The Carpenter Sisters History Follows:

The Carpenter Sisters History Follows:

THE CARPENTER SISTERS

(*Juliana, Agnes, *Alice, Mary, Priscilla, and William)

December 17, 2015

Our family is blessed to be related to Juliana Carpenter Morgan and Alice Carpenter Southworth Bradford. (The Marble’s—our grandmother is “Juliana Carpenter Morgan,” and the Burbank’s—our grandmother is “Alice Carpenter Southworth Bradford.”)

No, the Carpenter sisters (Juliana, Agnes, Alice, Mary, and Priscilla) were not a Pilgrim vocal group; rather, they were five sisters in John Robinson's congregation in Leiden who (or their children) became important members of Plymouth during its formative years. After 1620 four of them traveled to Plymouth where three married former Leiden men. A great deal has been written about the prominent men in Plymouth, but far less has been written about their wives. The women provided a moral influence to the colonization of the Plymouth Colony in the early 1620’s. These women became their family matriarchs that settled the hearths, maintained Pilgrim father’s family life under difficult religious times, and many gave birth to the next generation under harsh physical conditions in the difficult early years. The presence of families in Plymouth was one of the reasons the colony was more successful than other English settlements containing only men.

There are thousands of Carpenters in the America that can trace their ancestry to 17th century Carpenters and have the common ancestor William Carpenter (ca 1540-1590). William Carpenter descended from Carpenter’s dating back to John Carpenter (b 1303) who was a member of Parliament in 1323.

William had three sons: *Alexander,(2.2) Richard, and William. All were Separatists. Alexander(2.2) died before 1620 but left five daughters, four of which, married prominent men in Plymouth. Richard never left England but his son was one of the original settlers of Providence, Rhode Island. William was obliged to leave England for a short time in 1638 and his son was one of the original settlers of Rehoboth, Maryland.

Alexander Carpenter was born about 1560, of Wrington, Somerset, England. He married Priscilla Dillen in about 1581, of Wrington. He was a merchant of Wrington. He and his family were Separatists and immigrated to Leiden, Holland. He died about 1612, in Wrington, Somerset, England.

2.2 Alexander Carpenter – "Leiden Carpenters"

Born – ca 1560, Wrington, Somerset, England

Married – Priscilla Dillen about 1581

Died – 1612, Wrington, Somerset, England

Priscilla Dillen

Born – ca. 1562

Died – ca. 1644, Wrington, Somerset, England

Children:

2.2.1 *Juliana (1584 - 1664/5)

2.2.2 Agnes (1585 - 1615)

2.2.3 *Alice (1590 - 1670)

2.2.4 Mary (1596 - 1687/8)

2.2 5 Priscilla (1598 -1689)

2.2.6 William (b 1599, died early)

ALEXANDER CARPENTER(2.2) — "LEYDEN CARPENTERS"

The Carpenter sisters were the daughters of Alexander Carpenter(2.2) and Priscilla Dillen. Alexander and his family were members of John Robinson’s congregation who moved to Leiden. Three of Alexander's daughters married in Leiden. Alexander must have sprung from reasonably well-off and well-educated stock, considering the marriages made by his daughters and his travel to Leiden. One of these married daughters died without children in Leiden (Agnes [Anne] [1585-1615] md. Dr. Samuel Fuller in Leiden. No children) but the remaining four immigrated to Plymouth after 1620 and occupied important positions in the civic life in Plymouth. Alexander and Priscilla Carpenter’s last child was a son, William, was born about 1599 and died after 1613. He became a squire and gentleman. Both Alexander (1612) and his wife Priscilla (1644) died in Wrington (near Bath), Somerset, England.

(2.2.1) *Juliana Carpenter was baptized on 17 March 1584, at Bath, Somerset, England. She was the daughter of Alexander Carpenter (1560-1612) and Priscilla Dillen (1562-1644.) She married George Morton, from York, England, in Leiden 23 July 1612. Juliana and George and their children arrived in Plymouth in 1623 aboard the Anne. Morton was one of the authors of Mourt's Relation the first account of life in Plymouth written to entice Englishmen to settle in Plymouth. They had stayed behind when the first settlers left for Plymouth. He continued to orchestrate business affairs in Europe and London for their cause.

Juliana and George Morton and their children immigrated to Plymouth on the Anne in 1623. Alice Carpenter Southworth, Juliana’s sister, was also on this ship. George Morton died in 1624. William Bradford took a keen interest and helped raise their children. Juliana married Manasseh Kempton but had no children by him. In the 1627 cattle division, Juliana, Manasseh, and her children by Morton (Nathaniel, John, Ephraim and *Patience) were listed in Bradford's company. Juliana's oldest son Nathaniel was born in Leiden in 1613. In 1647 Nathaniel became clerk of the Plymouth court, a position he held until his death in 1685. Throughout his life, Nathaniel held strong opinions that influenced civic life in Plymouth. Juliana died in 1664/5 (about age 80.) At her death it is mentioned in the Plymouth town records that she was a faithful servant of God. (Genealogy line: Juliana Carpenter Morton 1584-1664; Patience Morton Faunce 1618-1691; Joseph Faunce 1653-1687; Thomas Faunce 1698-1788; Thomas Faunce 1745-1832; Mary Faunce Marble 1770-1864; Nathaniel Marble III 1800-1845; Hyrum Austin Marble 1841-1912; Silas Andrew Marble 1883-1961; Emma Margrette Marble Romer 1918-2004.)

(2.2.2) Agnes (Anne) Carpenter was born in about 1585, in Wrington (about ten miles from Bath.) She would marry Samuel Fuller as his second wife on 24 April 1613 in Leyden. She died there, probably in childbirth, on 3 July 1615/16. She was 30 years old.

(2.2.3) *Alice Carpenter was baptized 30 August 1590, in Wrington, Somerset, England. She was the daughter of Alexander Carpenter (1560- 1612) and Priscilla Dillen (1562-1644.)

Alice was courted by many in Holland including a young William Bradford. She returned his affections, but her parents opposed the marriage. She would later marry Edward Southworth (silk worker) on 28 May 1613 in Leyden. Edward Southworth died by 1622, probably in London. They had at least two children: *Constant (b 1614/6) and Thomas (b 1616/20.) They stayed in England for a while for education when Alice came to New England in 1623.

After the death of William Bradford’s wife, Dorothy May, (she was drowned as the Mayflower lay at anchor in Plymouth Bay, 7 December 1620) William Bradford wrote to Alice inviting her to come to Plymouth. She arrived on the Anne in June 1623 and married William Bradford in 14 August 1623.

Following is a letter that mentioned their wedding written by Emmanuel Altham to his brother Sir Edward Altham in September, 1623:

“Upon the occasion of the Governor’s marriage, since I came, Massasoit was sent for the wedding, where came with him his wife, the queen, although he hath five wives. With him came four other kings and about six score men with their bows and arrows – where, when they came to our town, we saluted them with the shooting off of many muskets and training our men. And so all the bows and arrows was brought into the Governor’s house, and he brought the Governor three or four bucks and a turkey. And so we had very good pastime in seeing them dance, which is in such manner; with such a noise that you would wonder…

“And now to say somewhat of the great cheer we had at the Governor’s marriage. We had about twelve pasty venison’s, besides others, pieces of roasted venison and other such good cheer in such quantity that I could wish you some of our share. For here we have the best grapes that ever you say – and the biggest, and divers sorts of plums and nuts which our business will not suffer us to look for.”

Alice's two sons by Southworth, *Constant (b 1614/6) and Thomas (b 1616/20), moved to Plymouth in ca 1628 to live in Bradford's home. Three children were born to Alice and William Bradford: William, Mercy and Joseph. William later served as assistant to his father.

Will of Mistress Allice Bradford (Plymouth):

Will. “Wishes to be interred as near to her dead husband, Mr. Wm Bradford, as conveniently may be. To sister Mary Carpenter; two sons Constant Southworth, Joseph Bradford; to grandchild Elizabeth Howland, da. of my dead son, Capt. Tho. Southworth; to servant mail Mary Smith. Her mark. Inventory, March 31, 1670 on oath of Mistress Carpenter, 162 pounds, 17s. By Geo. Watson, Eph. Morton, Wm. Harlow.”

Alice Carpenter Southworth Bradford passed away 5 April 1670/71, at 80 years old. (Genealogy Line: Alice Carpenter Southworth Bradford 1590-1670; Constant Southworth 1615-1679; William Southworth 1659-1719; Nathaniel Southworth 1692-1731; Josiah Southworth 1719-1791; Chester Southworth 1765-1817; Chester Southworth 1793-1874; Sarah Zurviah Southworth 1814-1894; Brigham S. Burbank 1855-1943; Mary Evaline Burbank 1881-1970; Emma Margrette Marble 1918-2004.)

(2.2.4) Mary Carpenter was born 6 February 1596/97 in Wrington, Somerset, England. After the death of her father Alexander in 1612, Mary Carpenter cared of her mother in Wrington (near Bath), England. Her mother, Priscilla, died there 19 August 1644. After she died, William and Alice (Carpenter Southworth) Bradford wrote to Mary in 1645 asking her to come to Plymouth to live with them. Mary immigrated to Plymouth in about 1654 and never married. She died 29 March 1687 in Plymouth, at age 91.

(2.2.5) Priscilla Carpenter was born 3 September 1598. She married William Wright in Plymouth after 1627 but before 1633. William arrived in Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621 and assumed leading roles in Plymouth affairs but unfortunately died in 1633. Priscilla married John Cooper in 1634. Among the children of John and Priscilla, two daughters Ann and Lydia married their cousins, Ephraim and Nathaniel Morton. John and Priscilla moved to Scituate where he was constable in 1639. They later moved to Barnstable where he was a deputy in 1642. John's will is dated in 1676. Priscilla passed away 29 December 1689, in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, at age 91.

CONCLUSION:

The genealogy of Carpenters in America is huge. The Carpenter sisters from Leiden married leading men of Plymouth, and the accomplishments of all the Carpenter descendants in 17th century New England were great and deserves to be recognized.

Bibliography:

Heinsohn, Robert Jennings, PhD., The Carpenter Sisters of Leiden. (2004.)

Stratton E. A., Plymouth Colony, Its History & People 1620-1691, Ancestry Publishing, Salt Lake City, UT, 1986.

Churchill, W. S., History of the English-Speaking Peoples, published 1955, Barnes & Noble edition, 1995.