Dear Linda, I am not Professor Carpenter, but a humble Carpenter compiler. There is a story of a Hessian soldier who was captured or deserted the English army and was paroled by the Americans. He was a carpenter by trade and moved west. He became a fur trapper and soon realized he would be better off as a middleman. He set up a place in the Turtle Mountains of present day North Dakota just east of the International Peace Gardens. There he bought and sold for a trading company. He married a indian wife and had several children. After she died he moved back east remarried (but no children) and when two of his sons visited he lost his wife and reputation. He went west with his son and was never heard from again. According to an old researcher, this story was true. I have verified the village of Carpenter (now a ghost town and burned out post office), and historical records showing indians with the Carpentier last name. I visited there many years ago, but could not find any local Carpenters (Carpentiers). James Usher has the story of 3 german Zimmermans renamed Carpenter who went to Wales, England for a generation or two before moving to LI. The story has some truth with historical people (including Carpenters), but has been accepted as a false genealogy. The Carpenter Association of the time period of the mid to late 1800s were interested in a great fortune to be had in England, waiting for the right heirs to claim it. They felt that Revolutionary War Loyalsts (who sided with the English Crown) were unloyal Americans who did not deserve a chance at the loot. Thus they were disowned and called Zimmerman/Carpenters. They did the same to the Southern Carpenters who fought for the Confederate States of America in the War Between the States (Civil War). The reason for the two above stories is because they seem a part of your verbal history. I have two Benjamin Carpenters who may match your data. +---¦Barnard CARPENTER-13221 Benjamin CARPENTER-39429 ¦ ¦21 Dec 1756 4 May 1803 --------------¦ ¦Nine Partners,Dutchess,NY ,,NY ¦ MRIN:14124 no family listed +---¦Phebe AVERY-39423 ¦29 Nov 1770 ¦of,Dutchess,NY *********** This one matches your DOB but was from VA. +---¦Enoch CARPENTER-5459 Benjamin CARPENTER-5473 ¦ ¦Abt 1770/1780 1 May 1803 ------------¦ ¦,,VA Near Lowesville,Amherst,VA ¦ MRIN:1797 --SPOUSE-- MRIN:1869 +---¦Sarah OR Sally EVANS-5467 Elizabeth "Betsey" ETHEREDGE-5725 ¦Abt 1774 25 Aug 1804 ¦Prob Lexington,Parish,Amherst,VA ,,TN --CHILDREN-- 1-Eliza Jane CARPENTER-5726 11-Benjamin Franklin CARPENTER-5736 2Lycurgus A. CARPENTER-5727 3-Enoch CARPENTER-5728 4-Sarah Jane CARPENTER-5729 5-Mary C. CARPENTER-5730 6-Martha Ann CARPENTER-5731 7-Ellender E. CARPENTER-5732 8-Jeremiah CARPENTER-5733 9-Zana Caroline CARPENTER-5734 10-John W. CARPENTER-5735 INDIVIDUAL DATA RIN:5473 - -------------------------------------------------------- Name:Benjamin CARPENTER Sex:M ID No:T7K9-6C Birth: 1 May 1803 Place:Near Lowesville,Amherst,VA Chr: Place: Marr: 1823/1824 Spouse:Elizabeth "Betsey" ETHEREDGE-5725 Marr: Spouse: Marr: Spouse: Death:18 Oct 1881 Place:,Lawrence,AL Burial: Place:Masterson CEM.,,Lawrence,AL Father:Enoch CARPENTER-5459 Mother:Sarah OR Sally EVANS-5467 no notes. *************** If you can supply some more details I can search abit better. Sincerely, John R. Carpenter La Mesa, CA Compiler of the Carpenter 2000 CD Project Carl Harmon wrote: > > Dear Professor Carpenter: > > <P>I am hoping that you may be able to shed some light on my difficulty > in finding further information on my ggg-grandfather Benjamin > Carpenter. > According to family legend he was born in the state of New York > (however, > I have one piece of documentation which says he was born in > England. > No city, etc.), being descended from 3 brothers who came to this country > > at the time of Revolutionary War as Hessian soldiers. I haven't > put > much stock in this story however, since I know nearly every genealogist > has a story similar to this. I do know as fact that some of his children > > were born in the state of New York (Oneida County). > > <P>Since he was born 1 May 1803 (according to his tombstone) I have been > > unable to find any records on him. I have traced my family history > > starting with him and ending with my grand-daughter. Fortunately, > when my family arrived in Wisconsin they only lived in one location > prior > to where the following generations (up to my father) were born and > raised. > > <P>Living in Dane County, Wisconsin and working at the University of > Wisconsin-Madison > I have had access to one of the nations finest historical society > collections. > Most of the information I do have on my family came from this > resource. > I have tried contacting the person who is supposed to have the records > for the cemetery in which he is buried. My phone calls and letters > > have gone unanswered. I have bought many family history CDs only > to find no information on him. I am not a professional > genealogist, > however I have been working on this for approximately 16 years. I > have also taken a beginning and advanced genealogy class, the latter > through > the University of Wisconsin. > > <P>I have been reading with great interest your research on the origins > of the Carpenters and you appear to know your subject very well. > Therefore, I am hoping you will be able to give some advice. > > <P>Sincerely, > > <P>Linda Carpenter Fry > > <P>Researching the following surnames: Carpenter, Hacker, Sorn, Farwell, > > Bardsley, Charlesworth, Cantrell (and all variations), Reynolds and > Harmon > <BR>