12216. Caleb Gardner Carpenter
CENSUS: 1870 US Census - See image: RIN 120142 Caleb G Carpenter 1870.jpg
Name: Caleb F Carpenter
Estimated Birth Year: 1853
Gender: Male
Age in 1870: 17y
Color (white, black, mulatto, chinese, Indian): White
Birthplace: California
Home in 1870: California, United States
Collection: United States Census, 1870
12224. William Franklin Carpenter
MARRIAGE1: 5 children - no names given.
MARRIAGE2: 2 Children - See below.
MARRIAGE3: 3 children - no names given.The following supplied by Trent Carpenter.
“Portrait and Biographical Album of Newaygo County, Mich.”, by Chapman
Brothers, Published 1884
Starting Page 419...
William F. Carpenter, one of the most prominent agriculturists of Newaygo
County, resident on section 25, Ensley Township, was born in Chautauqua Co.,
NY, March 14, 1830. His parents, Timothy and Melinda (Miller) Carpenter, were
natives of Orange Co., NY. They were married and resided in the Empire State
until July, 1843, when they came to Michigan and located in Plainfield, Kent
County. The father died there Feb. 17, 1870. The mother is living and is a
resident on the homestead.
Mr. Carpenter was 13 years old when he accompanied his parents to Michigan,
and three years later he went to Chicago, where he passed six months as an
assistant in a lumber yard. At the end of that time he fell ill, and on recovery
became a clerk in the wholesale and retail grocery house if his cousin, Caleb
Carpenter. He served in that position about one and a half years, when he
returned to Kent County and attended school one winter. The following spring he
went to Ottawa County and established lumber interests, where he operated ten
years and also pursued farming to a considerable extent. In addition he
constructed scows, and during three summer seasons boated on the Grand
River. He then went to Lyons, Ionia County, and bought the American Hotel,
which he conducted in behalf of the traveling public about one year, when it
burned, occasioning a loss of $8,000 to the proprietor. It was covered by
insurance, but owning to a defect in the policy only a small portion of the amount
of recoverable.
The next business venture of Mr. Carpenter was the purchase of a half interest in
a drug store at Muskegon. The remaining moiety was owned by Levi Shockelton,
the firm style being Carpenter & Shockelton. This relation continued a year; then
he sold to his partner and bought a stock of groceries and conducted traffic in
that line of trade about a twelve month, when he determined to investigate the
probabilities and possibilities of the lumber trade in Wisconsin, and he proceeded
thither to look up pine lands; but, finding a feasible opening for trade, he opened
a store in Trempeleau Valley, Jackson County. He continued his operations there
two years, sold out and came to Cedar Springs, Kent County, where he opened a
general supply store and there transacted business about a year. Meanwhile he
bought an undivided half of 440 acres of land on section 25, Ensley Township, on
which a steam saw-mill had been located. He made this purchase in the summer
of 1868. In the fall of 1869 he disposed of his business at Cedar Springs and
went to Charlotte, Eaton County, where he established and managed a lumber
yard in connection with the sawmill in Ensley Township.
He again sold out his business in 1871, and after a stay of six months at Pierson,
Montcalm County, he settled where he now resides. He added by purchase 40
acres to his farm, which already contained 440 acres, and of this he has 200
acres in cultivation, with a standard of improvements which places it in the front
rank of farms in Michigan. In 1879 he erected a fine residence, second to none in
Newaygo County and the place is supplied with other farm buildings of
proportionate character, among them two fine barns. One of these is 100 feet
long by 56 feet wide and has a cupola more than 19 feet in height. He
contemplates the erection of two large granaries as lateral accessories to the
building, which Gov. Jerome characterizes as the finest structure of its kind in the
State. The farm is stocked with 200 sheep, 15 head of cattle, and eight horses.
About 15 hogs are fattened yearly on the premises.
Mr. Carpenter was married Jan. 27, 1866, at Augusta, Eau Claire Co., Wis., to C.
Antoinette, third daughter of Erasmus D. and Hannah (Crouch) Maxon. The
parents of Mrs. Carpenter were natives of the State of New York and settled in
Walworth Co., Wis., when their daughter was five years old. Seven years later
they located in the northern part of the Badger State and in the fall of 1872
removed to California, where Mrs. Maxon died, July 4, 1874. Mr. Maxon is still a
resident of California. Mrs. Carpenter was born March 7, 1844, in Jefferson Co.,
NY. Two children have been born of her marriage with Mr. Carpenter: Sidney M.,
June 26, 1870, and Mary, Dec. 28, 1874.
Mr. Carpenter is a radical Republican in politics. While a resident of Ottawa
County he was Clerk of Crockery Township two years, and served four years as
Justice of the Peace; held also several minor official positions. He is connected
with the Order of Masonry, and belongs to Cedar Springs Lodge.
The operations in real estate with which Mr. Carpenter has been connected are
varied and extensive. He has trafficked in large tracts in different counties and is
the owner of 181 acres in Montcalm County, with 35 acres cleared and
cultivated. He also owns a half interest in 1,000 acres of pine and hardwood land
in Wexford County, and holds a large claim in from one to two thousand acres, in
the counties of Wexford and Manistee.
12225. Benjamin Timothy Carpenter
MARRIAGE: 5 children.
CIVIL WAR VETERANInfo supplied by Trent Carpenter.
From “The History of Kent County, Michigan” by Charles C. Chapman, Published
1881
Page 1256...
Benjamin T. Carpenter, a pioneer of Nelson, was born in Carroll, Chautauqua
Co., N. Y., June 17, 1832; is a son of Timothy and Malinda Carpenter, who came
to Plainfield, Kent Co., in 1848[3?]. In 1856 our subject came to Nelson and
purchased land on sec. 18, where he has since resided, pursuing the vocation of
farming. He has cleared up a good farm from the "stump," and now ranks with
the pioneers of Kent. He enlisted as a soldier in Co. F, 6th Reg. Mich. Cav., Sept.
12, 1862. In 1864 he was promoted to Corporal. He served till the war closed,
and received his discharge Dec. 5, 1865. He served in the Cumberland Army,
and participated in all the battles that the 6th Cavalry were in, numbering in all 65
engagements. Mr. Carpenter was married May 11, 1856, to Mary L. Carr, who
bore him six children; four are living, viz. Almond R., Walter F., Fred and Estella
M. Mr. C. is a Mason, and in politics a Democrat. He owns 80 acres on sec. 18
and 80 on sec. 12, Solon tp. Also 160 acres in Emmet county.
12227. Lorenzo A. "Ren" Carpenter
Info supplied by Trent Carpenter
"The City of Grand Rapids and Kent County" Published 1900
Starting page 595...
Lorenzo A. Carpenter, one of the oldest and most prominent farmers of Plainfield
township, Kent county, Mich. is a native of Chautauqua county, N.Y., and was born July
19, 1837, the sixth of twelve children who constituted the family of Timothy and Malinda
(Miller) Carpenter, the remaining eleven having been named as follows: Exina, deceased
wife of Harvey Butler; Margaret, who was married to William Thompson, and is
deceased; Louisa Jane, wife of George Butler; William Franklin,, of Ensley, Newaygo
county, Mich.; Benjamin T., of Lockwood, Kent county; David G., a resident of Cedar
Springs, same county; Nancy M., wife of Charles Hunter, of Ottawa county; Dennis,
deceased; Amanda W., wife of Dennis Lewis, of Cedar Springs; William, deceased, and
Reliance, married to Henry Butler, of Big Rapids, Mecosta county, Mich.
Timothy Carpenter, father of this family, was a native of Cayuga county, N.Y., was born
July 25, 1796, was reared a farmer, and after one or more migrations came to Kent
county, Mich., purchased a wild tract in section No. 12, Plainfield, and here passed his
remaining years, dying at the age of seventy-two[seventy-three]. On this farm L.A.
Carpenter now makes his home. Mrs. Malinda Carpenter was also a native of the Empire
state, was born August 5, 1805, and died in Kent county, Mich., August 11, 1888, her
remains being laid to rest beside those of her husband in Hall cemetery, Plainfield
township.
Lorenzo A. Carpenter was reared to agriculture on the present farm, received a fair
common-school education, and at the age of eighteen years began the battle of business
life by laboring for about six months in a saw-mill as a hired hand, and next, for a short
time, labored as a farm hand. His next enterprise was the building of a scow, with which
for two years he carried lumber and wood down the river, and then traded the scow for
120 acres of wild land in Ottawa county. But he did not retain this property long, as he
exchanged it for a hotel in Lyons, Ionia county, and for a short time played the role of
landlord, then sold his hostlery and purchased a farm in section No. 13, Plainfield
township, Kent county. Soon after this his mother passed from earth, and he fell heir to
the homestead, still owning and operating the farm that he had himself improved, and this
has since been his permanent home. Both farms are devoted largely to fruit growing.
The marriage of Mr. Carpenter took place September 18, 1859 to Miss Elizabeth
McLean, who was born in Cayuga county, N.Y., January 10, 1841, a daughter of Abner
and Loanda (Brayford) McLean, and this marriage has been graced with eight children,
viz: Nora, wife of George Baker, a farmer of Pierson township, Montcalm county; Willie
E., farmer of Osceola county; Lillie, married to W. W. Simpson, a farmer of Ensley
township, Newaygo county; Hosea, a farmer; Mila L., wife C. A. Twitchell, farmer in
Ensley township, Newaygo county; Eugene E. and Lorenzo D., at home, and Orpha E.
who died in infancy.
Died in infancy.
NAME: middle name "Eliz." in the AF.