Johannes Palm

Who was Johannes Palm?

Johannes Palm, whose name is often anglicized to John Palm, is given credit for founding Palmyra, Pennsylvania. He was a prominent figure in the early days of the community, who served his country as a doctor and soldier.

Johannes Palm was born in Heilsbronn to Matthias and Sibylla Palm on July 15, 1713. In 1739, Palm moved to Backnang, near Stuttgart. He married Christina Dorothea Kern on August 2, 1740. After a visit to Amsterdam, Palm began to study medicine in Württemberg. He was most likely aided by relatives, as many physicians and druggists in Württemberg at that time held the Palm family name. Palm left Germany, and arrived in Philadelphia in 1749. He first settled in Northern New Jersey, near Elizabeth. After the death of his wife, he married Catharine Salome Fenger around 1754. He would outlive her as well.

On June 17, 1766, Palm secured his 100-acre plot from Conrad Raisch. Palm was the third owner of the tract since it was surveyed for Johannes Deininger in 1751. This tract can be located today using Railroad St. as the eastern border, Maple St. as the southern border, and the Dauphin County Line as the western border.