William Palmer's father

Clues to possible origins

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Palmer-345

In 2013, in Caleb Johnson's article entitled "Possible Clues to the English Origins of Fortune Passenger William Palmer" he shares research showing that William Palmer was perhaps the son of William Palmer, Sr., and his wife Alice Knight, baptized at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, August 13, 1581. This was the same parish in which Stephen Hopkins's baptism entry is found three baptismal entries before William's. The connection is further supported by Johnson's research in which he quotes a letter written by Plymouth Colony Governor, William Bradford, and his assistant Isaac Allerton, dated September 8,1623, referring to Stephen Hopkins' brother providing nails to be used in Plymouth Colony. William Palmer was the only known nailer in Plymouth Colony, and was perhaps a brother-in-law to Bradford.[1]

In the letter mentioned above, Bradford wrote, "...we have had of his brother here...", which suggests that Hopkins' "brother" was in Plymouth in 1623. In 1627, William Palmer and his wife Frances are included within Stephen Hopkins' household. Despite doing further research, Caleb could not find an obvious connection between the Stephen Hopkins and William Palmer families such that the specific nature of their "brotherhood" could be determined. Johnson offers several ideas, and suggests that a clue may be related to the will of Alice Palmer of Wherwell (which borders Upper Clatford), dated February 21, 1624-5 in which she mentions her son Stephen Palmer (Stephen being an uncommon first name), and a small debt to Henry Hopkins.[1]

Johnson acknowledges Anderson's work in The Great Migration Begins, in which Anderson estimated that Palmer was born by 1581; the baptism entry Caleb found fits with Anderson's estimate.[1] Perhaps more research will uncover additional information.

According to Anderson in The Great Migration Begins ..., William Palmer was born c. 1581, based on the estimated date of his first marriage. His origin is unknown,[2] but may have been England.[3]