William Carpenter1

M, b. circa 1610, d. 7 September 1685
FatherRichard Carpenter b. c 1578, d. b 14 Dec 1671
     William was a native of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. Amesbury is located seven and one half miles north of Salisbury and 78 miles westerly from London. William was born circa 1610 in Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. William married Elizabeth Arnold, daughter of William Arnold and Christian Peak, circa 1634 in England.2 On 1 May 1635, William immigrated aboard the ship left Dartmouth and arrived in New England 24 June 1635. After arriving in this country, they first settled in Hingman and then to Providence, where they arrived April 20, 1636." For a variety of reasons, the year 1635 is known to be wrong; the correct year is 1636. William was of course one of the first group to settle at Providence with Roger Williams. The settlers all remained together at their original site until 1638 when lots were assigned to individuals. William, his father in law, William Arnold, and a small group of others, including Robert Coles moved to their newly assigned lots four miles to the south of Providence, to be named Pawtuxet. William spent the remaining years of his life in this beautiful location. William was was highly respected in the early Rhode Island settlement being appointed a lay minister, he baptized the original founders of the Baptist Church in America and married his own daughter. It is believed that he was a paster in England before coming to America. Late in life, after King Philip's War, William still had the energy and drive to lead in the rebuilding of the settlement and by his death in 1787 had restablished his wealth to where it was before the ravages of the war. William made his will on 10 February 1680 at Pawtuxet, Providence County, Rhode Island.

To all people before whome these presents shall come, William Carpenter of Pautuxett in ye towneshipp of Providence, in his Majestyes Colloney of Rhode Jsland & Providence plantations in New England in America, being in bodyly health & in sound & perfect Memory (blessed God) and not knowing how soone ye only wise God may despose of me to death: And being willing to sett my Earthly Estate in order to prevent future troubles yt may arise after my decease; Doe Ordaine this to be my last Will & Testament, in forme & maner as followeth.
first My will is that all ye debts oweing by me at my decease be truely payd.
z Jtem I give unto my Eldest son Joseph Carpenter twenty shillings in merchantable pay of this Colloney to be payd by my Executr, after my decease.
3 Jtem I give to my Daughter Liddea Smith twenty shillings-in merchantable pay of this Colloney to be payd by My Executors after my decease.
4 Jtem I give to my daughter Prescilla Vinsent twenty shillings in merchantable pay of this Colloney to be payd by My Executors after my decease.
5 Jtem I give & bequeath, unto my two sons Silas Carpenter & Benjamin Carpenter & theire Heirs all my Right Title & intrest in the Neck Called Pautuxett Neck with all my Right, Title & intrest in that place Called the vinyard for Ever to be Equally devided betweene them two & theire Heirs, or as they shall otherwayes agree to part the same.
6 Jtem I doe give unto my son Timothy Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever all my Right Title & Jntrest in & to that tract of upland & meadow lieing on ye west side of saxefrax Cove, the which I bought of thomas Olney of the towne of Providence with all ye appurtenance [ ] thereto belonging.
7 Jtem I doe give unto my aforesaid son Timothy and his Heirs for Ever the one halfe of that share of meadow I bought of Mr Richard Parker of Boston lieing upon ye brooke Called Mashapauge brooke, and my sayd son Timothy to have his part at ye lower End of ye sayd Meadow.
8 Jtem I doe also give unto my aforsaid son Timothy & [ ] eirs for Ever all that percell of upland lieing & adjoyneing together, on which sd land ye now dwelling house of ye sayd Timothy standeth : As also the meadow adjoyneing to ye sayd upland so farr as the south End of ye Meadow Called the Midle Meadow with all appurtenances thereto. And my will is that my two sons Silas Carpenter & Benjamin Carpenter & theire Heirs shall have a suficient high way at all times to passe & repasse to ye other part of ye said Meadow.
9 Jtem I doe give to my son Epraim Carpenter dureing ye time of his Naturall life, the one halfe of that halfe (yet remaineing, not given to my aforesaid son Timothy) of ye Meadow bought of ye aforesaid Parker lieing upon ye aforsayd Mashapauglej brooke, And after ye decease of my aforesayd son Ephraim to revert & be ye Right of My Grand Son & his Heirs for Ever ; that is to say Ephraim Carpenter ye Eldest son of My aforesayd son Ephraim Carpenter by his first wife.
io Jtem I give unto my daughter Priscilla Vinsent & her Heirs the other part or halfe of that halfe share of meadow bought of ye aforesayd Parker lieing upon ye aforsd Mashapauge brooke, not before to my sd sons Timothy & Ephraim hereby desposed of.
ii Jtem I doe give unto my son Ephraim Carpenter & his Heirs, And to my daughter Priscilla Vinsent & her heirs for Ever all my Right, Title Sr intrest in & to that Cove lieing neere ye place Called ye landing place, (in pautuxett) the which Cove I bought of Thomas Angell of Providence ; The sayd Cove to be Equally devided betwixt them in quandtye & quallitye.
12 Jtem I give & bequeath unto my two sons Silas Carpenter & Benjamin Carpenter & theire Heirs for Ever all ye rest of ye Meaddow now within ye fence from ye south End of ye aforsaid Midle Meadow south-ward, Also all such swampy low land as will make meadow adjoyneing to ye sayd meadow to be Equaly devided betwixt these my two sons, or as they shall agree about it
13 Jtem I give to my two sons aforesaid Silas & Benjamin & theire Heirs for Ever my owne share of meadow lyeing upon the aforesd mashpaug [ ] oke As also that part of a share of Meadow that I bought of my brother Stephen Arnold lieing upon ye aforesayd brooke to be Equal [ ] devided, or as those my two sons Silas & Benjamin shall agree :
14. Jtem I give unto these my aforesayd two sons Silas & Benjamin all my Right Title & Jntrest of lands & meadows now within fence whereon theire dwelling house now standeth, with all ye fenceing & fruit trees thereon & appurtenances thereto belonging to be to them Sr their'e; Heirs for Ever, to be Equally devided betwixt them, or as they two shall agree.
15 Jtem I give unto my three sons Timothy, Silas & Benjamin Carpenter & theire Heirs for Ever all my Right or Rights of lands to me be-longing yet undevided lieing & being on ye East side of Pauchasett River & ye salt water home to ye devideing line betwixt Providence & Pautuxett, & ye same to be Equally devided betwixt my aforesd three sons Only my will is that my son Timothy shall have that part that falleth by devision next unto ye aforesayd devideing line betwixt Providence and Pautuxett.
16 Jtem I give unto my Grandson Ephraim Carpenter, ye Eldest son of my afore said son Ephraim & his Heirs for Ever, all my Right & title in & to a percell of land adjoyneing to ye aforesayd devideing line & on ye North side of ye sayd line ; it lieing betwixt Mashapauge pond & spectickle pond ; bounded on the north with a hill, ffurther m v will is that my Grandson Ephraim shall at ye age of one & twenty years Enter & be in possession of ye same.
17 Jtem I also give unto my aforesd Grandson Ephraim Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever twenty acrs of upland, the south part of ye said land adjoyneing to the aforesd devideing line of Pautuxett, bounding on ye west with ye sayd spectickle pond, & on ye north with a percell of meaddow sayd to be in ye possession of Abraham Man of sayd Providence, & to Enter & be in possession of ye same at ye age of one and twenty yeares.
18 Jtem I give unto my three sons Timothy, Silas, & Benjamin Carpenter & theire Heirs for Ever all my Right title & Jntrest in & to all those lands meadows & Comoning to me belonging in ye sd towne of Providence, both devided & undevided on ye East side of ye seven mile line set by order of ye aforsd towne, not hereby or by any other Jnstrument before desposed of, with all );-e appurtenances thereof to be Equally devided.
19 Jtem I give to my son Timothy Carpenter and his heirs for Ever, all that Right of Comoning that I bought of Robert Coles with all appurtenances to it belonging.
zo Jtem I give to my son. Silas Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever my owne Right of Comon in ye aforesd towne with all ye appurtenances thereto belonging.
21 Jtem I give to my son Benjamin Carpenter & his heirs for Ever all that Right of Comoning with all ye appurtenances in ye sayd towne, that Right of Henry Neale formerly of ye sayd towne of Providence.
22 Jtem These Comons are on ye East side of ye sd seven mile line.
23 Jtem I give unto my son Timothy Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever
all that Right of lands meadowes & Comoning in ye towne of Providence to me belonging in ye towne of Providence lieing on ye west side of ye seven mile line ariseing to me by vertue of that Right I bought of Robert Coles of ye sayd towne.
24 Jtem I give unto my son Silas Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever all that Right of lands meadowes & Comoning to me belonging in ye aforesd towne lieing on ye west side of ye seven mile line ariseing to me by vertue of that Right that I bought of Roger Mawry of ye sd 'towne deceased.
25 Jtem I give unto my son Benjamin Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever all that Right of lands meadowes Comoning to me belonging in ye sayd towne lieing on the west side of ye seven mile line ariseing to me by vertue of that Right I bought of Roger Mawrey formerly of ye sayd towne.
26 Jtem I give unto my Grandson william Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever all that Right of lands meadowes and Comoning to me belonging in sd providence lieing on ye west side of ye seven mile line ariseing to me by vertue of that Right that I bought of John Smith (Mason) of ye sd providence.
Jtem I give unto my grandson Joseph Smith son of my daughter Liddea) & his Heirs all that Right of lands Meadowes & Comoning in sd providence to me belonging on ye west side of ye seven mile line. ariseing to me by venue of that Right of Robert Colwell of the said towne.
2 8 Jtem I give unto my Grandson Ephraim Carpenter & his heirs, all ' that Right of lands meadowes and Comoning to me belonging on the west side of ye seven mile line ariseing to me by vertue of my owne Right in sayd towne ; the which Right was formerly Recorded to my son william deceased in sd towne.
29 Jtem I give & bequeath unto my three sons Timothy Carpenter, & Silas Carpenter & benjamin Carpenter & theire heirs for Ever two thirds of all my Right, or Rights to me belonging in all ye lands & meadowes on the west side of Pauchassett River betwixt Pautuxett River & the devideing line, part thereof Runn, & part to be Runn to be Equally devided amongst my three sons. Excepting, my will is, that these my aforesd three sons shall in some Convenient place set out to my aforesayd Grand-son Ephraim Carpenter out of theire two thirds one hundred acres of land to be to him & his Heirs- for Ever ; ye sayd hundred acres of land to be part thereof Meadow proportionably to Each hundred acres Contained in ye aforesd two thirds & _ye sayd hundred acres to ly together. /
30 Jtem I give to my two sons Joseph Carpenter & Ephraim Carpenter, And to my daughters Liddea Smith & Priscilla vinsent & theire heirs for Ever the other third part of all my Right or Rights to me belonging on ye west side of ye sayd Pauchasett River, & betwixt Pautuxett River & ye aforesaid line to be Equally devided amongs these my two sons & my two daughters.
31 Jtem I give unto my two sons Silas & Benjamin Carpenter all my Carts, Ploughs, & all tacklin [ ] to them or any of them belonging Except one draught Chaine I give to my son Timothy Carpentr : As also all other Tooles of what sort so ever I give to my two aforesaid sons Silas & Benjamin & theire heirs Equally. /
32 Jtem I Give unto Elizabeth my deare & loveing wife in Consideration of all her demand in ye law, to be at her owne sole despose all my weareing apparrill of what sort so Ever & all ye rest of my Mooveable Estate what so Ever not hereby before desposed of: And further my will is, That my two sons Silas & Benjamin take ye whole & sole Care of
Elizabeth my loveing wife theire mother to provide for her in all Respects & Conditions as a woman ought to be provided for duering her naturall life & to see her body descently Buryed.
33 And further my will is that my two sons, Silas Carpenter & Benjamin Carpenter be my whole & sole Exsecutors to pay all ye debts owing by me at my decease & to receive in all debts owing to me & to see my Body descently Buryed ; And to see this my will truely performed in all Respects to ye true meaneing thereof.
34 And further my will is, That if my Grand child Ephraim Carpenter ye Eldest son of my aforesd son Ephraim, if he shall decease be-fore ye age of one & twenty yeares, Then what before given to my aforesd Grand child shall revert & be ye Right of his sister Susanna Carpenter & her Heirs for Ever.
35 And further my will is That ye Jntrest herein given to my Grand child Joseph Smith ye son of my daughter Liddea shall revert & be ye Right of his Brother Simon Smith & his heirs for Ever. Jn Case my Grand child Joseph Smith shall decease this life before ye age of one and twenty yeares. Jn wittnesse whereof I doe here unto sett my hand & seale this tenth day of ffebruarey one thousand six hundred seventy & nine, or Eighty & the thirty second yeare of his majestyes Reigne Charles the Second Etctr :
William Carpenter [seal]
Signed & Sealed in ye presence of us: John whipple, Andrew Harris, Rebekah whipple.

He wrote a codicil to his will on 15 March 1684. This codicil was added due to the death of his son. Joseph.


Be it knowne unto all persons by these presents, That whereas I william Carpenter of Pautuxett in ye towneshipp of Providence in ye Colloney of Rhode Jsland & providence plantations in New England, in America, have made & declared my last will & testamt : beareing date ye tenth day of ffebruarey one thousand six hundred seventy & nine (or Eighty) . I the sayd william Carpenter by this present Codicill doe Rattifie & Confirme my sayd last will & testament Excepting that part, or parts thereof as upon my Mature Consideration I shal [ ] herein despose & bequeath other wayes, then therein mentioned, & makeing them perticulars by this Codicill utterly voyd & null to all intents ; And for this Reason in Cheife, That I understand that my son Ephraim Carpenter talketh, or intendeth to sell those lands (or some of them) to him bequeathed & willed ; There-fore I will & order as followeth.
Jtem I doe give & bequeath unto my Grand son Ephraim Carpenter, ye Eldest son of my son Ephraim Carpenter that part of the Cove given to my aforesd son Ephraim in ye Eleventh part of my will or bequest, makeing it wholy voyd to my sd son Ephraim Carpenter & to be the only proper Right of my Grand son Ephraim Carpenter & his Heirs for Ever, & to be devided to my Grand son Ephraim as in ye sayd Eleventh part of my sayd will mentioned.
Jtem I doe give & bequeath unto my aforesd Grand son Ephraim Carpenter & to my grand daughter Susanna Carpenter & theire Heirs for Ever to be Equally devided betwixt them two ; all that part of lands being on ye west side of Pauchasett River ; given & bequeathed to my aforesd son Ephraim Carpenter in ye thirtyeth part or bequest in my will beforesd, And doe wholy Make null & voyd ye sayd bequest in yt part as to my son Ephraim Carpenter ; & to remaine good to the Rest in that bequest.
Jtem I doe order & declare that gift & bequest given & willed unto my aforesd Grandson Ephraim Carpenter in ye twenty ninth part of my will or bequest to be wholy Null & Voyd, And that part to be devideable amongst my three sons Timothy Carpenter, Silas Carpenter, & Benjamin Carpenter, and theire Heirs.
Jtem. I doe order will & declare that the Gift, or bequest willed & given unto my son Joseph Carpenter upon ye west side of ye aforesd Pauchasett River shall be wholy null & voyd to all intents as to my sayd son, he deceaseing before my death & not being in possession thereof, And doe will bequeath & declare that part as aforesd given to my sayd son Joseph Carpenter on ye west side of ye aforesayd River unto my Grand son Joseph Carpenter & his heirs for Ever, the which bequest is mentioned in ye thirtyeth part or bequest in my will or bequest therein, mentioned. And my will & meaneing is that this Codicill or shedule be, & be adjudged to be part & percell of my sayd last will & testament./ And that all things herein Contained & mentioned be faithfully & truely performed & as fully & amply in Every Respect as if ye same were so declared & sett downe in my said last will & testament, Jn wittnesse whereof I the sayd william Carpenter have hereunto sett my hand & seale, This fifteenth day of March one thousand six hundred & Eighty three, or Eighty foure & thirty sixt yeare of his Majestyes Reigne Charles ye second &ctr. Signed & Sealed in ye presence of us - Andrew Harris     william Carpenter [seal] John whipple junr.


William departed this life on Friday, 7 September 1685 in Pawtuxet, Providence County, Rhode Island. His will was probated on 1 October 1685.

Family

Elizabeth Arnold b. 23 Nov 1611
Children

Citations

  1. [S39] Amos Bugbee Carpenter, A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family In America, page 347.
  2. [S39] Amos Bugbee Carpenter, A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family In America, page 34.