William Carpenter1
M, b. 1605, d. 2 February 1658/59
William was born in 1605 in London, County Middlesex, England. He was the son of William Carpenter. William married Abigail Briant on 28 April 1625 in Shalbourne, Berkshire, England, at St Michael's & All Angel's Church.2 In May 1638, William & his wife, Abigail, sailed from Southampton, England aboard the ship, "Bevis", under the command of Captain Robert Batten, bound for New England. Listed among the 61 passengers were William Carpenter aged 33 years, his wife Abigail aged 32 years & there were 4 children under the age of 10, along with his father, William Carpenter aged 62 years & servant: Thomas Banshott aged 14 years..3 William was admitted as a freeman of Weymouth, 13 May 1640. The first settlement of the colony consisted of 58 members from Weymoth who drew lots of land on 31 June 1644. William was one of these men and upon laying out the town, William's house lot was located next to the meeting house. Family and public records indicate that William, William Carpenter of Providence and Gov. Bradford were the principals primarily responsible for the creation of the Colony of Rehoboth. He made his will the 10th day 10th month 1658
The will of " Wiliam Carpenter Senir of Rehoboth late Deceased exhibited before Captaine Thomas Willett Major Josias Winslow and Mr Willam Bradford ; the 21 of Aprill 1659"
"Dated the 10th month the 10th Day of the month - - - 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 dublet and my handsomest coat and new cloth to make him a paire of breeches. Item I give unto his son besides twenty shillings to buy him a Calf. Item I give to him Mr Ainsworth upon the five bookes of Moses Canticles and Psalms and Mr Brightman on Revelation and my Concordance - - - Item - - - I give to my son William the younge gray mare, or two yearling Colts, and five ponds in sugar or wampam and my russett coate and one suite of apparel, and Mr Mayhew on the 4 Evangelists upon the 14 Epistles of Saule [or Paul]. Item - - - I give to him my Latin books, my greeke Gramer and Hebrew Grammer and my Greeke Lexicon and I give him 10 pounds of Cotten woole and to his son John, twenty shillings to bee payed to him within a yeare after my Decease - - - Item I give to my son Joseph two of the youngest steers of the four that was brought to worke this yeare and to his son Joseph twenty shillings and to Joseph I give one of Perkins workes and of Barrows upon private Contensions Called harts Divisions. - - - I give to Joseph a suite of better Clothes, to bee given att his mothers Discretion and I give him a green serge Coate and 10s pound of Cotten woole and a match lock gun. Item - - - I give to my Daughter Hannah half of my Common att Pawtuxet, and one third of my land Impropriate, only my meadow excepted and my home lot, and that land that I had layed out to cousin that I had for the low land Cousin Carpenter had by. Item - - - I give to my daughter Hannah one yearling heifer, also I give Hannah her Bible, the practice of piety and the volume of prayer, and one Ewe at the Island, and twenty pounds of Cotten and six ponds of wool. Item - - - I give to my son Abiah the Rest of my land at Pawtuxet and the meadow, after my Decease; and his mother and Samuel to help him to build a house, because Samuell hath a house built already. Only if my wife marry againe shee shall have nothing to Doe with that land. - - -
I give to my Daughter Abigail, one young mare, a three yeare old Bay mare, and if the mare should bee Dead at Spring she shall have fifteen pounds in her stead, within one yeare after my Decease. Item - - - I give twenty shillings to John Titus his for to be paid a yeare 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 mare. Item - - - I give to my son Samuel one halfe of my land which I now live upon [and two pens of the young sheep, two cows, one bull] and he now lives on, with the furniture, and halfe my working tools; and Abiah the other half; and Samuell to have one booke of Psalms, a Dictionary, and a gun, and my best coat and one ewe at the Island. Item - - - I give to my wife the other half of my land I now live upon, her life time, and the use of my houshold stuff carts and plowes if shee marry not ; but if shee marry shee shall have a third part in my land and Samuell the Rest ; and shee shall have foure oxen one mare that is called the black mare, four Cowes one bedd and its furniture one pott one great kittle and one little one and one skillett halfe the pewter her life time then to yeild it up to the Children ; and if shee Doe not marry to have the use of my land att Patuxett that which Remaines that which is left which is not given to my Daughter hannah ; and that which is left Abiah to have after my wifes Decease ; if shee marry to 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 alf the pewter her life time, and then give it up to the children: and if she does not marry, to have the rest of the land at Pawtucket, which remaineth, that which is left 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. Item - - - I give to my wife those books of Perkins Called Chris'ts Sermon on the Mount, the good Bible, Burroughs Jewell of Contentmen, the oyle of Gladness. Item - - - I give her two hundred of sugar. Item - - - My wife is to have the room I now lodge in, and the Chamber over it, and to have libertie to come to the fire and to Doe 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 house keeping and the cloth in the house towards the clothing herself and children with her, and twine that she hath to serve towards houskeeping, and three acres at the Island. Item - - - I give to Abiah a yearling mare colt, being the white mare's Colt and one yearling heifer, and Dr. Jarvis Catechism, and Helens History of the World, and one ewe and about my wifes occasion when she was at the Island. Item - - - When the legacies are payed out the Remainder is to be Disposed among the Children at the Discretion of my wife and the overseers. Memorandum - - - if my son Titus comes and Doe 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 layed out ; and not the fresh I fenced in, and to pay the Rates for for that he do agree and if hee goe from it hee shall not sell it to any but his brother Samuell or his mother.
This is my Will and Testament to which I set my hand - - - William Carpenter of Rehoboth - - - the day and year above written - - - I make my wife my sole Executrix and my overseers to be Richard Bowen and John Allen and to helpfull to my wife, and I appoint my brother Carpenter to help and to have ten shillings apeece for their paines " - - -The witnesses were John Pecke and Richard Bullocke.
.4,5 William departed this life on Sunday, 2 February 1658/59 in Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts. The inventory of William's estate was taken on Friday, 21 February 1658/59 by Stephen Paine, Sr., Richard Bowin, Sr., and John Allin, Sr., "and Willam Carpenter of Patuxett ". The real estate was appraised as follows : "the house and land and accomodation att Rehoboth " £1130 ; " the land and meddow att Patuxett " £60.6
His will was probated on 21 April 1659.
The will of " Wiliam Carpenter Senir of Rehoboth late Deceased exhibited before Captaine Thomas Willett Major Josias Winslow and Mr Willam Bradford ; the 21 of Aprill 1659"
"Dated the 10th month the 10th Day of the month - - - 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 dublet and my handsomest coat and new cloth to make him a paire of breeches. Item I give unto his son besides twenty shillings to buy him a Calf. Item I give to him Mr Ainsworth upon the five bookes of Moses Canticles and Psalms and Mr Brightman on Revelation and my Concordance - - - Item - - - I give to my son William the younge gray mare, or two yearling Colts, and five ponds in sugar or wampam and my russett coate and one suite of apparel, and Mr Mayhew on the 4 Evangelists upon the 14 Epistles of Saule [or Paul]. Item - - - I give to him my Latin books, my greeke Gramer and Hebrew Grammer and my Greeke Lexicon and I give him 10 pounds of Cotten woole and to his son John, twenty shillings to bee payed to him within a yeare after my Decease - - - Item I give to my son Joseph two of the youngest steers of the four that was brought to worke this yeare and to his son Joseph twenty shillings and to Joseph I give one of Perkins workes and of Barrows upon private Contensions Called harts Divisions. - - - I give to Joseph a suite of better Clothes, to bee given att his mothers Discretion and I give him a green serge Coate and 10s pound of Cotten woole and a match lock gun. Item - - - I give to my Daughter Hannah half of my Common att Pawtuxet, and one third of my land Impropriate, only my meadow excepted and my home lot, and that land that I had layed out to cousin that I had for the low land Cousin Carpenter had by. Item - - - I give to my daughter Hannah one yearling heifer, also I give Hannah her Bible, the practice of piety and the volume of prayer, and one Ewe at the Island, and twenty pounds of Cotten and six ponds of wool. Item - - - I give to my son Abiah the Rest of my land at Pawtuxet and the meadow, after my Decease; and his mother and Samuel to help him to build a house, because Samuell hath a house built already. Only if my wife marry againe shee shall have nothing to Doe with that land. - - -
I give to my Daughter Abigail, one young mare, a three yeare old Bay mare, and if the mare should bee Dead at Spring she shall have fifteen pounds in her stead, within one yeare after my Decease. Item - - - I give twenty shillings to John Titus his for to be paid a yeare 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 mare. Item - - - I give to my son Samuel one halfe of my land which I now live upon [and two pens of the young sheep, two cows, one bull] and he now lives on, with the furniture, and halfe my working tools; and Abiah the other half; and Samuell to have one booke of Psalms, a Dictionary, and a gun, and my best coat and one ewe at the Island. Item - - - I give to my wife the other half of my land I now live upon, her life time, and the use of my houshold stuff carts and plowes if shee marry not ; but if shee marry shee shall have a third part in my land and Samuell the Rest ; and shee shall have foure oxen one mare that is called the black mare, four Cowes one bedd and its furniture one pott one great kittle and one little one and one skillett halfe the pewter her life time then to yeild it up to the Children ; and if shee Doe not marry to have the use of my land att Patuxett that which Remaines that which is left which is not given to my Daughter hannah ; and that which is left Abiah to have after my wifes Decease ; if shee marry to 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 alf the pewter her life time, and then give it up to the children: and if she does not marry, to have the rest of the land at Pawtucket, which remaineth, that which is left 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. Item - - - I give to my wife those books of Perkins Called Chris'ts Sermon on the Mount, the good Bible, Burroughs Jewell of Contentmen, the oyle of Gladness. Item - - - I give her two hundred of sugar. Item - - - My wife is to have the room I now lodge in, and the Chamber over it, and to have libertie to come to the fire and to Doe 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 house keeping and the cloth in the house towards the clothing herself and children with her, and twine that she hath to serve towards houskeeping, and three acres at the Island. Item - - - I give to Abiah a yearling mare colt, being the white mare's Colt and one yearling heifer, and Dr. Jarvis Catechism, and Helens History of the World, and one ewe and about my wifes occasion when she was at the Island. Item - - - When the legacies are payed out the Remainder is to be Disposed among the Children at the Discretion of my wife and the overseers. Memorandum - - - if my son Titus comes and Doe 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 layed out ; and not the fresh I fenced in, and to pay the Rates for for that he do agree and if hee goe from it hee shall not sell it to any but his brother Samuell or his mother.
This is my Will and Testament to which I set my hand - - - William Carpenter of Rehoboth - - - the day and year above written - - - I make my wife my sole Executrix and my overseers to be Richard Bowen and John Allen and to helpfull to my wife, and I appoint my brother Carpenter to help and to have ten shillings apeece for their paines " - - -The witnesses were John Pecke and Richard Bullocke.
.4,5 William departed this life on Sunday, 2 February 1658/59 in Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts. The inventory of William's estate was taken on Friday, 21 February 1658/59 by Stephen Paine, Sr., Richard Bowin, Sr., and John Allin, Sr., "and Willam Carpenter of Patuxett ". The real estate was appraised as follows : "the house and land and accomodation att Rehoboth " £1130 ; " the land and meddow att Patuxett " £60.6
His will was probated on 21 April 1659.
Children of William Carpenter and Abigail Briant
- John Carpenter b. b 8 Oct 1626, d. b 23 May 1695
- Abigail Carpenter b. b 31 May 1629, d. 5 Mar 1710
- William Carpenter b. b 22 Nov 1631, d. 26 Jan 1703
- Joseph Carpenter b. b 6 Apr 1634, d. b 6 May 1675
- Samuel Carpenter b. b 1 Mar 1636/37
- Samuel Carpenter b. 1638, d. 20 Feb 1682/83
- Hannah Carpenter+ b. 3 Apr 1640, d. b 8 Jun 1673
- Abiah Carpenter b. 9 Apr 1643, d. b 1699
Citations
- [S39] Amos Bugbee Carpenter, A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family In America, pages 35-50.
- [S2572] Eugene Cole Zubrinsky, The Family of William Carpenter of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, page 194.
- [S742] Michael Tepper, New World Immigrants - A Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists & Associated Data From Periodical Literature, May 1638, passengers from Southampton intended for New England by the "Bevis" of [South] Hampton, Mr. Robert Batten - William Carpenter of Wherwell, Haunts, carpenter, age 62, William Carpenter of Wherwell, carpenter, age 33, Abigail Carpenter age 32, 4 children under 10, servant Thomas Banshott 14.
- [S1208] Plymouth Colony Wills & Inventories, pages 231-233 - Will of William Carpenter dated: 10 December & probated: 21 April 1659.
- [S39] Amos Bugbee Carpenter, A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family In America, pages 40-41.
- [S1208] Plymouth Colony Wills & Inventories, page 233 - Inventory of William Carpenter dated: 21 February 1658.