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Captain William Carpenter
There has been extensive research into many of the
families on these pages. Researchers sometimes come to conflicting
conclusions due to "interpretation of records" or "lack
of records" from our distant past. There is always a possibility
that some relationships, whether children to parents, or, husbands to
wives, are not 100% correct, and are sometimes a "best guess".
Please e-mail me if you have additional information.
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William CARPENTER Capt. was born on May 23 1605, in Wiltshire, England. He died
about Feb 7 1659.
NOTE: A farmer by trade. A Freeman of Weymouth 13 May 1640 and of Rehoboth 28
Mar 1645.
Captain of the Colony
FOUNDER: Captain William Carpenter is considered the founder of the
Rehoboth MA Branch of the Carpenter family.
BIRTH: Probably in Wiltshire England. He spent time in Wherwell (Whirlwell
or Horwell). Born 23 or 25 (in some records) May 1605.
DEATH: 7 Feb 1658/59 in Rehoboth per some records. However this was the
date his will was proven.
BURIAL: His grave is in the Newman Cemetery in Rumford, RI which used to be
part of Rehoboth, MA. His marker is an ordinary field stone with the initials
"W.C." carved with "1658" chiseled below it.
MARRIAGE: Marriage record in the Bishops' Transcripts at Shalbourne
(administered by Wiltshire then, but actually in Berkshire today) indicates he
and Abigail "Briante" were married there on 28 April 1625. Per
American Genealogist, whole number 280, Vol. 70, No. 4 October 1995.
Some records give Abigail Sales (Searles) as wife and others Abigail Bennett,
Ralph his step-brother is also listed as a spouse to Abigail Bennett. It is
likely that this William was married at least twice. Abigail Bennett died in
1687 in Rehoboth. If this is true the first three children were with Abigail
Sales (Searles) and others born to Abigail Bennett. In at least one record,
Abigail Briant (Bryant) is listed as spouse.
CHILDREN: Many researchers try to put a Ephraim (b. 25 April 1651) in
this family but this is in error. Many researchers say that Abraham (b. 9 Feb
1643) is in this family in error also. Yet no other individual comes close to
birth or baptism date. In the children sequence he fits and most likely died
young.
Per "GENEALOGICAL & FAMILY HISTORY OF WESTERN NEW YORK," LEWIS
1912, Page 1253 Much detail given: Will dated 21 Apr 1659, Proved 7 Feb 1659,
and yes they appear backwards. Will done in 1658? He married in England, Abigail
? who died 22 Feb, 1687. *On page 1318: His birth is listed as 25 May 1605.
Records show he was a fine writer, a man of affairs, possessed of much ability.
Other information includes: Deputy to the General Court from Weymouth in
1641-1643 and from Rehoboth in 1645, constable in 1641. He was a close friend to
Governor William Bradford, who married his cousin Alice Carpenter. He bought the
area now called Rehoboth (eight square miles) from Indians. Proprietors clerk
from 1643- 1649. Contributes toward the expenses of King Phillips war in 1647. A
selectman from Rehoboth he was a Captain of the Militia.
Clarification: "HE BOUGHT" - William was a member of the General
Court of Plymouth and used his influence to make a purchase of this land. The
Court conceded to all that he asked as appears from an extract from the
Proprietor's Record (See Vol. I., page 1). The Court appointed Mr. John Brown
and Mr. Edward Winslow to purchase the aforesaid tract of land of Asamacum, the
chief sachem and owner thereof ... See page 38 in the Carpenter Memorial.
REF: B.B. TOPP, Carpenter Chronicles #24, Nov 1995 Contents of pages 298-300 of
Emigration List, BEVIS 1638 "Portus Southon: Southon, (May 1638) The list
of the names of passengers intended to shipe themselves, in the Bevis of Hampton
of CL tommes, Robert Batten, Master, for New England; thus by virtue of the Lord
Treasurers Warrant of the second of May, which was after the restrayne(t) &
they some dayes gone to sea before the King's Mates.
Proclamation come unto Southton." (lists of names)
age name
62 William Carpenter
33 William Carpenter Jun (of Horwell)
32 Abigail Carpenter
10 & under four children
servant
(NOTE: Southon = Southampton)
Through his five sons, Capt. William Carpenter became the father of "The Family of Heroes."
Over 300 of his male lineal descendants (230 proven as of August 1996) served
America in the Revolutionary War. No other American colonial man had as
many. Source: Raymond George Carpenter, American Genealogist for the
Carpenter Family, author of "The Family of Heroes."
BOOK: "The Carpenter Family in America from the Settlement at
Providence, R.I. 1637-1901." By Daniel Hoogland Carpenter of Mapelwood,
Essex, NJ. Publishedy the Marion Press of Jamaica, Queensborough, NY in 1901.
370 Pages. See page 354, Describing the
"Visitation" or census of the College of Arms in 1623 and
1634 where it is shown that there was a number of Carpenter families in Gloucester,
Hereford, Somerset, and Surrey, who made proof of their pedigrees by
presenting arms which were emblazoned in the windows of the Church at Westbury
upon Trin (often called the Worcester Arms).
MISC: Descendants of Captain William Carpenter are eligible for
membership in the "Order of First Families of Rhode
Island and Providence Plantations." For information
contact the "Order" above at 45 East 200 North Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84103.
Will of William Carpenter, 1659 Posted by Donna
Tivener - dtivener@richnet.net on Thu, 27 May 1999
| Captain William Carpenter's Will 1659 |
"In the name of God, Amen, I, William Carpenter, Sr. of Rehoboth,
being in perfect memory at present, blessed be God, do make my last Will
and Testament.
--I give to my son, John Carpenter, one mare, being
the old white mare, and my best doublet and my handsomest coat, and new
cloth to make him a pair of breeches.---I give unto his son beside
twenty shillings to buy him a calf.
---I give to him Mr. Ainsworth's upon the five books of
Moses, Canticles and Psalms, and Mr. Brightman on Revelations, and my
concordance.
--I give to my son William, the young grey mare of
two yearling colts, and five pounds in sugar or wampum, and my (passett)
coate, and one suit of apparel, and Mr. Mahew on the four Evangelists
upon the 14 chapters of Saule (or Paul).
--I give him my Latin books, my Creek grammar and Hebrew
grammar and my Greek Lexicon, and I give him ten (or 5) pounds of cotton
wool; and his son, John twenty shillings to be paid to him a year after
my decease.
--I give to my son, Joseph two of the youngest steers
of the four that were brought to work this year; and to his son, Joseph
twenty shillings, and to Joseph I give one of Perkins' works and of
Barrows upon private contentions called harts (cq) divisions.
__I give to Joseph a suit of better cloths to be given
at his mother's discretion, and I give him a green serge coat and ten
pounds of cotton wool, and a match lock gun.
--I give to my daughter, Hannah half of my Common at
Pawtuxet, and one third of my impropriate, only my meadow excepted, and
my home lot, and that land I had laid out to cousin that I had for the
low lands cousin Carpenter that I had by. (NOTE: dmt. No doubt refers to
exchange of lands or land purchased of Joseph Carpenter, son of William
Carpenter of Providence, Rhode Island.)
--) I give to my daughter Hannah one yearling heifer,
also I give to Hannah her Bible, the practice of piety and the volume of
prayer, and one ewe at the island, and twenty pounds of cotton, and six
pounds of wool.
--I give to my son Abiah (Abijah) the rest of my
lands at Pawtuxet, and the meadow, after my decease; and his mother and
Samuel to help him to build a house because Samuel has a house built
already. Only if my wife marry again, she shall have nothing to do with
that land.
--I give to my daughter, Abigail, one young mare, a
three-year old bay mare, and if the mare should be dead at Spring, she
shall have fifteen pounds in her stead, within one year after my
decease.
--I give twenty shillings to John Titus, his for to
be paid a year after my decease; but if John Titus comes to dwell and
take the house and land, which I sent him word he shall have if he come.
then he shall have the land and not the money.
--I give to my son Samuel one-half my land which I now
live upon (and two pens of the young sheep, two cows, one bull) and he
now lives on, with his furniture and half of my working tools; and Abish,
the other half; and Samuel to have on book of Psalms, a Dictionary, and
a Gun and my best coat, and one ewe at the island.
--I give to my wife the other half of the land I now
live upon, for her life time, and the use of my household stuff, carts
and plows, if she marry not. But if she marry, she shall have a third
part in my land and Samuel, the rest; and she shall have four oxen, one
mare, which is called the black mare, four cows, one bed and its
furniture, one pot, one good kettle and one little, and one skillet, and
half of the pewter her lifetime, and then to give it up to the children;
and if she does not marry, to have the rest of my land at Pawtuxet,
which remaineth, that which is left which is not given to my daughter,
Hannah, and that which is left Abiah to have after my wife's decease; if
she marry, to have it the next year after.
--I give to my wife those books of Perkins, called
Christ's Sermon on the Mount, the good Bible, Burroughs Jewell of
Contentment, the oil of Gladness. I give her two hundred of sugar. __My
wife is to have the room I now lodge in, and the chamber over, and to
have liberty to come to the fire and do her occasions, and she shall
have the meadow that was made in John Titus lot because it is near, and
she is to have a way to the swamp through the lot. And if John Titus
come, Samuel is to have two acres out of his lot that is not broken up,
and my wife is to have the rest; and Samuel to break it up for her.
Also, I give to my wife (corn) towards housekeeping and the cloth in the
house toward the clothing herself, and children with her, and twine that
she hath to serve towards housekeeping, and three acres at the Island.
--I give to Abiah a yearling mare colt, being the
white mare's colt, and one yearling heifer, and Dr. Jarvi's Catechism,
and Helens History of the World, and one ewe...about my wife's occasion
when she was at the Island. (Abiah was to care for her when at the
Island.)
--When the legacies are paid out, the remainder is to be
disposed among the children at the discretion of my wife and the
overseers.
Memorandum:---If my son Titus come and do possess the
land, I said he should have, as namely the house land and orchard, and
corn. Joseph had the land in two divisions, the fresh meadow, salt one
last laid out, and not the fresh I fenced in, and to pay the reates for,
for that he do agree, and if he go from it, he shall not sell it to any
but his brother Samuel or his mother.
--This is my Will and Testament, to which I set my hand.
William Carpenter of Rehoboth, the day and year before written.
--I make my wife the Executrix, and my Overseer to be
Richard Bowen, and John Allen is to be helpful to my wife, and I appoint
my brother Carpenter to help, and to have ten shillings for their
pains.." |
The above Will of William Carpenter of
Rehoboth, Mass. was attested on April 21, 1659. The original copy at the
Plymouth, Mass. courthouse can still be read, but with difficulty.
Abigail BRIANT was born on May 27 1604 in Shalbourne,
Wiltshire, England. She died on Feb 22 1686/87 in W.P., Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.
Per Bishop's Transcripts from Shalbourne Parish, Wiltshire (now Berkshire) shows
that William Carpenter was married there on 28 April 1625 to Abigail
"Briante," who was baptised at Shalbourne on 27 May 1604, the daughter
of John and Alice Briant.
Children of William Carpenter and Abigail Briant were:
i. John CARPENTER Capt. was christened on Oct 8 1626 in Shalbourne,
Wiltshire, England. He died on May 23 1695 in Jamaica, Long Island, NY. Number
17 in the Carpenter Memorial. Family on page 50. Extensive notes on page 43 and
44. Captain of a Military Company.
ii. Abigail CARPENTER was born on May 31 1629 in Shalbourne, Wiltshire,
England. She was christened on Apr 9 1643 in Weymouth, Norfolk, MA. She died on
Mar 5 1710 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA. Number 22 in the Carpenter Memorial on page
47.
iii. William CARPENTER 4th was christened on Nov 22 1631 in Shalbourne,
Wiltshire, England. He died on Jan 26 1702/3 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA. He was
buried in Rehoboth Cem., East Providence, Providence, RI. Number 18 in the
Carpenter Memorial on page 44. Family is number 9 on page 51.
iv. Joseph CARPENTER was christened on Apr 6 1634 in Shalbourne,
Berkshire, England. He died on May 6 1675/76 in Swansey, Bristol, MA. He was
buried on May 8 1676 in Barrington, Providence, RI. !Number 19 in the Carpenter
Memorial on page 45. Family on page 58 (#10).
v. Samuel CARPENTER was christened on Mar 1 1636/37 in Shalbourne,
Berkshire, England. He was buried on Apr 20 1637/38 in Shalbourne, Berkshire,
England. BAPTISM: Per the American Genealogist, whole number 280, Vol. 70, No. 4
October 1995, page 2 which gives baptism and death date.
vi. Samuel CARPENTER.
vii. Hannah CARPENTER was born on Apr 3 1640 in Weymouth, Norfolk, MA.
She died between 1670 and 1673 in Musceta Cove, Long Island, NY. She was buried
between 1670 and 1673 in Oyster Bay, Nassau, NY. Number 20 on page 46 of the
Carpenter Memorial.
viii. Abraham CARPENTER was christened on Apr 9 1643 in Weymouth,
Norfolk, MA. He died before 1650. "Abraham sonne of W Carpenter borne 9 (2)
1643." He may have died young. He was baptised in Weymouth on 9 Apr 1643
with Abiah and Abigail. It is possible he was not of this family, or died, as
mentioned above, young.
ix. Abiah CARPENTER was christened on Apr 9 1643 in Weymouth, Norfolk,
MA. He died in 1699 in Pawtuxet, , RI. . Number 21 in the Carpenter Memorial -
Family is number 11.
x. Ephraim CARPENTER not proven was born on Apr 25 1651 in Weymouth,
Norfolk, MA. He died on Apr 30 1713 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.
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