 March 1750. He further stated that he enlisted in the war from Union County, South Carolina and served several tours of duty between 1775 and the end of the war, first as a volunteer, then as a draftee, then as a captain. He participated in a number of engagements, including the battles of Stono and Cowpens. Finally, he stated that he lived in Union District when he entered the service, and had lived there ever since.[1] He made no reference to being a Baptist minister or of ever living in Indiana, things he surely would have mentioned if he had been Reverend Joshua Palmer.

Joshua owned land in Union County as early as 1787. On 30 April of that year, a tract of 120 acres was surveyed for Joshua Palmer “situated in the District of Ninety Six on the so. side of Broad River on the Cedar Islands & the Islands near Loves ford.” [2]  He purchased another tract in Union County on 10 June 1791. This tract contained 250 acres and was also described as being near Loves Ford.[3] Modern maps locate Loves Ford on the Broad River south of the city of Lockhart.[4] The Broad River divides Union County on the west from Chester County on the east.

Joshua Palmer appears on the U.S. census of Union County, South Carolina from 1790 to 1830: 

Joshua wrote his will on 1 May 1835. In it he named his wife Rhoda, sons William, Vardy, Purr [Permenas], Richard, Joshua, and Thomas; daughters Martha Cudd, Lutecia McDaniel, and Ann Davis; grandson Robert Smith; and three slaves.[10] He did not mention a daughter named Mary Sparks, a known daughter of Reverend Joshua Palmer. Captain Joshua Palmer died in December 1835 and is buried at Skull Shoals Baptist Church.[11] The church is located south of Gaffney, South Carolina.

Virginia Copeland Jantz states that the wife Rhoda mentioned in Joshua’s will was Rhoda Porter, widow of Jedithan Porter. She married Joshua on 7 December 1830, when Joshua was 80 and she was 76. Jantz states that Rhoda was the daughter of Ellis and Ann (Rudd) Palmer.[12] Her first husband, Jedithan Porter, had a will dated 1804 in Union County. In the will he called his wife Rhoda Handcock Porter. Children named in the will were Avis, Nancy, Edward, Elisha, Cier, John, Lotty, Omia, Jedithan, Hancock, Russel, and one child not yet born.[13]  

A Rhody Palmer of Union District made a will on 14 May 1836 in which she named as heirs six children of her son John P. Porter: Frances, Martha Ann, Emaline, John P., Hosea H., and Lemuel T. She died before 31 October 1841, when the will was presented for probate.[14]