According to his gravestone, William PALMER died on May 4, 1800 in in his 79th year (i.e. b.c. 1721). No suitable baptism has been found for a William PALMER in the Rothwell Parochial Registers over 1710-1753 period. Nevertheless, Ralph PALMER of Orton was buried in Rothwell on January 8, 1746/47, and as Ralph PALMER husbandman of Rothwell, he left a Will made on December 1, 1746, and proved on March 14, 1746/47, by his eldest son, William PALMER and his wife, Susannah PALMER, the residue of his estate going to them (his 2 executors). Susannah PALMER of Orton, widow, left a Will made on July 13, 1763, and proved on April 9, 1768, by her eldest son, William PALMER. Ann DUNMORE (Apparently the Ann DUNMORE, who was to marry her son, William PALMER, in the following year) and Robt DEXTER were witnesses to this Will, and the son, William PALMER received the residue of her estate, after £30 had been paid to her son, John PALMER.
Then, Ralph PALMER, "husbband man of Orton" made a Will on October 30, 1709, making his mark as signature. His son Ralph PALMER (probably the one above who died in 1746/47) was the executor and inheritor of the residue of his estate. Ralph PALMER of Orton was buried in Rothwell on November 3, 1711. In his Will he made the following bequests:
to “my Sun John PALMER” (1s)
to “my dafter Mary DEXTER” (1s)
to “my Sun John BORSWORTH” (1s)
to “my Daftor Ann OLBY” (1s)
to “my Daftor Dorothy PALMER” (£20)
to “my Dafter Sarah MILLER” (1s)
to “my Dafter Hannah PALMER” (£20)
to “my son William PALMER” (1s)
The Will was proved on November 13, 1711. Does any of this strike a cord with anyone else?
