Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume II, Part 9

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866- ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 716

USA > New York > Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume II > Part 9

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Children of William and Elizabeth Car- penter, all except. the first born in Pawtuxet: I. Josephi, see forward. 2. Lydia, born about 1638. 3. Ephraim, about 1640. 4. Timothy, about 1643. 5. William, about 1645. 6. Pris- cilla, about 1648. 7. Silas, 1650. 8. Benja- min, about 1653. Silas is the only one of the family whose birth is definitely known. A deposition taken in 1674 and the date on his. gravestone fixes it in the year given. The children are all named in the will, William ex- cepting, who was killed by the Indians prior to the death of his father.

(II) Joseph, eldest son of William and'

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Elizabeth (Arnold) Carpenter, was born at Amesbury, Wiltshire, England, about 1635. The first mention made of him is at Provi- dence, Rhode Island, where on May 3, 1656, he is witness to a deed from his uncle, Stephen Arnold, to his father, which indicates that he was then of legal age. The town records of Warwick, Rhode Island, show that he had a "Corne Mill" at the wading place near the Falls on the Pawtuxet river. Here he re- mained until 1677, although as early as 1663 he was at Long Island making negotiations for the purchase of land from the Indians at Oyster Bay. The Hempstead colony on Long Island resisted the attempts to settle at Oyster Bay, but finally allowed them to remain in peace. Joseph Carpenter is recorded as hav- ing purchased three thousand acres of land at Musketa Cove. Associated with him was Na- thaniel Coles, Abia Carpenter, Thomas Town- send and Robert Coles. They styled them- selves "The Five Proprietors of Musketa Plantations," which name and style was con- tinued until after the revolution. Each pro- prietor had a "Home Lott" of five acres set off on which to erect a dwelling. These home lots were situated on a street or highway that they called "The Place." The site of these homes on this street, which still bears the name, are very readily identified. On the "Lott of Joseph Carpenter" the first house was built, after the erection of a saw mill. It was occupied by him all his lifetime, was the birthplace of nearly all his children, and continued in the family for several gener- ations. The plantation prospered, although its growth was retarded by King Philip's war. Following the erection of the saw mill, he built a grist and fulling mill, agreeing with the other proprietors to grind their grain in return for the use of the water power. In a few years the Oyster Bay settlement had their own town government, constable, over- seers, justice of the peace and recorder. They held their own town meetings and elected their own officers until the organization of Queens county in 1683. They had many industries and the records show Joseph Carpenter to have been the prime mover in their establish- ment and that his energy and ability had made a thriving community from an humble beginning. He died during the "sickly season" of 1683. The place of his burial is not known.

He married (first), April 21, 1659, Han- nah, daughter of William Carpenter, of Reho- both, Massachusetts. She was born at Wey- mouth, Massachusetts, February 3, 1640, died about 1673. He married (second) Ann (or Anna), baptized in the Dutch Church at New

York in 1647. daughter of Francis and Eliza- beth (Luther) Weeks. Francis Weeks was with Roger Williams in the canoe when he first landed at Providence. He and his wife were early settlers of Hempstead, Long Island, where they were heavily fined for "entertain- ing Quakers," and soon after removed to Oyster Bay. Children by first wife: I. Jo- seph, "the eldest son," inherited the estate and title of his father. 2. A daughter, married William Thornecraft. 3. Tansen, married John Williams. 4. William, see forward. 5. Nathaniel, said to have been the first white child born at Musketa Cove, Oyster Bay, Long Island; married Tamar, eldest daughter of Robert and Mercy (Wright) Coles. 6. Han- nah, married Jacob Hicks. Children of sec- ond wife: 7. Ann, married Joseph Weeks. 8. Benjamin, married Mercy, daughter of Rob- ert and Mercy (Wright) Coles, sister of the wife of his half-brother, Nathaniel. 9. John (posthumous child), married Martha Feake. These children were all prominent in the plan- tation and some of them joined in the exodus from Oyster Bay to "the Main," as Westches- ter county was then called, and were among the first settlers at Rye, North Castle, Bed- ford, Harrison and Mamaroneck. Other fam- ilies leaving about 1700 were the Coles, Weeks, Lallings, Wrights, Townsends, Cocks and many others.

(III) William (2), son of Joseph and Han- nah (Carpenter) Carpenter, was born at Paw- tucket, Rhode Island, about 1666. The first mention of him is found in the will of his grandfather, 1683, and in 1692 he appears at Pawtucket and sold the property so given by will. He acted as one of the proprietors after the death of his brother Joseph until 1706, when his nephew Joseph attained legal age. He was a large land owner and prominent in the affairs of the plantation. He was a black- smith by trade, having his homestead and shop in that part of town known as "Duck Pond," now a residential section known as Nassau Station. He sold his property in 1720 and removed to Westchester county, New York, though he still had landed interests at Musketa Cove as late as 1734. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Ephraim Carpenter, supposed to have been his cousin; she died about 1743. Children: I. William, married Elizabeth Prior. 2. Joseph, married Ann Farman. 3. Silas, no record of marriage. 4. Benjamin, married (first) Dinah Albertson; (second) Lydia Thorne. 5. Timothy, see forward. 6. Elizabeth, married Samuel Weeks. 7. Ruth, married William Thornecraft. 8. Mai, mar- ried Captain Thomas Kepp. 9. Benedict, mar- ried (first) Hannah Haviland; (second) Abi-

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gail Horton; (third) Abigail Ferris. The members of the "Friends Meeting" at Pur- chase, New York, says he for "4th wife mar- ried the widow, Elizabeth Wanser, who sur- vived him."

(IV) Timothy, son of William (2) and Elizabeth (Carpenter) Carpenter, was born at Musketa Cove, Long Island, New York, April 1, 1698. He removed to Westchester county, New York. In 1720 he bought a large tract of land from the Indians at North Castle, part of which still remains in the family. His house was burned in 1721 and again in 1722. He then built the house in which he lived until his death. The house was afterward occupied by his son Timothy, his grandson William, and his great-grandson Job R. It was torn down in 1845. In his will, made July II, 1763, he divides a large landed property among his living children and wife Phebe. His will was proved May 24, 1769.

Timothy Carpenter married, about 1719, Phebe, born March 16. 1706, daughter ·of Samuel and Elizabeth (Albertson) Coles. Children : I. Samuel (said to have been the first white child born at North Castle), born January 17, 1720; married. Rachel, daughter of Job Wright, and had two children. 2. Ephraim, born June 27, 1723; is believed to have removed to Orange county, New York. 3. George, married Lucretia, daughter of Thomas Goulding; he was a farmer at "Nine Partners," Dutchess county, New York ; had five children. 4. Phebe, born June 25, 1729; married William Forman, a farmer of Yorktown, Westchester county ; they had a daughter Elizabeth, married Josiah Green. 5. William, see forward. 6. Arch- ealus. born April 23, 1734; married Rebecca Goulding, sister of the wife of his brother George. He was a tanner and currier, and had a farm at North Castle, where he lived at the time of the revolution. He sided with the "Loyalists," and because of his activity in their behalf his farm was confiscated and he and his family compelled to leave the country. They left New York in 1783, on board the ship "Cyrus," and settled in New Brunswick, enduring for many years untold hardships in that unsettled country. It is said of him that he built the first house and shop at "Parr- town," now St. John. He died July 15, 1810, leaving nine children: 6. Silas, born July 15, 1737: was a farmer of Greenwich, Connecti- cut ; he married Phebe, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Fowler, and had eight children. 7. Benjamin, twin of Silas; married Mary Searles; he was a farmer and resided for a time at Pittstown, Rensselaer county; had seven children. 8. Timothy, born August I,

1740 : married Hannah Ferris and had three children. 9. Elizabeth, died young.

(V) William (3) (named for his Grand- father Carpenter), son of Timothy and Phebe (Coles) Carpenter, was born at North Castle, Westchester county, New York, April 5, 1731, died June 6, 1814. He was a farmer at "Nine Partners." He married (first) Sarah Sea- man, of Long Island. He married (second) Lydia, widow of Abraham Carpenter, and daughter of Peter Totten, of North Castle. Children of first wife: I. Seaman, see for- ward. 2. Zeno, married (first) Lydia Clark ; (second) Sarah Hoag; he was a minister of the Society of Friends and a deeply religious man. 3. Stephen, born April 29, 1764. 4. Elizabeth, married -- Southwick. 5. Beth- any, born December 5, 1767. 6. Phebe, mar- ried - - Hoag. 7. Mary, married

Cornell. 8. Caroline. 9. James, died young. IO. Sarah, married

Carman. One au- thority states that Lydia, the second wife, had thirteen children, but does not state whether they were children of the first or second hus- band.

(VI) Seaman, eldest son of William (3) and Sarah (Seaman) Carpenter, was born February 10, 1760, died August 30, 1842. He removed to Saratoga county, New York. He married Sarah Simmons, born August 30, 1771, died September 19, 1806. Children: I. John, born December 21, 1793. 2. Sarah, Jan- uary 20, 1797. 3. Ruth, married Asa Barker, of Barkersville, New York ; had a son, William C. Barker, of Poughkeepsie, New York. 4. Hiram, see forward.

(VII) Hiram, son of Seaman and Sarah (Simmons) Carpenter, was born December 14, 1801, and died November 3, 1875, at Mel- rose, Rensselaer county, New York. He was a farmer, and also a tanner, owning and oper- ating a large tannery at Barkerville, Saratoga county, New York. He was a man of sterling character and excellent ability, and occupied a leading place in the community. He served as justice of the peace and school commis- sioner. He was an active member of the Christian church, and was of hospitable and generous disposition. In politics he was an old-line Whig. He married Sally Ann, daugh- ter of David and Mary (Harcourt) Barker. Her parents were from old and influential families, her father being of the Barkers from whom was named the village of Barkerville, and who contributed largely to its develop- ment and prosperity. Children of Hiram and Sally Ann (Barker) Carpenter: I. Mary Barker, born March 27, 1831 ; unmarried ; re- sides at Melrose, New York. 2. Edward Madison, see forward.

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(VIII) Edward Madison, son of Hiram and ‘Sally Ann (Barker) Carpenter, was born in Barkerville, Saratoga county, New York, April 11, 1835, died June 18, 1907. He came to Albany in 1854, and secured employment in the office of Bennett & Griffin, and from that time until his death was continuously and prominently connected with the grain and flour trade. He was head of E. M. Carpenter & Company, and was also associated with Ed- ward P. Durant, in the business of Durant & Company. For over a half century he was a leading merchant of Albany, and in point of years was the oldest operator in the city in the grain trade. In commercial circles his standing was of the highest, while his private character was without blemish. He was a faithful member of the State Street Presby- terian Church, in which he was for forty years an active member, and in which he was made deacon in 1872, and elder in 1889. He was ever alive to his responsibilities as a citi- zen, and always exerted his influence in be- half of good government. Through his long and active life in Albany he was a well-known figure, and had a large circle of friends and acquaintances. One of his prominent traits was his friendliness and kindliness to all with whom he camne in contact. He married, June 26, 1860, Harriet, daughter of Walter and Caroline Merchant (see Merchant III). Har- riet Merchant Carpenter, only child of Edward Madison and Harriet (Merchant ) Carpenter, born November 13, 1869, married Augustus Springer Brandow, June 28, 1893; children : Edward Carpenter Brandow, born June 22, 1896; Walter Merchant Brandow, born Octo- ber 19, 1902.

(The Merchant Line.)

(I) John Marchant, a native of Gloucester- shire, England, came to America before the revolution, allied himself with the patriots, and fought with the Continental army. He married Prudence, daughter of Eliakim and Joanna (Curtis) Stoddard. Children : I. Abel, born October 21, 1756. 2. Joanna, April 20, 1759. 3. Lucena, November 15, 1761. 4. Truman, May 5, 1762. 5. Sarah, April 16, 1766. 6. Phoebe, November 11, 1768. 7. Eliakim, see forward. 8. John, April 1I, 1776. 9. Abigail, October 5, 1778. 10. Stod- dard, February 23. 1782. II. Elizabetlı, May 5, 1788; married Thomas Rogers, and lived to the great age of ninety-nine years, four months.

(II) Eliakim Merchant, son of John and Prudence (Stoddard) Marchant, was a sol- dier of the war of 1812, and one of the earliest settlers of Washington county, New York.

He obtained a large tract of that then wilder- ness, cleared a large farm, built a house, and ultimately became one of the wealthiest farm- ers of the county. He married Charity Birge. Children: 1. Lansing, born April 16, 1804; married (first) Maria Ives : (second) Isabella E. Bronk. 2. Harriet, born March 13, 1806; married (first) Rodney Buel; (second) Nel- son Buel. 3. Walter, see forward. 4. Lucena, born February 7, 1810; married Edwin Brock Nash. 5. Phoebe, born December 11, 1816; married Charles Grandison Truner. It was in this generation that the spelling of the first syllable of the family name became Mer, and the name Merchant.

(III) Walter, son of Eliakim and Charity (Birge) Merchant, was born on the Wash- ington county homestead, June 26, 1807. He attended a country school, and in early man- hood acquired such liberal information that he was never at a disadvantage either in busi- ness or society. When about twenty-five years of age he came to Albany and formed a part- nership with his elder brother Lansing, in the wholesale and retail grocery business, at the corner of Division and Quay streets, in which they continued until the great fire in August, 1848. They then gave up the grocery busi- ness, but rebuilt their store building and en- gaged as grain merchants, which they pur- sued with much success for forty years, when both the brothers retired. They were the leaders in this enterprise, buying grain in bulk and boatloads from canal boats, and re- shipping to various markets.

Walter Mer- chant was originally a Whig in politics, and allied himself with the Republican party on its organization in 1856. He was an attend- ant at the Baptist church. He was honored for his spotless integrity and for his equable personal character. He was alive to every public interest, and a helpful friend to those needing assistance, whether moral or finan- cial. He died October 22, 1896, in the nine- tieth year of his age. He married Caroline Doughty, born in Dutchess county, New York, May 4, 1807, died August 29, 1900, daughter of Martin and Lydia (Collins) Doughty. Children: 1. Caroline, born June 20, 1835, died September 25, same year. 2. Elizabeth, twin with Caroline, died September 13, 1835. 3. Harriet, born February 21, 1840; married, June 26, 1860, Edward M. Car- penter (see Carpenter VIII).

The Mills family of Albany, herein MILLS considered, trace descent to the revolutionary soldier, George Mills, who is buried in Foster Hill cemetery, near North Galway, New York. George Mills was

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unquestionably a descendant of John Mills, the founder of the Mills family in America. John Mills was born in England, and is be- lieved to have come to America in June, 1630, in the fleet with Winthrop. He resided about ten years in Boston, where he was admitted freeman March 6, 1632; then removed to Braintree, Massachusets, of which town he was clerk in 1653. He married Susanna They lived in the part of Braintree now the town of Quincy. His will is dated January 12, 1677 ; proved September 10, 1678. In it he speaks of being "now fallen in years," and recommends his son John to bring up one of his sons to the work of the ministry, "which was," he says, "the employment of my pre- decessors to the third if not the fourth gen- eration." John and Susanna Mills were the parents of seven children: Susanna, married William Dawes; Joy, Recompense (both daughters and the first baptisms on record in the First Church in Boston, date October, 1630), John, Jonathan, James and Mary. There is no authentic record to show George Mills' descent from John Mills (above). As traced by one descendant we have the fol- lowing :

(II) John (2), son of John and Susanna Mills, was baptized June 3, 1632. He mar- ried Elizabeth Shove, April 26, 1653, and was a "husbandman," and lived in Braintree, Mas- sachusetts. He died February 27, 1694-95. His wife died August 18, 17II. Children : Elizabeth, Sarah, John (3), Jonathan, mar- ried Mary Sheffield, Edward, Susanna, Mary, Nathaniel and Susanna (2).

(III). Captain John (3), son of John (2) and Elizabeth (Shove) Mills, was born April 13, 1660, died February 9. 1722. He lived in that part of Old Braintree then called Monati- quod. He was a blacksmith by trade, and in a record of 1721 is styled "gentleman." He was a man of intelligence, ability and influ- ence; selectman three terms; representative five terms, and filled other positions of public trust. He married Hannah whom he mentions in his will. Children: I. Hannah. 2. Elizabeth, married Roger Wilson. 3. Jolın, died in infancy. 4. John, unmarried ; willed his property to his mother, three sisters and brother Rev. Jonathan. 5. Mary, died before 1722. 6. Sarah, married ( first) Joseph Neale, (second) Captain Ebenezer Thayer. 7. Jona- than, died in infancy. 8. Jonathan, see for- ward.

(IV) Rev. Jonathan, youngest son of Cap- tain John (3) and Hannah Mills, was born in Braintree, March 2, 1702-03. died at Prov- incetown, Massachusetts, May 21, 1773. He graduated from Harvard in 1723, was or-

dained pastor at Bellingham 1727, lived in Boston many years, and was installed pastor of the Second church in Harwich. He mar- ried (first), November 30, 1727, Jemima Hay- ward; (second) June 12, 1760, Hepzibah (White) French, widow of Benjamin French. There is no record of the children of Rev. Jonathan except two daughters. (The au- thor of the "Vinton Genealogy," page 344, says: "Whether there were others we know not.") Emminent genealogists believe there were other children, and that George, of the next generation, was one of them.

(V) George, believed to have been the son of Rev. Jonathan and Jemima (Hayward) Mills, was born about 1754. The inscription on his tombstone reads: "died June 18, 1826, in the 73rd year of his age." There has been a great deal of family tradition handed down as to his age and occupation, which when carefully sifted leads to the belief that he was among the early settlers in the Connecticut Valley. Later he settled in Chesterfield, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, and was a farmer by occupation. At the outbreak of the revolution he was unmarried, and promptly enlisted at the first call, as his name appears as a private on the Lexington alarm roll of Captain Robert Webster's company, General Pomeroy's regiment, which marched from Chesterfield on April 21, 1775, but two days after the firing of "the shot heard round the world." (Massachusetts War Records 13, 193.) His name appears as "George Mills, Jr." on this and two subsequent enlistments, to distinguish him from another George Mills in his company, who was the elder. The appellation "Junior" clung to him and was sometimes changed to "Second." Even the record of his death was written by his son George in the family Bible as "George Mills, Second," etc., etc. He served but six days on his first enlistment, and April 27, 1775, en- listed in Captain Robert Webster's company (the Eighth) belonging to the Eighth Regi- ment of Foot, Colonel Fellows commanding. This time his term of service was three months, twelve days. During this period his regiment was part of the army about Boston and was encamped at Dorchester. On a mus- ter roll of the same company and regiment dated "Dorchester, October 8, 1775," he ap- pears with the rank of private, residence "Chesterfield." According to the same au- thority, on September 9, 1775, he went to Quebec with General Arnold's expedition that fared so badly. Evidently he was detailed from this command, for the records of Ches- terfield bear this entry : "Reported away upon the Quebec expedition: Wait, Burke, Tilly,

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George Mills, 1777." He was one of the many American soldiers taken prisoners by the British, and lay in the Quebec jail from December 25, 1775, to April, 1777. In a list of the killed, wounded and those taken pris- oners of the American troops at Quebec, De- cember 31, 1775, he appears among the few prisoners from Captain Hubbard's company, the greater number having been forced to enlist in the king's service. He was evidently made of sterner material. The family tradi- tion concerning his long term of imprison- ment is that he was locked to a log in the old jail with four others, and that his hands were so small that he could slip the hand- cuffs off, doing this each night and making his fellow prisoners more comfortable, and in the morning slipping his hands back. He was exchanged in the spring of 1777, and on reach- ing New York state at once re-enlisted. He appears with the rank of private on Conti- nental pay accounts, of Captain Day's com- pany, Colonel Brooks' (late Alden's) regi- ment, for service from March 4, 1777, to De- cember 31, 1779, and again in Captain Co- burn's company from January 1, 1780, to De- cember 31, 1780. He is thus described in the records of enlisted men belonging to Chesterfield : "Age 25 years, stature, five feet seven inches, complexion dark, occupation farmer." In January, 1781, he was enrolled in Captain William White's company of the same regiment (7th Light Infantry), which at that time was stationed at West Point, and George Mills was one of the Light Infantry guard at the execution of Major Andre. He is also on the rolls of the same regiment as serving from February 1, 1781, to March I, 1782, also as receiving a furlough of "40 days to go from West Point to Chesterfield." He was finally discharged June 10, 1783, and his name appears in a list of men who received honorary badges for faithful service since No- vember 15, 1776. His total service, as per records heretofore quoted, beginning April 21, 1775, covers a period of eight years and four- teen days, and, with the exception of the forty days' furlough, was continuous. After the war, according to his son George, he drew a pension for four or five years, of $96 per annum. He married Martha Gray, born in Rockingham, Hampshire county, Massachu- setts, in 1758, but lived in Chesterfield. They settled in Galway, Saratoga county, New York, in 1789, near Campbells Mills, later removing to Providence, Fulton county, and from there to Mills Corners, where George died May 18, 1826. The following is the epitaph on his tombstone in Foster Hill Ceme- tery, North Galway, New York:

IN MEMORY OF GEORGE MILLS, WHO DIED JUNE 18, 1826, IN THE 73D YEAR OF HIS AGE "Friend nor Physician could not save My mortal body from the grave,

Nor can the grave confine me here When Christ my Savior shall appear."

His widow, Martha Gray Mills, removed to Fonda, New York, in 1839, where she died August 1, 1844, aged 86 years. Their chil- dren were: George, see forward: Polly, died young ; Frederic, died young.

(VI) George (2), son of George (1) and Martha (Gray) Mills, was born June 12, 1789, died October 3, 1871. He was a general mer- chant and produce buyer at Broadalbin (then Fonda's Bush), Fulton county, New York, and a man of considerable means and influ- ence. He married, August 10, 1820, Susanna Hicks; children: I. Borden H., see forward. 2. George F., died 1898; a miller and mem - ber of the firm of Geo. F. Mills & Co., Fonda, New York. 3. Alexander H., of Fonda. 4. Martha, married Horace E. Smith, of Johns- town, New York, a prominent member of the Fulton county bar and dean of Albany Law School. 5. Adela, married James MacMartin.

(VII) Borden Hicks, son of George and Susanna (Hicks) Mills, was born at "Fonda's Bush" (Broadalbin), Fulton county, New York, September 19, 1821, died in Albany, New York, October 2, 1872. In early man- hood he conducted a general store at Knowles- ville, Orleans county, New York. He re- moved to Albany in 1856, where, with James MacMartin (his brother-in-law), he formed the firm of Mills and MacMartin, wholesale flour merchants. His business interests in the county were very large and he was also an influential man of affairs. The firm operated five flouring mills in connection with their wholesale trade, and carried on an exceedingly prosperous business. He was active in the Whig party, and on the formation of the Re- publican party became connected with that organization. He was associated intimately with the leading men of that period and en- joyed the personal friendship of Thurlow Weed, William H. Seward, Governor Fenton, and other leaders. He represented the tenth ward in the Albany city council many years, and wielded a powerful influence in city and state politics. He was president of the Albany Board of Trade, and in many ways advanced the interests of his city. In religious faith he was a Presbyterian, and served as trustee of the First Church of Albany. He was a member of the Masonic Order, belonging to

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Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume II, Part 9

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866- ed Publication date: 1911 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 716

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866- ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 716