1. Walter Palmer born ca 1589 most likely at Yetminster, Dorsetshire, England died 10 Nov 1661 Stonington, New London, CT being buried at the old Wequetequock burial place. Walter's first wife was called Ann, sometimes Elizabeth, however we do not know what her real name was. Ann died ca 1633 in England.

Walter married ca June 1663 as his second wife Rebecca Short who died 15 July 1671 Chalrestown, MA. Rebecca was a member of Eliot's church in Roxbury, MA.

Walter's first wife was the mother of Grace, John, William, Jonas and Elizabeth. Walter and Rebecca were the parents of Hannah, Elihu, Nehemiah, Moses, Benjamin, Gershom and Rebecca. First five children born in England. The next five born in Charleston and the last two who were born in Rehoboth, MA. Their daughter Hannah Palmer married Thomas Hewitt.

More about Walter Palmer: Walter Palmer was an early settler in Charlestown, MA with Abraham Palmer, who may have been his brother, who was a merchant from London. Walter and Abraham came to Salem, MA in 1629 with John Endicott and eight other associates. Endicott fleet was the "Four Sisters" which arrived 5 Apr 1629 at Salem, MA. Walter was made freeman 18 May 1631 and was constable in 1633. Walter and his son John received land grants in Charlestown in 1637. In 1643 Walter and family left Charlestown to become the first settlers of Rehoboth, MA were he was a freeman 1645, surveyor 1650 and constable 1652. In 1653 Walter moved to Stonington, CT where he was a founder and where he purchased 1200 acres of land.

 

The Rev. John Eliot's Record of Church Members, Roxbury, Mass.

Rebeckah Short a maide servant she came in the yeare 1632. & was married to {Walter} Palmer a godly man of charlestowne church.

 

WALTER PALMER - Will. Vnto my sonne John, a yoake of three yeare old steares, and a horse; to my dau. Grace 20^d,; to all my Grand Children, 20^d, a piece. to my sonne Jonas, halfe the planting Lott at Y^e new meadow River, by Seaconcke, & y^e Lott betweene John butterwoths, according to the fower score pound Estate, & the vse of halfe y^e housing, & halfe of the whole Farme for fower yeares. to my sonne William, the other halfe of y^e same farme at Seaconck foreuer, and to take Robert Martine or some oth^r skill full man & to devide the houseing & the whole farme in two equall p^rts & to take his owne & dispose of it as he pleaseth. I give him, also, a Mare with her foale, two redd oxen, a paire of Steares of three yeare old a piecve, fower Cowes & a Muskett, with all such things as are his owne allready. The other halfe of the farme at Seaconcke I give to my sonne Gersham, for ever, after the ende tearme of fower yeares. All the rest of my Land, goods, and chattell vndesposed I Leave vnto my wife, whome with my sonne, Elihu, I make my full executor, to pay my debts, bring vp my children & pay them theire potions as my Lands and Estate will beare; but, in case my wife marry againe, before my Children are brought vp, & their portions payd, then, my three sonnes, Elihu, Nehemiah & Moses to enter vpon the farme &Estate, and pay vnto their mother 10£. p^r annum dureing hir life, & y^e Land & Estate duely valued to be equally distributed among my Children, Elyhu, Nehemia, Moses, Benjamin, gersham, Hannah & Rebecca with Consideration of the tenn pound yearely to be payd to theire mother out of y_e Land. but if my wife pay theire portions, according to her discretion, & my three sonnes, Elihu, Nehemiah & Moses Possesse the Land, they shall give £20 a piece out of the Land to my sonne, Benjamine, besides his mothers portion, in 3 yeares after they are possesst of the Farme.

signed Walter Palmer.

In the p^rnce of

William Cheesbrough, Sam^e Cheesbrough, Nathaniell Cheesbrough

Memorandum. if Elihu, Nehemiah or Moses decease before they have any years, Benjamine is to succede in theire p^t of y^e Farme & give to my dau. Elizabeth, two Cowes. I give my Executo^rs a yeares time for payment of these Legacies.

 

Testified to, by the three witnesses, on oath, before George Denison, commiss^r.

Approved by the Court on Petition of Leiut. Richard Cooke, in behalfe of y^e Widow Palmer, relict of Walter, & Elihu, their sonne, on the oathes of W^m., Samuell & Nathan^el Cheesbrough, 11 May 1662.

Inventory of the Goods & Chattells of Walter Palmer, now decease^d, at Sothertowne, in the Countie of Suffolke, as it was taken the Last of M^rch 1662 by William Chesbrooke, & Thomas Stanton of the same towne.

Am^t £1644, 05^s.

One horse, valued at £12, added, by Elihu Palmer, as executor, who deposed, 13 May 1662.

 

Children by first wife:

1.1 Grace Palmer born ca 1614 England married 23 April 1634 at Charlestown< MA to Thomas Minor/Miner born 23 April 1608 died 23 Oct 1690

1.2 John Palmer born ca 1615 England died 24 aug 1677 age 62 yrs

1.3 Elizabeth Palmer born ca 1617 England Thomas Sloan

1.4 William Palmer born ca 1619 England died after 1672

1.5 Jonah Palmer born ca 1621 England married 3 May 1655 at Rehoboth, MA Elizabeth Grisell

Children by second wife Rebecca:

1.6 Hannah Palmer bpt 15 June 1634 Charlestown, MA married 1st 26 April 1659 Thomas Hewitt; married 2nd 27 Dec 1671 at Stonington, New London, CT to Roger Sterry; married 3rd 25 Aug 1681 Stonington, New London, CT to John Fish. my line

1.7 Elihu Palmer bpt 24 Jan 1635/6 Charlestown, MA died 5 Sept 1665

1.8 Nehemiah Palmer bpt 23 Nov 1637 Charlestown, MA died 17 Feb 1717 81 yrs buried Ancient Burial Ground at Stonington, CT married 20 Nov 1662 at Stonington, New London, CT to Hannah Lord Stanton

1.9 Moses Palmer bpt 6 April 1640 Charlestown, MA died 6 July 1701 married ca 1672 Dorothy Gilbert

Children:

1.9.1 Moses Palmer born 20 Oct 1673

1.9.2 Dorothy Palmer born 11 Aug 1675

1.9.3 John Palmer born 1 Sept 1677

1.9.4 Annie Palmer bpt 25 April 1680

1.9.5 Rebecca Palmer bpt 30 April 1682

1.10 Benjamin Palmer born 30 May 1642 bpt 6 June 1642 Charlestown, MA died 10 April 1716 age 74 yrs buried Ancient Burial Ground at Stonington, CT married Antigua

1.11 Gershom Palmer born ca 1644 Rehoboth, MA married 1st 26/8 Nov 1667 by Daniel Wetherell to Ann Denison buried Ancient Burial Ground at Stonington, CT dau of Capt. George Denison; married 2nd 11 Nov 1707 Elizabeth (Peck) Mason widow of Samuel Mason

1.12 Rebecca Palmer born ca 1646 Rehoboth, MA married 20 April 1665 at Stonington, New London, CT to Elisha Cheeseborough bpt 4 June 1637 son of William ; married 2nd 24 July 1672 at Stonington, New London, CT to John Baldwin