William Carpenter

February 16, 2013 — Rehoboth, Rhode Island, William Carpenter

Ship Bevis log

Old Rehoboth Cemetery

William Carpenter was a notable town clerk of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. He is from the Carpenter family that became large and influential in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts by the 1700s.
Early Life
William Carpenter, Jr. was baptized on November 22, 1631. His parents were William Carpenter, III and Abigail Briant (sometimes erroneously reported as Bennett or Sale/Seals/Searles), both originally from Wiltshire. Since his family was able to bring a servant with them to Plymouth Colony, it is likely that they came from some affluence.
Carpenter’s place of baptism is variously recorded as Shalbourne, Berkshire, England or Southampton, Wiltshire, England. (Sources also differ on whether it was the Shalbourne in Berkshire, Wiltshire, or the non-existent “Whitshire.”) Professional genealogist Eugene Cole Zubrinsky, author of the Carpenters’ Encyclopedia, maintains that it was Shalbourne, Berkshire based on primary source records. The confusion could be blamed on Shalbourne having been split between Berkshire and Wiltshire around 1841, since it had straddled the line, with some records going to one county and some going to the other. Southampton, meanwhile, was the family’s departure port from England, explaining why some list Carpenter as having been born there.
Arrival in America
By May 2, 1638, Carpenter and his family set sail from Southampton, Hampshire, England on the Bevis, arriving at Boston in July or July. (The passenger list said that by May 2, “they had been some Dayes gone to sea,” so the exact date of departure is unknown.) The family’s full entry said:
William Carpenter 62 Carpenter of Horwell, William Carpenter Jr. 33 Carpenter of Horwell, Abigael Carpenter 32 and 4 children 10 and under, Tho: Banshott 14 Servant
A scan of the log can be seen in the “Photos” section of this profile; a more legible transcription is available throughOlive Tree Genealogy.
The family first settled in Weymouth, and then moved to Rehoboth in 1644.
Marriages & Children
Carpenter’s first marriage was to Priscilla Bennett on October 5, 1651 at Rehoboth. It is unclear whether she was the daughter or widow of Edward Bennett of Weymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony. She died on October 20, 1663 in Rehoboth.
His second marriage was to Miriam Sale on February 10, 1663/4. (It is sometimes recorded as December since the original record, following the old calendar, called February the “12 month.”) She was born c. 1645 and died on May 1, 1722 at Rehoboth. She was the daughter of Edward sale of Weymouth and Rehoboth and was approximately 20 years old at the time of her marriage.
With his first wife, Carpenter had (all in Rehoboth):
John Carpenter, b. October 19, 1652, d. probably April 9, 1713 in Dedham, Massachusetts
William Carpenter, b. June 20, 1659, d. March 10, 1718/9 in Attleborough, Massachusetts
Priscilla Carpenter Sweet, b. July 24, 1661, d. 1745 in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
Benjamin Carpenter, b. October 20, 1663, d. April 18, 1738 in Coventry, Connecticut
With his second wife, Carpenter had (all in Rehoboth):
Josiah Carpenter, b. December 18, 1664, d. February 28 or 29, 1727/8 in Rehoboth
Nathaniel Carpenter, b. May 12, 1667, d. Rehoboth or Attleborough
Daniel Carpenter, b. October 8, 1669, d. September 14, 1721 in Rehoboth
Noah Carpenter, b. March 28, 1672, d. Attleborough
Miriam Carpenter Bliss, b. October 26, 1674, d. May 21, 1706 in Rehoboth
Obadiah Carpenter, b. March 12, 1677/8, d. October 25, 1749 in Rehoboth
Lt. Ephraim Carpenter, b. April 25, 1681, d. April 30, 1743 in Rehoboth
Hannah Carpenter Chaffee, b. April 10, 1684, d. after January 19, 1767 probably in Rehoboth
Abigail Carpenter Perrin, b. April 15, 1687, d. January 15, 1781 in Rehoboth
The Carpenter family house was on the left-hand side of the road from Rehoboth to the East Providence meetinghouse, “some 50 or 60 rods from the crossing of the Ten Mile river.”
Professional Life
Carpenter was propounded on June 6, 1660 in Weymouth but not admitted as a freeman until June 1, 1663.
Fitting with his surname, Carpenter was originally a carpenter. Records show him owning a “long Cross cutt saw” that he used at his home and which he later willed, along with assorted tools, to his son John, also a carpenter.
For nearly 35 years, Carpenter served as the town clerk of Rehoboth. His records are notable due to his exceptional handwriting and general literacy, which point to some formal education in his background. He also owned a small library of mostly theological books.
Records show that, while serving as clerk, he oversaw the highways, served as constable and juryman, was appointed to settle boundary disputes, helped hired the schoolmaster, served as magistrate, and was otherwise involved in all aspects of local governance.
Deacon or Deputy?
In his 1898 genealogy, Amos Carpenter said that William Carpenter was a deacon of the Rehoboth church and a deputy to the General Court of Plymouth Colony in 1668. Although these “facts” continue to be passed down through some branches of the family, Zubrinsky has conclusively shown that neither could have been true. Although Carpenter’s father served as deputy to the General Court in 1656, Carpenter himself never appears on any list of deputies. Furthermore, the original records of the Rehoboth church list a Deacon Cooper, not Carpenter. Even though he served as neither deacon nor deputy, he continues to be popularly known as “Deacon” simply due to the number of years for which the myth was propagated.
Death & Legacy
Carpenter’s will was dated November 10, 1702 and was proved April 20, 1703. His entire estate, including housing and lands, was worth £215 5s. 4d., or roughly £16,500/US$27,700 in 2011 figures.
Carpenter was buried at Newman Cemetery, one of the oldest (established in 1643) in present-day Rhode Island but which was, at the time of its founding, part of Rehoboth and Plymouth Colony. His parents are also buried in the same cemetery.
Additional Reading
Zubrinsky’s profile of William is perhaps the best available. It is uploaded in the “Documents” section of this profile.
The Wikipedia on the Rehoboth Carpenter family is a good starting point for learning about the family’s spread and influence over time.
Amos Carpenter’s A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family in America, often referred to as “The Carpenter Memorial,” was printed in 1898 and serves as the basis for most modern genealogies. Press of Carpenter & Morehouse, Amherst, Mass., 1898) However, due to the problems noted above with his biographical sketch of Carpenter, it must be read with caution.
Sources
Beers, J. H. Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1912.
Carpenter, Amos B. A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family in America. Amherst, Mass.: Carpenter & Morehouse Press, 1898.
Zubrinsky, Eugene Cole. “William Carpenter of Rehoboth, Massachusetts.” Carpenters’ Encyclopedia, updated January 18, 2011.
This biographical profile was written in May 2011 by J. Ashley Odell for Geni. It should not be reposted elsewhere without full attribution.

Grave of William Carpenter