William Carpenter was born in England about 1575 and lived for many years in the Wiltshire part of Shalbourne Parish. With son William II and the latter's family, he sailed to Massachusetts on the Bevis in 1638. He was living in Weymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in late 1640, perhaps early 1640/1.
His parentage has not been established.
The identity of his wife (or wives) has NOT been conclusively established. Possibilities include Mary Bath and Alice Swithen. Alice is currently linked to William as spouse, but should not have been linked unless and until the relationship is definitively proven.
Only known child of William Carpenter: William Carpenter, b. ca. 1605; m. Abigail Briant.
DEATH: Until recently (2023) the latest known record of William was the aforementioned Bevis passenger list entry of 2 May 1638. His namesake son, William Carpenter, settled at Weymouth probably in 1638 and certainly before 13 May 1640, when he was admitted a freeman there. It could be argued that William's failure to be made a freeman was due to his advanced age and modest station (the latter when considered apart from his son's) (see TAG 14:336, 70:193, 195n13; see also RESIDENCES). That he might have died before 1640, however, is no longer a possibility.
It is estimated that the undated estate inventory of Henry Butterworth (Weymouth 1635) was taken shortly before 28 January 1640/1, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony General Court "allowed" Mr. James Parker, Weymouth deputy to the court, "to marry Thomas Clifton & [Henry's widow] Mary Butterworth w[i]thin a month" (MBCR 1:313). Presumably, Mary had not been permitted to remarry until Henry's estate was settled, so as to protect the rights of their children; he had died four years previously (Stevens–Miller Anc 1:255, 258). One of the three men who signed their names as appraisers of the Butterworth inventory was "Willim" Carpenter (SPR; Stevens–Miller Anc 1:258). But which one?
That the appraiser's signature is not that of eventual Rehoboth town clerk William Carpenter III is easily ascertained: he was only nine years old in 1640/1. And one need only compare Willim Carpenter's signature to that of William Jr of Rehoboth to eliminate the latter from consideration.
See image of signatures in pictures.
The signature on the left, from the Butterfield inventory, differs considerably from that on the right, from a 1653 deed copied "in the hand and Custodie of mee William Carpenter of Rehoboth" (RIHSMss). The inescapable conclusion is that the former signature belongs to THIS William Carpenter, living in Weymouth in late 1640, perhaps early 1640/1.
William Carpenter was born in England about 1575 and lived for many years in the Wiltshire part of Shalbourne Parish. With son William II and the latter's family, he sailed to Massachusetts on the Bevis in 1638. He was living in Weymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in late 1640, perhaps early 1640/1.
His parentage has not been established.
The identity of his wife (or wives) has NOT been conclusively established. Possibilities include Mary Bath and Alice Swithen. Alice is currently linked to William as spouse, but should not have been linked unless and until the relationship is definitively proven.
Only known child of William Carpenter: William Carpenter, b. ca. 1605; m. Abigail Briant.
DEATH: Until recently (2023) the latest known record of William was the aforementioned Bevis passenger list entry of 2 May 1638. His namesake son, William Carpenter, settled at Weymouth probably in 1638 and certainly before 13 May 1640, when he was admitted a freeman there. It could be argued that William's failure to be made a freeman was due to his advanced age and modest station (the latter when considered apart from his son's) (see TAG 14:336, 70:193, 195n13; see also RESIDENCES). That he might have died before 1640, however, is no longer a possibility.
It is estimated that the undated estate inventory of Henry Butterworth (Weymouth 1635) was taken shortly before 28 January 1640/1, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony General Court "allowed" Mr. James Parker, Weymouth deputy to the court, "to marry Thomas Clifton & [Henry's widow] Mary Butterworth w[i]thin a month" (MBCR 1:313). Presumably, Mary had not been permitted to remarry until Henry's estate was settled, so as to protect the rights of their children; he had died four years previously (Stevens–Miller Anc 1:255, 258). One of the three men who signed their names as appraisers of the Butterworth inventory was "Willim" Carpenter (SPR; Stevens–Miller Anc 1:258). But which one?
That the appraiser's signature is not that of eventual Rehoboth town clerk William Carpenter III is easily ascertained: he was only nine years old in 1640/1. And one need only compare Willim Carpenter's signature to that of William Jr of Rehoboth to eliminate the latter from consideration.
See image of signatures in pictures.
The signature on the left, from the Butterfield inventory, differs considerably from that on the right, from a 1653 deed copied "in the hand and Custodie of mee William Carpenter of Rehoboth" (RIHSMss). The inescapable conclusion is that the former signature belongs to THIS William Carpenter, living in Weymouth in late 1640, perhaps early 1640/1.
