Am interested in Benajah Carpenter, born to Stephen Carpenter, Jr. and
Jane Thurston Carpenter on 30 October 1748 at Rumford, Rhode Island. In
1760 or thereabouts he began an apprenticeship probably with Henry Bacon
in Providence, RI, a chairmaker. In 1769 or thereabouts he completed
the apprenticeship, and on August 17. 1771 he married Sarah Taylor in
Providence. Familytreemaker lists him as a captain and mariner who died
at the battle of Long Island 27 August 1776, but Providence deeds
records from 1773 to 1775 describe him as a chairmaker whose lathe and
sundry tools were sold by administrators 8 July 1776 and whose real
estate was sold 17 June 1778 at public auction. In 1779 Sarah Carpenter
married Thomas Smart at Providence. Can someone reconcile these
seemingly disparate sets of records?
Other questions: whose son was Stephen Carpenter, Jr., born 1723?
Who were Jane Thurston's parents? Who were Sarah Taylor's parents?
My thanks in advance for any light shed on this mystery.
Fred Murphy (frpamu(a)cshore.com)