The Carpenters of Pennsylvania

At about the same time in our nations history two lines of Carpenters arrived one to New England one to Philadelphia/ Both lines appear to have originated from  roughly the same area of England but to date I have note found a link between the two, while I am descended from both lines by a quirk of history.  The Philadelphia Carpenters are outlined here, if you are interested in the New England Carpenters please email me. All of this material with rare exception is taken from the very extensive Carpenter genealogies available on the internet.

Descendants of John Carpenter

John Carpenter of Horsham must have been a man of means, as Samuel, Joshua, and Abraham came to the Province of Pennsylvania with money. The brothers, especially Samuel and Joshua, were well-educated men, of excellent ability and judgment, and soon made their mark in the colony.

Generation No. 1

1. JOHN1 CARPENTER was born in Horsham, Eng, and died August 09, 1671. He married SARAH ???.

Children of JOHN CARPENTER and SARAH ??? are:

2. i. SAMUEL2 CARPENTER, b. November 04, 1649, Horsham, Eng; d. March 13, 1719/20.

ii. JOSHUA CARPENTER, d. 1722; m. ELIZABETH ???.

     iii. ABRAHAM CARPENTER.

Generation No. 2

2. SAMUEL2 CARPENTER (JOHN1) was born November 04, 1649 in Horsham, Eng., and died March 13, 1719/20. He married HANNAH HARDIMAN October 12, 1684 in Philadelphia Meeting House, Philadelphia, PA.

Children of SAMUEL CARPENTER and HANNAH HARDIMAN are:

    3. i. JOHN3 CARPENTER, b. May 05, 1690; d. 1724.

   4. ii. HANNAH CARPENTER, b. March 03, 1685/86; d. July 25, 1728.

   5. iii. SAMUEL CARPENTER, b. February 09, 1687/88.

      iv. JOSHUA CARPENTER, b. March 28, 1689; d. April 16, 1689.

      v. REBECCA CARPENTER, b. April 24, 1692; d. April 01, 1693.

      vi. JOSEPH CARPENTER, d. April 26, 1695.

      vii. ABRAHAM CARPENTER, d. April 09, 1702.

Generation No. 3

3. JOHN3 CARPENTER (SAMUEL2, JOHN1) was born May 05, 1690, and died 1724. He married ANN HOSKINS November 11, 1710, daughter of RICHARD HOSKINS and ESTHER ???.

Notes for JOHN CARPENTER:

John Carpenter entered the office of Isaac Norris to learn the mercantile business. In 1706, when a lad of sixteen years, he accompanied the latter to England. Some years later John Carpenter made another voyage, as we learn from a letter written in 1715 by Jonathan Dickinson, Mayor of Philadelphia 1712 and 1717-18, to Collo Somersall in Jamaica, as follows: "Capt. Richard Smith he will take all the care he can. There goes with the ship a person we have great regard for, one John Carpenter, ye son of old Samuel Carpenter. I cannot but recommend him to thy notice, as well as to some others of my friends. His father was an intimate acquaintance in our family before we left England, a person of great esteem in the Province who died last summer." He was engaged in mercantile pursuits on his own account, and attained success, although comparatively young. John Carpenter was a member of the Philadelphia Common Council from October 7, 1718, until his death in 1724. His name appears for the last time, among those present at its meetings, in the minutes of Council for 9th Mo. 13, 1723.

Children of JOHN CARPENTER and ANN HOSKINS are:

6. i. HANNAH4 CARPENTER, b. November 23, 1711, Philadelphia, PA; d. July 14, 1751.

ii. MARTHA CARPENTER, d. September 26, 1769; m. REESE MEREDITH.

iii. SAMUEL CARPENTER, d. May 08, 1718.

4. HANNAH3 CARPENTER (SAMUEL2, JOHN1) was born March 03, 1685/86, and died July 25, 1728. She married (1) WILLIAM FISHBOURNE January 08, 1700/01 in Philadelphia, PA, son of RALPH FISHBOURNE and SARAH LEWIS. She married (2) WILLIAM FISHBOURNE January 08, 1700/01 in Philadelphia, PA, son of RALPH FISHBOURNE and SARAH LEWIS. She married (3) SAMUEL??? in Philadelphia Meeting House, Philadelphia, PA.

Children of HANNAH CARPENTER and WILLIAM FISHBOURNE are:

            i. ABRAHAM4 FISHBOURNE, b. October 18, 1702; d. July 28, 1703.

            ii. SAMUEL FISHBOURNE, b. November 08, 1703; d. June 24, 1721.

           iii. SARAH FISHBOURNE, b. September 16, 1707.

           iv. ABRAHAM FISHBOURNE, b. March 17, 1720/21.

5. SAMUEL3 CARPENTER (SAMUEL2, JOHN1) was born February 09, 1687/88. He married HANNAH PRESTON July 02, 1711, daughter of SAMUEL PRESTON and RACHEL LLOYD.

Notes for SAMUEL CARPENTER:

SAMUEL CARPENTER, 2D, became a successful merchant and died possessed of a considerable estate. His will, dated Nov. 11, 1748, is couched in the most affectionate terms. It gives to his wife, after payment of debts and funeral expenses, all of his moneys, goods, chattels, and personal estate absolutely, and all of his messuages, store-houses, lots, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, for and during the term of her natural life, and, after her death, to be equally divided among his five children, and appoints his wife sole executrix thereof.

From a letter addressed to SAMUEL CARPENTER, 2D, in 1714 (three years after he was married), by Samuel Preston, his father-in-law, he appears to have indulged too much at one time in irregular habits, although there is no doubt that he "mended his ways" and became an esteemed citizen. The original copy in the handwriting of the author is preserved, with an endorsement that he had delivered the original on the day upon which it was written.

Philadelphia, the 20th of 11th Mo. 1714.

I persuade myself that I need not use arguments to make thee sensible how thou stands interested in my affections. Thou must believe, when I gave thee my daughter, with the manner and circumstances of my doing it, that it was because I loved thee--and if thy reason may be permitted to guide thy judgment, thou will not unkindly resent what I herein say to thee, but understand and accept it, as a further confirmation of my good will towards thee. Believe me Samuel, I have with great sorrow seen in thee that which in affection duty and conscience, I am constrained to take notice of, and observe to thee for thy information, and that is thy constant, frequent and pernicious practice of going to taverns. It is very surprising, and exercising to me, and I take it to be an infallible sign of thy degeneracy from the religious example and discipline which thou hast had, and I do say to thee that unless thou reform thou art in great danger of being utterly ruined and everlastingly unhappy in perpetual woe and misery. I pray thee give me leave to say to thee (I am sure it is in all abundance of love) some injurious effects that flow from that cause and though I mention that, the expense, 'tis what I think the least of, but upon a modest computation that cannot be less than forty or fifty pounds per annum, which spent in thy family would make housekeeping more generous, and thy entertainments at home much more to thy liking, and abundantly more reputable; but if nothing of that sort be wanting, then it would certainly be an addition to thy estate, and an advantage to posterity. But the time thou spendest abroad in public houses is injurious to thy business reputation, relations, friends and family. They that come upon any business are disappointed, and what might have offered for thy interest is turned another way, and that is not all, thy reputation is sullied, which once sunk, the current of trade stops and is hardly ever regained. It is a scandalous imputation, "he is not at home but he certainly may be spoken with at Radleys." Thy absence from thy family makes thee too much a stranger to thy friends, and relations, whose visits and conversations might be instructive, edifying and conducive to thy advantage, not only in preserving affection, but helpful in advice, and experience, if needful; but the worst part is, it need be extremely disagreeable to thy wife who cannot but think herself slighted and ill used, that no endearment of hers, nor the very pledges of her affection, ever afford any agreeable entertainment, diversion or contentment at home but something must be sought for elsewhere--such once kindled are seldom if ever quenched, but all the bonds of conjugal affection, that brings you together are dissolved, and to speak plainly I fear something of the kind has got ground in her already--her disconsolate looks and frequent indispositions denote a depressed spirit (though I must say and it is a comfort to me) I never heard the least repining from her. To enumerate the many disorders that arise from this detestable practice, would carry me too great a length. I must confine myself to brevity, and only say that the too frequent use of strong drink is destructive to the whole fabric of life. It wets and destroys the animal spirit and clouds and affects the brain, breaks the constitution and contexture of the body. It makes man, the emblem of his creator, worse than the inferior or irrational creatures. How contemptible is the drunkard. But thou mayst say is not the case. I confess I have not heard it, and am religiously thankful for it. But let me remind thee, there is "a woe to them that go mightily to drink strong drink." Upon the whole Son Carpenter, that which weighs most within me, is, the concern I have for thy future estate, inasmuch as we did not give ourselves being, but are and must be subject to a being much superior to us, ('though I must grant it ought to be our greatest concern in life to be conformable to the will of that power that made us). I beseech you think seriously, our souls are at stake. If we deceive ourselves on this great point, the loss is irreparable. Most certain it is (the text is plain) "such as we sow such must we reap." Let us therefore I pray thee, as is our indispensable duty and interest, examine what we are sowing. If it be fleshly and corrupt delights and carnal pleasures, we shall assuredly reap corruption. If our works are works of iniquity, it is not our saying Lord, Lord, nor professing what we have done in his name that will save us, our doom Christ himself has declared will be "depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know ye not." Seeing then that our doom is irreversible, that our rewards must be such as our works are, and that the workers of iniquity must depart unknown, thou wilt confess it very much concerns us to take a view of ourselves--The tree is known by its fruits, men do not gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles. Give me leave therefore son Carpenter to query why art thou grown religiously cold? Thou appearest once or twice a week at the appointed place for visible worship; but so often so far out of time, that in charity I believe thou art ashamed and from a sense of guilt in thyself gets as much out of sight as thou well can. Art thou not become estranged in thy heart from those of the best reputation for sobriety and Christian worth? Is not the time thou spendest in the society of such persons from tavern conversation and company uneasy to thee? Art thou the primogeniture son, heir, and name of thy father, in the possession and inheritance of his virtues? Dost thou love honor and reverence his name? Come up in his place, tread in his footsteps, follow his example precepts and discipline. Art thou not unmindful of thy aged mother, a widow, to give her double honor, who acts the part of a double parent? As to customs, fashions and unprofitable conversation, art thou not therein taking a liberty for which in the end, in the tribunal of thy own conscience thou standest condemned? Pray Samuel let these things take place with thee. I am well assured thou art gone from the innocency of thy good education, which I take to be the indication of a distempered mind brought on thee through a very ill habit. Apply thyself to the great Physician of souls. He is able and no other to work thy cure. Take his medicine, follow his prescription; 'tis written in thy own heart, submit to the operation of it and thou wilt be made perfectly whole; but without such application thy disease will prevail. It must be a work of grace and a submission thereto, that will remove the cause, nothing else will do. Self resolutions are ineffectual and 'though they may give some imaginary relief, it will be but a deception, the cause remaining, the effects will not cease. I therefore because I love thee, earnestly beseech thee to take my advice who am in great affection,

Thy affectionate father,

SAMUEL PRESTON.

Notes for HANNAH PRESTON:   HANNAH PRESTON, wife of SAMUEL CARPENTER, 2D, died in Philadelphia on the 6th of   March, 1772, in the seventy-ninth year of her age, having survived her husband nearly twenty-four years. The following obituary notice is copied from a newspaper of that day. "On Friday, 6th instant, died Mrs. HANNAH CARPENTER, widow. Her last illness, though very tedious and painful, was supported with a greatness and strength of mind altogether unusual in one of so advanced an age. Far from repining at the dispensation of Providence, or shrinking at the prospect of death, she welcomed its approach as the only means of relief from her sufferings and a happy removal from works to reward. Her remains, attended by a great number of citizens, on the Sunday following were interred in the burial ground of the society called Quakers, on Arch Street, Philadelphia, by whom she was always esteemed an exemplary member." Mary Lloyd, the first wife of her grandfather, was the first person interred in the same ground. William Penn was then present, and addressed the assembled mourners by the side of the grave. The descendants of Lieutenant-Governor Lloyd have since exclusively occupied the southwest corner of the enclosure at Fourth and Arch Streets, and there HANNAH CARPENTER sleeps with the other members of her family.

Children of SAMUEL CARPENTER and HANNAH PRESTON are:

         i. SAMUEL4 CARPENTER, d. February 20, 1746/47; m. ELIZABETH WALLIS, April 28, 1743, Jamaica.
         ii. RACHEL CARPENTER, b. 1716; d. November 16, 1794, Carpenter's Landing, N. J.
         iii. PRESTON CARPENTER, b. October 28, 1721; m. (1) HANNAH SMITH; m. (2) HANNAH MASON.
         iv. HANNAH CARPENTER, d. May 01, 1766; m. SAMUEL SHOEMAKER, February 08, 1745/46.
         v. THOMAS CARPENTER, b. 1729; d. 1770.

Generation No. 4

6. HANNAH4 CARPENTER (JOHN3, SAMUEL2, JOHN1) was born November 23, 1711 in Philadelphia, PA1, and died July 14, 17512. She married JOSEPH WHARTON March 05, 1728/29 in Philadelphia Meeting House, Philadelphia, PA, son of THOMAS WHARTON and RACHEL THOMAS.

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