In a previous posting this date, I supposed that Joanna (Mrs. Richard) Carpenter had been "a close relative (daughter or sister?) of Philip Heath's." It since occurred to me that since Heath had died before "the Feaste of St. Michaell" [29 September] 1621 (date of his estate inventory), and the marriage of Richard Carpenter and Joanna Heath took place on 23 April 1622, she might have been Heath's widow. This is confirmed by the will of Richard Carpenter of Little Bedwyn, blacksmith, dated 17 June 1681 and proved 14 January 1683[/4] (P5/1683/15, online at _http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/getwill.php?id=102472_ (http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/getwill.php?id=102472) , images 8, 9). It names "my sone in lawe [stepson] Phillip heathe my first wifes sonn"; "my sister in law Robert Carpenters wife of Swindon"; "my kinse woman Elezabeth Phillips"; and wife Dorothy (executrix). Having in 1622 married a widow with at least one child, Richard is not likely to have been born later than about 1602. And considering his year of death (ca. 1683), it's unlikely that he was born much before 1600. This would seem to eliminate the possibility that he was either a brother or son of William1 Carpenter, then of Shalbourne. William1 was born about 1575 (aged 40 in 1614; 62 in 1638), and we may assume that William2 (b. ca. 1605), by virtue of being named with William1 in Shalbourne Westcourt tenant records, was his father's eldest son and heir. Note, however, that a Phillippe Hethe married at Calne, Wiltshire (about 20 miles west of Little Bedwyn), on 12 October 1612, Joanne Vauhen [probably Vaughen/Vaughan/Vaughn] (IGI extraction from Calne parish register). If--I repeat, _if_--this was Richard's eventual wife, then despite his year of death, his birth year might have been early enough to preserve the _possibility_ that Richard was William1's brother. In any case, it wouldn't hurt to check parish records for Swindon and vicinity. Gene Z. ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com