Generation No. 9
256. Richard Farnsworth, born Abt. 1584 in Eccles, Lancastershire, England. He married 257. Elizabeth Marshe 12 Jan 1608 in Eccles, Lancashire, England.
257. Elizabeth Marshe, born 01 Nov 1584 in Eccles, Lancastershire, England.
More About Richard Farnsworth and Elizabeth Marshe:
Marriage: 12 Jan 1608, Eccles, Lancashire, England
Child of Richard Farnsworth and Elizabeth Marshe is:
128 i. Mattias Farnsworth, born 20 Jul 1612 in Eccles, Lancastershire, England; died 21 Jan 1689.
270. Walter Barefoote86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99, born 1636; died 1688 in Great Island, New Hampshire.
Notes for Walter Barefoote:
Barefoote Family
A disguised surname from Barford... This blood was carried into New Jersey from New Hampshire, as there are slight evidences of the surname in the former Colony, tho' the name is preserved in New Jersey in the family of Barefoote Brynson (or Brinson...) whose grand-mother,seemingly, the first wife of Dr. Henry Greenland, was Mary Barefoote, or else, close association perpetuated the name, without kinship. She then, was a daughter of Captain Walter Barefoote of N.H.
"Barefoote, Walter, Captain, gent. Kittery, bought land and house of Capt. Champernowne, 1658; later home, Newcastle. A partisan of Charles II and of the Masons; and official in the Provincial govt., involved in many conflicts, 1679-1688. Will, 3 Oct prob. 8 Oct. 1688; sister Sarah, wife of Thomas
Wiggin, Jr.; Cousin, John lee and others." (Pioneers, N.H., p. 13)
It is worth noting that the Lee Family also landed in New Jersey at W. etc. The relationship of Dr. Walter Barefoote, the same as above, to his colleague in physics, to Dr. Henry Greenland, was close, continuous and indicated kinship. (Orra Eugene Monnette, Colonial and Provincial History and Genealogy First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge Olde East New Jersey 1664-1714; [Los Angeles, California: The Leroy Carman Press; 1932]; Part Four; p. 586)
Dr. Walter Barefoot (or Barford, as the name is given in England) who came to Kittery, Maine, in 1656 or1657, and for thirty years until his death, 1688, was said to be the most litigating and scandal-raising personage connected with the Piscataqua region, whether as doctor, captain, prisoner, prison-keeper, Deputy Governor, land speculator or Chief Justice. He was well- educated and wrote a good hand. He was a churchman, but a sturdy and quarrelsome supporter of the Stuart policy, while most of his neighbors were Puritans, so that the hard things... said of both Barefoot and Greenland need
to be weighed in the light of these facts. (See "N.E. Gen. Register," Vol. 26, for will of Walter Barefoote, by which he leaves 1,000 acres in Maine to Dr. H. Greenland). (William H. Benedict, "The Brunson (Brinson--Brynson) Family," Somerset County Historical Quarterly,
[Vol. III] [1914])
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Articles of peace agreed upon the eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord, 1685, between the subjects of his majesty, king James the second, inhabiting the provinces of New Hampshire and Maine, and the Indians inhabiting the said provinces.
It is agreed there shall be for the future, a lasting peace, frendship and kindness, between the English and the Indians, and that no injury shall be offered by the one or the other. That if any Englishman doth any injury to an Indian, upon complaint made to any justice of [the] peace, the Englishman shall be punished, the Indian shall have present satisfaction made him. And if any Indian doth an injury to the English, or threaten to do any injury, the sagamore to whom that Indian doth belong, shall punish him in presence of one of the king's justices of the peace. That if any other Indian shall design any mischief or harm to the English, the Indians inhabiting the aforesaid provinces shall give present notice thereof to the English, and shall assist the English.
That so long as the aforesaid Indians shall continue in friendship with the English, they shall be protected against the Mohawks, or any others, and may freely and peaceably set down by the English near any theyr [sic] plantations.
Robert Mason, Walter Barefoote,
Robert Elliot, Henry Green,
John Davis , Francis Hook.
More About Walter Barefoote:
Occupation: Bet. 1685 - 1986, Royal Governor of New Hampshire
Child of Walter Barefoote is:
135 i. Mary Barefoote, born Abt. 1631 in St. Dunstan, Stepney, London, England; married Dr. Henry Greenland.
472. Capt. William Billings, born 1660 in New London, Conn; died Jun 1738 in Stonington, Conn. He was the son of 944. William BILLINGS and 945. Mary Atherton. He married 473. Hannah Sterry.
473. Hannah Sterry, born 08 Aug 1672 in Stonington, Conn.; died 07 Nov 1751 in Preston, Conn. She was the daughter of 946. Roger STERRY and 947. Hannah PALMER.
Children of Capt. Billings and Hannah Sterry are:
236 i. Rev. William Billings, born 16 Feb 1697 in Preston, New London, CT; died 20 May 1733 in Hampton, Windham, CT; married Bethiah Otis 1725 in Preston, CT.
ii. Mary BILLINGS, born 24 Apr 1689 in Preston, Conn; married Wait John BORDMAN.
iii. Joseph BILLINGS, born 28 Jun 1692 in Preston, Conn; married Comfort DENISON.
iv. Prudence BILLINGS, born 12 Jun 1694 in Preston, Conn.
v. Samuel BILLINGS, born 18 Aug 1699 in Preston, Conn; married Hannah WILLIAMS.
vi. Dorothy BILLINGS, born 05 Feb 1701 in Preston, Conn; married Thomas EDWARDS.
vii. Rachel BILLINGS, born 25 Mar 1704 in Preston, Conn.
viii. Sarah BILLINGS, born 10 Sep 1705 in Preston, Conn.
ix. Hannah BILLINGS, born 1706 in Preston, Conn; married Preston Eleazer PUTMAN.
x. Capt. Roger BILLINGS, born 09 Mar 1707 in Preston, Conn.
xi. Ichabod BILLINGS, born 05 Sep 1710 in Preston, Conn.
xii. Elizabeth BILLINGS, born 05 Jan 1712 in Preston, Conn; married Theophilus AVERY.
Generation No. 10
944. William BILLINGS, born Abt. 1629 in Taunton, England; died 16 Mar 1712 in Stonington, Conn. He married 945. Mary Atherton.
945. Mary Atherton, born Abt. 1630 in Dorchester, Mass; died Aft. 1713 in Stonington, Conn. She was the daughter of 1890. Humphrey Atherton.
Child of William BILLINGS and Mary Atherton is:
472 i. Capt. William Billings, born 1660 in New London, Conn; died Jun 1738 in Stonington, Conn; married Hannah Sterry.
946. Roger STERRY100, born 1640 in Stoke Bliss, Herefordshire, England; died Abt. 1680 in Southern N.E. or at sea. He was the son of 1892. Owen STERRY and 1893. Elizabeth. He married 947. Hannah PALMER 27 Dec 1671.
947. Hannah PALMER101, born 16 Jun 1634 in Charlestown, Mass; died Aft. 1701 in Stonington, Conn.. She was the daughter of 1894. Walter PALMER and 1895. Rebecca SHORT.
Notes for Hannah PALMER:
Pending the session of the General Court of Connecticut in 1670, a hearing was had for the consideration of a petition of Mrs Hannah Hewitt, the widow of Thomas Hewitt, for liberty to marry again, setting fortha that she had not heard from her late husband for the space of eight years, and better, and her neighbors also testifying that the said Hewitt had so long been absent and that they had not heard of him, or the vessel or company he went with since their departure. "The court having considered the premises, declare that the said Hannah Hewitt is at liberty to marry again if she see cause."
So on the 27th day of December 1671, she was united in marriage with Roger Sterry. He d. before 1680; she m. 3d. John Fish Aug. 25, 1681, she being his 3d wife.
More About Roger STERRY and Hannah PALMER:
Marriage: 27 Dec 1671
Children of Roger STERRY and Hannah PALMER are:
473 i. Hannah Sterry, born 08 Aug 1672 in Stonington, Conn.; died 07 Nov 1751 in Preston, Conn; married Capt. William Billings.
ii. Samuel STERRY, born 1674 in Stonington, Conn; married Mehitable FENNER.
Generation No. 11
1890. Humphrey Atherton, born Aug 1607 in Preston, Lancester, Minwick, England; died 16 Sep 1661 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Mass., Mass..
Child of Humphrey Atherton is:
945 i. Mary Atherton, born Abt. 1630 in Dorchester, Mass; died Aft. 1713 in Stonington, Conn; married William BILLINGS.
1892. Owen STERRY, born Abt. 1615 in Stoke Bliss, Herefordshire, England. He married 1893. Elizabeth.
1893. Elizabeth, born Abt. 1618 in Stoke Bliss, Herefordshire, England.
Children of Owen STERRY and Elizabeth are:
946 i. Roger STERRY, born 1640 in Stoke Bliss, Herefordshire, England; died Abt. 1680 in Southern N.E. or at sea; married Hannah PALMER 27 Dec 1671.
ii. George STERRY, born 1634 in Bromyard, England.
iii. John STERRY, born 1635 in Stoke Bliss, Herefordshire, England.
1894. Walter PALMER102,103,104,105,106, born Abt. 1585 in Somersetshire, England; died 10 Nov 1661 in Stonington, New London, CT. He married 1895. Rebecca SHORT 01 Jun 1633 in Roxbury Church.
1895. Rebecca SHORT107,108, born 1607 in Nottinghamshire, England; died 15 Jul 1671 in Stonington, New London, CT.
Notes for Walter PALMER:
Walter Palmer, probably the son of Walter and Elizabeth (Carter) Palmer was likely born in the village of Yetminster, Dorsetshire, England sometime around 1585. Although he was married in England and fathered five children, the name of his first wife is unknown.
As a Separatist Puritan, in an effort to seek religious freedom, on April 5, 1629 he sailed from Gravesend England on a boat called "Four Sisters" - one of six ships; the others being the Talbot, Lyons Whelp, George Bonaventure, Lyon, and The Mayflower.
Walter arrived in Salem, Massachusetts on June of 1629 and settled in Charlestown Massachusetts with his five children and Abraham Palmer, possibly his brother.
On September 28, 1630 there was recorded a "Jury called to hold an inquest on the body of Austine Bratcher." It found "that the strokes given by Walter Palmer, were occasionally the means of the death of Austin Bratcher, and so to be manslaughter. Mr. Palmer made his psonall appearance this day (October 19, 1630) & stands bound, hee & his sureties, till the nexte court." At a court session of "a court of assistants, holden att Boston, November 9th 1630" numerous matters were taken up and disposed of, including the trial of Walter Palmer and one other item of interest: "it is ordered, that Rich. Diffy, servt. To Sr. Richard Saltonstall, shal be whipped for his misdemeanr toward his maister." "A Jury impannell for the tryall of Walter Palmer, concerning the death of Austin Bratcher: Mr. Edmond Lockwood, Rich: Morris, Willm Rockewell, Willm Balston, Christopher Conant, Willm Cheesebrough, Willm Phelpes, John Page, Willm Gallard, John Balshe, John Hoskins, Laurence Leach, /The jury findes Walter Palmer not quilty of manslaughter, whereof hee stoode indicted, & soe the court acquitts him." The above is the first discovered reference to William Chesebrough, one of Walter's closest friends.
Walter became very prominent in the affairs of Charlestown, holding public office and is listed among the first group of men who took the Oath of Freemen on May 18, 1631. The original list included, "Mr. Roger Conant, John Balche, Ralfe Sprage, Simon Hoyte, Rick: Sprage, Walt (Walter) Palmer, Abraham Palmer, Mr Rich: Saltonstall, Rich: Stower, Czekiell Richardson, Wm Cheesebrough.
Walter was married for a second time to Rebecca Short of Roxbury on June 1, 1633. They were married in Roxbury Church, of which she was a member and Rev. John Eliot its Minister. She was one of the first members of his church upon her arrival in America in 1632. Roxbury was generally settled by the people from Essex and Hertfordshire under the leadership of the Rev. John Eliot who had been the Vicar of Nazeing. Reverend Eliot's records of the Roxbury First Church state: "Rebeckah Short, a maide srvant, she came in the yeare 1632 and was married to Walter Palmer a Godly man of Charlestown Church." Rebecca was to give birth to seven additional children giving Walter a total of twelve.
In 1635 Walter was elected a Selectman of Charlestown, and in 1636 Constable. On March 26, 1638 he received an additional land grant "a true record of all such houses and lands as are possesed by the inhabitants of Charlestown" - - prepared by Abraham Palmer listed the possessions of Walter Palmer as follows: "Two acres of land in the east field, 'butting south on the back street,' with a dwelling house and another aptinances "five acres of arable land, milch cow commons six and a quarter, "four acres, more or less in the life field, "eight acres of meadow lying in the Mystic Marshes, "Four acres of woodland in the Mystic Field, "Five acres of meadow on the west of Mount Prospect, "Thirty acres of woodland. "Eighty-six acres of land scituate in the waterfield." On May 13, 1640 a committee was required to be appointed in every town to appraise all livestock. The committee for Charlestown was comprised of "Czechi: Rich'dson, & Walter Palmer.."
On August 24, 1643, Walter Palmer and his good friend William Chesebrough, whose fortunes closely coincided during their lives left Charlestown along with other planters and started a new settlement at a place known as "Seacuncke" (Black Goose). His home was located along the 10 Mile River in an area called Sowams. The area was to become independent of other organizations until they could decide on a government. At a meeting in 1643, before a division of land had been made other than for house-lots, those attending were required individually to give the value of their estates, in order that the allotments of land might be made accordingly. Will. Cheesebrough was listed 450 pounds and Walter Palmer at 419 pounds.
Walter was one of the nine members of the First Board of Selectmen chosen December 9 1644. On the second and ninth day of June, 1645 Walter Palmer and William Cheseborough were on lists concerning lots to be drawn for divisions of land. Walter's name seemed to appear in every group selected for any purpose, which seems to indicate his high standing in the community.
May 26, 1647 Chosen committee for the Court
May 19, 1651 Chosen Grand Juryman
May 24, 1652 Chosen Constable
On June 4, 1645 Seacuncke was renamed Antient Rehoboth (a town by the river) and assigned itself to The Plymouth Colony. Richard Wright was the first Deputy to be elected to represent Rehoboth to the Court at Plymouth, however he had been a strong advocate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony rather than the Plymouth Colony, and refused to acknowledge that the final decision was in favor of the Plymouth Colony. Admitted a Freeman on October 28, 1645, Walter Palmer was immediately sworn in as a Deputy in Wright's place.
Walter along with several others were also dissatisfied over the townspeople voting to consolidate with Plymouth Colony. He was in favor of an alliance with The Massachusetts Bay Colony. Prior to 1653 John Winthrop Jr. who had been granted land in that part of Connecticut known as The Pequot Country by The Massachusetts Bay Colony urged William Chesebrough, also one of those dissatisfied with The Plymouth Colony to settle in New London. Upon examination, William Chesebrough preferred that part of the country known by the Indians as Wequetequoc. He applied for a grant of 300 acres which was soon increased to 2300 acres. He then induced Walter Palmer and Walter's son in law Thomas Minor to join him there. Walter bought land on the East Bank of Wequetequoc Cove. It would appear that the land was originally placed in the name of Thomas Minor and later vested in the name of Walter Palmer.
In August of 1652 Thomas Minor built a house for his father-in-law Walter Palmer on the opposite side of Wequetequoc Cove from William Chesebrough. In 1653 Walter, Rebecca and children Elizabeth, Hannah, Elihu, Nahemiah, Moses, Benjamin, Gershom and Rebecca moved from Antient Rehoboth to their new home. Thomas Minor and his wife (Walter's oldest daughter) Grace with eight children of their own settled nearby in a house built by Thomas in Mistuxet (Quiambaug).
In the following years, Walter acquired additional land south of his location and on the eastern slope of Togwank, and on both sides of Anguilla Brook totaling about 1200 acres. On February 25, 1654 Walter was granted 100 acres of upland and also 100 acres in and about "Porkatush" (Pawcatuck). This land later became that of his sons.
During the first four years in Wequetequock Cove, Walter and his family had to travel 15 miles and across two large rivers to New London to attend church. On September 1, 1654 the first petition of the Stonington settlers for a separate town and church was refused by the General Court of Connecticut. On March 22, 1657 the first religious service was held in Stonington in the home of Walter Palmer with the Reverend William Thompson being the minister. Religious services were continued in various homes until May 13, 1661 when a meeting house was erected.
After a lengthy struggle with both the Connecticut and Massachusetts General Courts, the settlers succeeded in achieving local government. Their first efforts were then devoted to electing town officers and to the erection of a meeting house which was first used in September of 1661, just two months before Walter's death.
Walter was one of the first settlers to serve as Constable and on October 19, 1658 was appointed "to a committee to conduct the prudential affairs" along with five others. The 300-year Stonington Cronology by Haynes aptly describes Walter Palmer as the "Patriarach of the early Stonington settlers...(who) had been prominent in the establishment of Boston, Charlestown and Rehoboth, ...a vigorous giant, 6 feet 5 inches tall. When he settled at Southertown (Stonington) he was sixty-eight years old, older than most of the other settlers."
Walter Palmer died in Stonington on November 20, 1661 and is buried in the Wequetequock burying ground. A rough wolf stone about 9 feet in length covers his grave. The inscription probably added later reads "W. Palmer 1585-1661". The stone lies in the midst of a long line of graves of his children and grandchildren. Nearby is a large monument erected in the memory of the four founders of the area - William Chesebrough, Thomas Minor, Thomas Stanton and Walter Palmer. Rebecca Palmer probably died shortly before June 5 1684. The only known record is the division by sons Nehemiah, Moses and Benjamin of land on that date which "our father left for our mother to divide".
WALTER PALMER - Will.
Vnto my sonne John, a yoake of three yeare old steares, and a horse; to my dau. Grace 20d,; to all my Grand Children, 20d, a piece. to my sonne Jonas, halfe the planting Lott at Ye new meadow River, by Seaconcke, & ye Lott betweene John butterwoths, according to the fower score pound Estate, & the vse of halfe ye housing, & halfe of the whole Farme for fower yeares. to my sonne William, the other halfe of ye same farme at Seaconck foreuer, and to take Robert Martine or some othr skill full man & to devide the houseing & the whole farme in two equall prts & 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£. pr annum dureing hir life, & ye 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 ye 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 prnce of William Cheesbrough, Same Cheesbrough, Nathaniell Cheesbrough
Memorandum. if Elihu, Nehemiah or Moses decease before they have any years, Benjamine is to succede in theire pt of ye Farme & give to my dau. Elizabeth, two Cowes. I give my Executors a yeares time for payment of these Legacies.
Testified to, by the three witnesses, on oath, before George Denison, commissr.
Approved by the Court on Petition of Leiut. Richard Cooke, in behalfe of ye Widow Palmer, relict of Walter, & Elihu, their sonne, on the oathes of Wm., Samuell & Nathanel Cheesbrough, 11 May 1662.
Inventory of the Goods & Chattells of Walter Palmer, now deceased, at Sothertowne, in the Countie of Suffolke, as it was taken the Last of Mrch 1662 by William Chesbrooke, & Thomas Stanton of the same towne.
Amt £1644, 05s.
One horse, valued at £12, added, by Elihu Palmer, as executor, who deposed, 13 May 1662.
From The History of
Stonington, CT 1690 - 1900
by Richard Anson Wheeler
Press of the Day Publishing company 1900
WALTER PALMER, the progenitor of the family of his name, who first settled in Stonington, Conn., came to New England as early as 1628, with his brother, Abraham Palmer, a merchant of London, England, and nine associates. They went from Salem, Mass., through a pathless wilderness to a place called by the Indians Mishawam, where they found a man by the name of Thomas Walford, a smith. Here they remained until the next year, when they were joined by nearly one hundred people, who came with Thomas Graves, from Salem and laid the foundation of the town, which they named Charlestown, in honor of King Charles the First, June 2q., 1629. It is claimed that Walter Palmer built the first dwelling house in Charlestown after it was organized as a township, on the two acres of land that were assigned and set to him by the authority of the new town. Walter Palmer's inclinations tended to stock raising and farming, but he soon found his land was inadequate to his business, notwithstanding which he continued to reside in Charlestown until 1643. During his residence there he purchased additional real estate, which he improved in his line of business as best he could. While thus engaged he became acquainted with William Chesebrough, who lived at the time in Boston and Braintree, whose business pursuits were similar to those of Mr. Palmer, and after repeated interviews and consultations, they both decided to remove to the Plymouth Colony, and did so remove their families and with others, joined in the organization of the town of Rehoboth, as an independent township, which was continued as such until they should subject themselves to some other government. Such an organization, largely composed of strangers and situated in a remote part of the colony, was not very well calculated to secure their approval. It does not appear that they intended to establish this new township wholly as an independent organization, for as soon as the preliminary steps necessary for its formation were taken, and after its organization was effected, they elected deputies to the General Court of Plymouth. Walter Palmer was a prominent man when he lived in Massachusetts, and was admitted a freeman there May 18, 1631, and held several local offices in that colony, and such was the estimation in which he was held by the first planters of Rehoboth and the confidence that they reposed in him, that his fellow townsmen elected him as their first representative to the General Court of Plymouth, and subsequently re-elected him to that office and also conferred upon him repeatedly the office of selectman and other local offices. His friend Chesebrough, not relishing the way and manner in which he was treated by the General Court of the Plymouth Colony decided to look farther westward for a permanent place of abode. He visited the then new settlement of New London, by the advice of Mr. John Winthrop, which after a thorough examination thereof, it did not answer his expectations, so he concluded to return homeward, and on his way came through the town of Stonington, Conn., where he visited the beautiful valley of Wequetequock, with which he was so well pleased that he decided to make it his future place of abode. When he reached home and described to his wife and family the situation and advantages of this valley, they all approved of it as a desirable place for their home. Mr. Chesebrough and sons immediately commenced operations for the erection of a dwelling house, fixing its site on the west bank of Wequetequock Cove. The salt marsh lands adjoining the cove furnished hay for the stock, and Mr. Chesebrough and Palmer and all the early settlers until they could clear up land and reduce it to cultivation by English grasses for their cattle. Mr. Chesebrough so far finished his house that he occupied it with his family during the year 1649, and so became the pioneer English planter of the new town now called Stonington.
The Connecticut General Court were not satisfied with his locating himself in the wilderness so far away from any English settlement, so they ordered him to report his proceedings to Maj. John Mason, which resulted in a compromise later on between him and said court, wherein and by which he was to remain in his new habitation on condition that he would induce a reasonable number of creditable persons to unite with him in organizing a new township as hereinbefore stated more at large.
Thomas Stanton, the interpreter general of New England, was the first to join Mr. Chesebrough in the new settlement, and obtained a grant from the General Court in March, 1650, of six acres of planting ground on Pawcatuck River, with liberty to erect a trading house thereon, with feed and mowing of marsh land, according to his present occasions, giving him the exclusive trade of the river for three years next ensuing. Mr. Stanton located his six-acre grant on the west bank of Pawcatuck River, .around a place known as Pawcatuck rock, upon which grant he erected his trading house; and subsequently built him a dwelling house thereon, to which he moved his family in 1651, establishing it as his permanent place of abode, where he lived the remainder of his days. (For further particulars see Stanton family). William Chesebrough, in pursuance of his arrangement with the General Court, invited his friend Walter Palmer, then living in Rehoboth, to come and join him here in the organization of another new township. While Mr. Palmer was considering this proposition, Thomas Miner, who had married his daughter Grace, and was then a resident of New London, was also invited to join the new settlement, which he did, by obtaining a limited grant of land of the town of New London, which he located on the east bank of Wequetequock Cove, and built him a dwelling house thereon, to which he moved his family in the year 1652. The town of New London at the time claimed jurisdiction of the town of Stonington and had granted large tracts of land to William Chesebrough and Thomas Miner, and being anxious to assist Mr. Chesebrough in his efforts to induce a suitable number of prominent men to unite with him in settling a new township here, induced Gov. Haynes to accept of a grant of land of three hundred acres, for a farm lying east and southeast of Chesebrough's land, on the east side of Wequetequock Cove. This grant bore date April 5, 1652. Walter Palmer, who was then prospecting for a tract of land suitable for farming, with salt marsh grass land for his stock, ascertained that Gov. Haynes's grant covered the land he wished to obtain, and so visited the governor, with his sonin-law, Thomas Miner, and his eldest son, John Miner, who had previously learned that the Haynes grant of land embraced in its boundaries his son-in-law's land. But after a friendly interview with the governor, Walter Palmer purchased his grant of land in Stonington, by a contract deed which was witnessed by Thomas and John Miner, agreeing to pay the governor one hundred pounds for the place, with such cattle as Mr. Haynes should select out of Walter Palmer's stock. If any disagreement should arise, as to the price of the stock, it should be decided by indifferent persons. Their contract recognized the title to the house and lands occupied by Mr. Miner, and was dated July 15, 1653. Thomas Miner, Sr., was selected to put Mr. Palmer in possession of the land purchased of Gov. Haynes, and did so by a written instrument, embodying therein a conveyance of his own land, and dwelling house, included in the boundaries of the Haynes land (to Mr. Palmer), reserving the right, however, to occupy his said house until he could build another at Mistuxet, now known as Quiambaug, in Stonington. So 1653 marks the time when Walter Palmer came to Stonington to reside. He and his friend Chesebrough lived within a stone's throw of each other, and after life's fitful fever was ended, departed this life, and both lie buried in the old Wequetequock burial place, with Thomas Stanton, the interpreter general of New England. Walter Palmer was a man well advanced in life when he came to Stonington to reside with his family. He was born in London, England, as early as 1585, and at the time of his settlement here had reached the rugged steep of life's decline. The rough exposure of pioneer life, with its deprivations, seriously affected his health, which was so much impaired that as the chill November days had come, "the saddest of the year," he was gathered not to his fathers, but laid to rest in the old Wequetequock burial place, dying Nov. l0, 1661. Of his family, it may be said that he married in England, long before he came to this country. The name of his first wife has never . Of his family, it may be said that he married in England, long before he came to this country. The name of his first wife has never been recorded. He m. 2d, Rebecca Short, who came to this country in 1632. They were joined in marriage June 1, 1633.
More About Walter PALMER:
Burial: Wequetequock Burying Ground, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticu
Notes for Rebecca SHORT:
In the Roxbury church records "Rebeckah Short a maid servant, she cane in the year 1632 & was married to Palmer a godly man of Charlestown church." It is thought that her parents may have died enroute to the new country and she was placed with a family while aboard ship.
History of Stonington CT, by Wheeler, page 506.
Rebecca came to this country in 1632
Walter Palmer, by Doris Palmer Buys, page 20.
"On 1 June 1633 Walter, his daughter Grace, and his future wife, Rebecca Short, joined Charlestown First Church, Rebecca transferring from the Roxbury Church. She may have been one of the young people whose parents died on the voyage to America and who were put in the care of some family here -- 'bound out' until they were of age. Unlike the Southern states, New England would accept no women of uncertain origin, and the fact that Rebecca was immediately admitted a member of the Roxbury Church and became the wife of an important man shows that she was not an ordinary maid servent."
Page 47,
More About Walter PALMER and Rebecca SHORT:
Marriage: 01 Jun 1633, Roxbury Church
Children of Walter PALMER and Rebecca SHORT are:
947 i. Hannah PALMER, born 16 Jun 1634 in Charlestown, Mass; died Aft. 1701 in Stonington, Conn; married (1) Thomas Hewitt; married (2) John Fish; married (3) Roger STERRY 27 Dec 1671.
ii. Elihu Palmer, born 24 Jan 1635 in Charlestown, MA; died 05 Sep 1665 in Stonington, New London, CT.
iii. Nehemiah Palmer
iv. Moses Palmer
v. Benjamin Palmer, born 30 May 1642 in Charlestown, MA.
vi. Gershom Palmer
vii. Rebecca Palmer
