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Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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SOURCE: History of Genesee County, Michigan
        pub. Everts and Abbott - 1879
        
        Page 263
        
                         THE CARPENTER FAMILY
                         
          The ancestors of this numerous family are from a long
        line in English history.  Of those who settled in New York
        was George Carpenter, who reared a large family of children.
        His youngest son, George, grew to manhood, and was mar-
        ried to Abigail Gildersleeve.  He was a farmer in Dutchess
        County; about the year 1812 he removed with his family
        to Saratoga, and settled on a farm.  His wife, who died in
        1811, was the mother of Henry, Pamelia, Mary, Amy, 
        Peter, William, and Abigail.  He was afterwards married
        to Mrs. Jerusha Case, of Dutchess County, by whom there
        were no children.  He remained on his farm until 1837,
        when he came to Michigan, and made his home with his
        son William.  He died at the extreme age of one hundred
        and two years, according to the famil records.  William
        Carpenter, the youngest son, was born Sept. 16, 1805, at
        the old Dutchess County home.  He remained with his
        father until he was fourteen years of age, when he launched
        out for himself.  He was employed on the farm of Jacob
        Denton, near Saratoga, where he remained fourteen years.
        During this time he paid court to Miss Luranie Pierce, who
        was also employed in the family of Mr. Denton.  They
        were married in 1833, and soon after moved to Niagara
        County, bought a farm of fifty acres, upon which he settled
        and remained two years, when he sold out, and, in the spring
        of 1836, he, in company with Levi Preston, started for
        Michigan.  They came on foot through Canada to Detroit,
        thence by the old Saginaw road to Atlas, Genesee Co.
        Mr. Carpenter selected and bought of the government two
        hundred acres, about fourteen miles southeast of the city
        of Flint.  He next erected a log house, cleared off two
        acres, settled up his business, and with his wife and
        child started for the new home in the West.  Mr. Levi
        Preston and his family came in company with them.  The
        journey was performed with ox-teams, - two yoke of oxen
        to each wagon.  The wagons, besides the family, contained
        beds, clothing, provisions, tools, etc.  They were thirty
        days on the tedious journey, but arrived safely at the selected
        home in the wilderness.  And from that little beginning in
        the wild woods, after passing through all the trials of pio-
        neer life, has arisen the beautiful home of the Carpenter 
        family in Atlas, where William Carpenter and his worthy
        wife still reside, enjoying a happy old age in the compan-
        ionship of their children and old neighbors.
          They are the parents of seven children, - Jacob D.,
        Mary E., Julia A., William, Jr., Amos, Pamelia, and
        George E., - all of whom are living except Mary E., who
        died in the eighteenth year of her age.  Jacob is married,
        and resides on his farm in the town of Burton, and the
        others are all married, and own and reside on farms in Tus-
        cola County.
          William Carpenter, Jr., was born on the 9th day of
        August, 1844, at the old homestead in Atlas, where he has
        passed his life thus far.  His boyhood days were spent in
        the schools and on the farm.  At the age of twenty-two he
        married Miss Kate Colwell, daughter of James and Ann
        Colwell, old settlers of Atlas.  They were united on the
        24th day of October, 1865.
          In 1867, William Carpenter, his father, divided his 
        property among the children, since which time William,
        Jr., has bought out the others, and now owns the old home-
        stead and farm, consisting of two hundred and forty-five
        acres.  He has made extensive improvements in the resi-
        dence, farm-buildings, etc.  As will be seen by reference
        to the view on another page, he has one of the finest farms
        in that part of the county.
        
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