Sorry, I originally sent this only to CARPENTER-L(a)rootsweb.com, instead of to
both that address and CARPENTER-D(a)rootsweb.com:
Reply to message #2
<< In the the Bevis record below, Dummer's Bishopstoke origin (connection)
is cited. At
http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/1339/littlefield/TheBevis1638.html
"Dummer, Richard 40 ("gentleman, of New England") of Bishopstoke, county
Hampshire ". >>
If you'll notice, your online source puts quotation marks around only
"gentleman, of New England." The rest was added by the compiler (as it
happens, so was "gentleman"). My facsimile copy of the Bevis passenger list
clearly says, "Richard Dumr [line over 'm,' superscript 'r'] of New
England"
(no "gentleman," let alone "Bishopstoke"). This is confirmed by
Samuel G.
Drake ("The Founders of New England," NEHGR 14[1860]:337) and Peter W.
Coldham (THE COMPLETE BOOK OF EMIGRANTS, 1607-1660 [Baltimore, 1987], 196).
<< Another speculative point is that a William Carpenter, with a wife Alice
and
daughter Alice, went to Virginia in 1623 or about. >>
It would be foolish not to investigate this to the extent possible. But
given the extreme popularity in England during this period of the names
William and Alice and that the Carpenter surname was hardly distinctive, I
can't get too excited about it. If this were "our" William, one wonders why
he wasn't accompanied by his namesake son, then aged about 18.
Reply to message #3
<< The following is from the Oxford English Dictionary tertiary "of"
citation. ... "III. Of origin or source. Indicating the thing or person
whence anything originates, comes, is acquired or sought. 9. a. Expressing
racial or local origin, descent, etc.: after the vbs. arise, be, come,
descend, spring, be born, bred, propagated, and the like." >>
A partial dictionary definition of the word "of" is irrelevant, as is how one
might answer the question, "Where are you from?" The BEVIS passengers gave
their respective residences as they were prior to embarkation. (See, above,
actual wording of the Richard Dummer entry in the BEVIS passenger list.) The
duration thereof can't be discerned from the passenger list. I object, not
to entertaining the possibility that William Senior had lived at Wherwell
previous to 1637 or 1638, but to the degree of certainty expressed in the
absence of any corroboration whatsoever. Since Wherwell parish records don't
begin until 1634, the best that can be done on that score is a record search
of surrounding parishes. Of course, if it were to be confirmed that William
Senior was born in Hampshire, it would virtually eliminate Robert of Marden
from consideration as his possible father.
<< Dummer was certainly not born in "New England", but the important point
his
new home was there and he had not just stopped there. Likewise "Bishopstoke"
was likely his English home. That Dummer's home was Bishopstoke is suggested
in vol. 3 of A History of Hampshire, p. 310. Richard and family had various
land based charities for the poor in Bishopstoke. >>
I have no problem with Wherwell's being the "new home" of the Carpenters.
Robert Charles Anderson, whose knowledge of early New England immigrants has
no equal, fails to mention Bishopstoke in his eight-page account of Richard
Dummer, his family, connections, etc. (THE GREAT MIGRATION BEGINS: IMMIGRANTS
TO NEW ENGLAND 1620-1633, 3 vols. [Boston, 1995], 1:588-95). On 24 April 1638
Richard Dummer's father, John Dummer, was living at "Swathling," and his
brothers Thomas and Stephen at "Chickenwell" and "Townehill,"
respectively
(ibid., 1:592). Richard's first wife, Jane Mason, was the daughter of Rev.
Thomas Mason of "Oldiham," Hampshire (ibid., 1:590). Richard appears to have
been connected with the Pyldren alias Dummer family of South and North
Stoneham, Hampshire (ibid., 1:591-92).
Gene Z.