William Carpenter

  Noted events in his life were:

• Probate, 7 Feb.

• Immigration, 1638. Came to America on the ship "Bevis"

• Occupation: carpenter.

• Property: tenements and gardens, 1625, Houndsith.

• will, 10 Dec. Notes for William Carpenter I: WILLIAM, Weymouth, came in the Bevis 1638, from Southampton, aged 62, a carpenter from Horwell, says the clearance at custom ho. with William, 33, prob. his s. and Abigail, w. of the latter, 32, and four gr.ch. “of ten yrs. old or less,” not nam. in that docum. was freem. 13 May 1640, rep. 1641, and 3, and d. in the winter of 1659, 60. His will, of 10 Dec. pro. 7 Feb. foll. names s. John and his s. but of this br. nothing is seen after; William, and his s. John; Joseph, and his s. Joseph; Abijah; Samuel; Hannah; and Abigail; and gives to s. of John Titus, wh. had m. testator's d. But I fear some incongr. of time will hardly be reconcil.

• lived: the City of London.

• Family Origin. William came to America in 1638 in the ship "Bevis" with his son. He returned to England and died there. Per 1898 Book. The American Genealogist, number 280, Vol. 70, No. 4 October 1995 indicates he died during the voyage to New England in the Bevis or shortly thereafter. While many records profess his return to England, no record has been found to prove this.

Marriage date and children seem to indicate two marriages. First one about 1598? Second in 1605. Yet another record indicates that William married Mary Batt in 1595 at Old Salisbury Parish. The 1605 date was probably for Alice who was buried in Shalbourne. Different Carpenter histories seems to only allow for one marriage, but two seems the case.

PER "GENEALOGICAL & FAMILY HISTORY OF WESTERN NEW YORK" LEWIS, 1912: PAGE 1252,53: .was born in England in 1576. He came to America with his wife and son William, in the ship "Bevis," in 1638, and returned in the same ship to England. He was a resident of London. PAGE 1318: , third son of William Carpenter, born 1576, was a Carpenter by trade and resided in London. He rented tenements and gardens in Houndsditch. Being a Dissenter, he was driven to Whirwell to escape persecution, and took the opportunity to join his sons in emigrating to America. He was not contented on this side, however, and returned to England in the ship which brought him.

• Family Origin. William (Sr)10 Carpenter (Robert9, William8, Robert7, Richard R6, William5, John4, John (Sr)3, Richard2, John1) was born 1576 in Marden, Wiltshire, England (Source: Hallard), and died Aft. 1638 in England (Source: Hallard). He married Mary Batt 1605 (Source: The Carpenter Family News-Journal December 1971). She was born 1580 (Source: William A Haslun.).

Notes for William (Sr) Carpenter: William of Horwell (Wherewell)

The following is from the research of James H Gordon:

William Carpenter, son of Robert Carpenter of Marden, England, was born in 1576 and was a carpenter by trade. He lived in the City of London. He rented certain tenements and gardens in Houndsith in 1625, to him demised for 41 years with a covenant to build with five years, which tenements and gardens were heretofore conveyed to the City's use for the support of the Carpenters Free School by John Carpenter, Town Clerk of London. This William progenitor of the Rehoboth family, came over in the ship "Bevis" with his son John, son's wife Abigail, and their three children. He registered at Southampton at the time of the emigration, as a carpenter by trade and as coming from Wherwell (Howell), but it is evident that he was a resident of London. It appears that all of the family were dissenters and consequently obliged to leave the City of London for a more quiet place.

It is a well known fact that William Carpenter (Sr) who came to America in the ship "Bevis", returned to England in the same ship leaving his son William (Jr) and son's wife Abigail, and their three children, at Weymouth, Massachusetts.

William Carpenter(Jr) was admitted a freeman of Weymouth, Mass. on 13 May 1640; was Representative of Weymouth in 1641 and 1643, a Constable in 1641, and a Representative from the Town of Rehoboth in 1645. He was admitted as an inhabitant of Rehoboth, Mass. 28 Mar 1645. In June of that same year, he and others were made freemen of Rehoboth.

The town records of Rehoboth commenced in 1643. The territory of the town included what is now called Attleboro, Seakonk, and a part of Cumberland, Swansea, and East Providence. Many of the Carpenter residents of these town are treated as being residents of the old town of Rehoboth although they may have resided in some of the other towns.

The last will and Testament of William Carpenter (Sr) of Rehoboth, late deceased, exhibited before Captain Thomas Willette, Major Josiah Winslow, and Mr. William Bradford, the 21st of April 1659, Dated the 10th month, the 10th day of the month. (Note: For complete will see pages 40-43 of "The Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family in America." by Amos B. Carpenter. Amherst, Mass. 1898)

From William Haslun 12/1999:

Born 1576 in Harwell (Horil, Horwell, Howell, Wherwell) England.

William gathered his son William, age 33, daughter-in-law Abigail, age 32, 4 grandchildren (John, Abigail, William and Joseph) and a servant, and sailed on the ship "Bevis" from Southampton May 2, 1638. They arrived in Plymouth, Ma. William's cousin, the widow Alice Carpenter Southworth, (b. 3 Aug 1590 d. 26 mar 1670 Plymouth, Ma.) had preceded him to America and married Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Colony 14 Aug 1623. She was the daughter of Alexander Carpenter, 1560-1612, and Priscilla Dillon, 1560 - 1653. They married in Bath, England about 1581. William apparently was not happy in New England, or else missed Old England, for some believe he returned on the "Bevis". Others say he died on the way to America or shortly after arrival. No further record is found. some records show incorrectly that his wife was Abigail. There is no record of any wife on the ship "Bevis". There is a record on an Alice Carpenter buried in Shalbourne on 25 Jan 1638, age 62.

His brother, Richard, had a son named William. This William came to new England in 1636 and with Roger Williams was one of the 12 original proprietors of the Providence Plantation.

He married Mary Batt, about 1604. Born 1580

6/6/97 received Shalbourne Parish information and the following about William:

Notes for Mary Batt: From The Carpenter Family News-Journal Dec. 1971:

Batt/Bath--William Carpenter married Mary Bath(t) in 1605, according to Old Salisbury parish records. 1)

William married Mary Batt, daughter of Richard Batt and Agnes Danyell, in 1605 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. (Mary Batt was born on 7 Aug 1584 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England and died before May 1638 in Wherewell, Hampshire, England.)

William next married Alice Unknown. (Alice Unknown was born about 1580 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England and died on 25 Jan 1638 in Shalbourne, Wiltshire, England.)