Greenwood Carpenter was born in Hull, Mass. in 1733. His Father was Ezra a
Ordained Minister serving In Keene and Swanzey, Cheshire, N.H.
Greenwood enlisted 12 July 1779 for one year , from Swanzey,NH . He was on
the Muster Roll in the 6 th regiment in the year 1779.
It appears he enlisted again in March 12, 1781, for three years under
Capt. Reed,in Company 3 ,from Swanzey,NH.
# 488 in Carpenter Memorial.
.
A recent researcher from Wisconsin looking for info supposedly a
descendant of Greenwood Was looking for a son of Greenwood oral history he says
indicated That Greenwood Jr. was a illegitimate and that his mother may have
been Black , perhaps a slave,and probably named Elizabeth. Family stories
also suggest that the son was sent away,but later returned to Swanzey , N. H.
The Swanzey, N. H. Town History book that Greenwood did move to Swanzey
but did not list Greenwood Jr. as one of his children. He is also not
mentioned in The Carpenter Memorial as a son of Greenwood either. Further more the
original Vital record books of Swanzey did not list birth of a Greenwood
Jr. The town history did indicate that Greenwood married for a second time
to a Susan Hammond, but offered no explanation concerning what happen to
his wife and their three children born in Massachusetts.( NOTE: on his
divorce application he notes she ran off and left children behind in 1763,to
marry another man and had a child with him.) In 1770 Records of New Hampshire
Colonial House of Representatives granted Greenwood's petition for a law to
allow him a Divorcee on the grounds of adultery. Green wood asked to be
released from his marriage and allowed to Marry again. Divorcee was very
rare, at this time and required a act of legislature to get it approved.
Sarah was summoned to court but did not appear and Greenwood was grated by The
second legislature Divorce in colonial New Hampshire was Granted a
divorcee, from his wife,Sarah Leathers (aka Sally) formerly of Charleston,in the
Province of the Massachusetts Bay to Greenwood Carpenter on April 5,1771.
This was one of the very first divorcees in New Hampshire history.
He was now free to marry Susan Hammond, or so he thought, so the couple
married in December of 1773 and began to rebuild their new life. New
Hampshire was a still a English colony at that time, however , and colonial laws
were subject to approval by the King. When the King and council finally
reviewed the decree, they disallowed the divorcee. In December , 1773, two
and a half years after the the divorcee was allowed by New Hampshire, the
king sent word that Greenwood's first marriage had not been dissolved after
all. The decision was published in Portsmouth, NH newspaper but had little
effect on the lives of Greenwood and Susan. The couples first child was
born ten months later and they went on to a long marriage with a total of ten
children born in Swanzey , N.H.
The story of the illegitimate Greenwood Jr. and his slave mother Elizabeth
seemed plausible. Who was she , however and how could we find out if, as
it appears ,the birth had been omitted from town records?After a internet
search of by HSCC ( Historic Society of Cheshire County) staff solved the
mystery. Although The Swanzey vital records did not contained the birth , the
town clerk had recorded it is his record book, and the LDS church had made
those records available online. On May 10 ,1763 Greenwood Jr was born in
Swanzey ,N. H. to Greenwood Carpenter and Elizabeth Negus.
How did these events affect his Father Rev. Ezra Carpenter ? We do know
Ezra asked to be dismissed from his pastorate in 1764, one year after the
Birth of Greenwood Jr. The church council accepted his resignation, and the
council meeting is still remembered today for another occurrence on that June
day Greenwood was born in Hull, Mass. in 1733. His Father was Ezra a
Ordained Minister serving In Keene and Swanzey, Cheshire, N.H.
He moved his family to Swanzey,Cheshire County,NH about 1756.
Probably on the death of his first wife. ( as per Carpenter Memorial)
Greenwood enlisted 12 July 1779 for one year , from Swanzey,NH . He was on
the Muster Roll in the 6 th regiment in the year 1779.
It appears he enlisted again in March 12, 1781, for three years under
Capt. Reed,in Company 3 ,from Swanzey,NH.
# 488 in Carpenter Memorial.
.
The family story of the illegitimate Greenwood ,Jr and his slave mother
Elizabeth began to look plausible, Ezra had owned slaves for his farm. The
town vital records seemed to have omitted this birth from the town records.
The researcher went back to Wisconsin disappointed, however a researcher at
the Cheshire County Historic Society (HSCC) solved the mystery . Although
the Swanzey vital records did not contain the birth , the town clerk had
recorded it in his record book, and LDS church had made those records
available on line. On May 10 , 1763 Greenwood Jr was born to Greenwood Carpenter
and Elizabeth Negus in Swanzey, N.H. A copy was sent to the researcher in
Wisconsin.
From Monthly Newsletter of the Historic Society of Cheshire County NH
The primary mystery was solved, But what became of Elizabeth and what was
the effect on Greenwood's father Rev. Ezra Carpenter? We do know Ezra asked
to be dismissed from his pastorate
in 1764 ,one yr after the birth of Greenwood Jr. The church council
accepted the resignation, and the council meeting is still remembered today for
another occurrence on that June day. A hurricane struck the town that night
as the members left the meeting house. The building was lifted from its
foundation, turned one quarter around and badly damaged a church members horse
was killed also. We may never know if any people present thought this was
a sign from God.
Greenwood succeeded his father in the Carpenter Homestead in Swanzey
Center. He farmed the land with his family until his death in 1809. The family
retained the homestead for many generations until the death of Greenwood’s
great grandsons wife Lucy died in 1928 the Homestead was later converted to
a home for the aged.
Greenwood Jr. apparently married a woman by the name of Hannah and moved
to Albany, N.Y. Where he applied for a pension for his service in the
Revolutionary War. He may have died in 1828 when his pension was discontinued. It
was later reinstated to hid widow Hannah who received government payments
for many years. No additional info or reference for Elizabeth Negus that
matches the woman who gave birth to Greenwood Carpenter Jr.