Family Group of Washington Benjamin Carpenter

WASHINGTON BENJAMIN CARPENTER   ( David P. ) was born October 27, 1829 in Delaware County, New York, and died June 27, 1913. He married (1) ELIZABETH COOPER. He married (2) FRANCES ALICE MASON March 21, 1852 in Delhi, Delaware, New York, daughter of RUEBEN MASON and SALLIE MAXWELL.

Notes for WASHINGTON BENJAMIN CARPENTER  

Washington Benjamin Carpenter was for many years identified with farming interests and although now living retired, making his home in Marion, is still the owner of a valuable and productive farm of four hundred and eighty-five acres, situated about five miles north of the city in which he lives. He was born in Delaware County, New York, and is a son of David P. and Rachel (Brownell) Carpenter. The father always resided in his native state. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, serving with the rank of Captain, while two of his brothers, George and Thomas Carpenter, were soldiers in the Revolutionary War.

Washington B. Carpenter is one of a family of thirteen children but only he and his brother Caleb, a resident of Pennsylvania, now survive. He attended the common schools and worked on the home farm with his father in his youthful days but thinking that his opportunities were limited by the confines of the farm, he afterward went to New York City, where he remained for eleven years, which brought him up to the time that he was thirty-five years of age. He then left the east and, making his way to Iowa, settled at Mount Vernon, where he purchased two hundred and seventy-five acres and began the development of a new farm. Later he located on the place which he now owns in the vicinity of Marion, in 1870. Year after year he carefully tilled the fields, bringing the place under a high state of cultivation and became, through judicious investment, the owner of four hundred and eighty-five acres of valuable land, which he continued to cultivate with gratifying success until about fifteen years ago, when he turned the active work of the farm over to others and took up his abode in Marion. He has the proud record of raising the finest steer ever produced in the state, it weighing thirty-six hundred pounds in Chicago when four years old.

Mr. Carpenter was married on the 21st of March, 1852, to Miss Frances Mason, and unto them were born three children. Alfred M., the eldest, is a farmer of this county, who married Alice Simpson, and unto them were born eight children: Blanch, the wife of Robert Larry; Florence, the wife of Lou Mattis, by whom she has one child, Louie; Frances, the wife of Andrew Falcon, and the mother of two children, Gladys and Norman; Emily, the wife of Alfred Busenbark; one child, a boy, who died in infancy; Pearl, the wife of Marion Owen, by whom she has a daughter, Alice; Cora, the wife of Sumner Jordan and the mother of a daughter, Isabel; and Donald. After the death of his first wife, Alfred M. Carpenter wedded Marjorie Goodlove, and their children are Dorothy and Charlotte. Claud C. Carpenter, the second son of W. B. Carpenter, married Miss Elizabeth Beall, and their children are: W. B., at home; Belle, the wife of Joseph Napier; Clinton C., attending college in Ames, Iowa; and Ralph, at home. For his second wife Claud C. Carpenter chose Stella Stinson and they have four children, Frances, Mary, Howard and Irene. Cora, the third child of W. B. Carpenter, is the wife of Charles Heer. They had a daughter, Louise, now deceased. After losing his first wife Mr. Carpenter of this review wedded Elizabeth Cooper, a native of County Down, Ireland.

In his fraternal relations Mr. Carpenter is a Mason and has attained the Knight Templar degree. He has always been interested in the welfare of the community and has aided in promoting its moral progress as a member of the Methodist church. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers & Merchants State Bank at Marion and is still one of its directors. He belongs to the Old Settlers Association and takes an active interest in its meetings and in recalling the early days when this was a pioneer district in which the work of improvement and development had scarcely begun. Through his business life he took anactive part in promoting the agricultural progress of the county and he has been an interested witness of its growth along many lines since coming to the county more than four decades ago. 1

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He was born in Delaware County, New York, on the 27th of October, 1829, and is a son of David P. and Rachel (Brownell) Carpenter, the former also a native of the Empire state and the latter of Rutland, Vermont. The father was a farmer by occupation and was an officer in the War of 1812, receiving a land warrant for his services. He had two brothers, William and Charles, who fought for American independence as soldiers of the Revolutionary War.

In March, 1864, he arrived in Mt. Vernon, Linn County, Iowa, and was first engaged in farming in Franklin Township, where he purchased land.

On the 21st of March, 1852, Mr. Carpenter was united in marriage with Miss Frances A. Mason, also a native of New York, and a daughter of R. W. and S. M. Mason, who came to Mt. Vernon, Iowa, about 1850.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter were born three children: (1) Alfred M., a farmer of Marion township, Linn county, married, first, Alice D. Simpson, and they had seven children, Blanche, Florence, Frances, Pearl, Emily, Cora and Earl. In 1897 she died, and in April, 1899, he married Mrs. Marjorie Goodlove, and they have one child, Dorothy. (2) Claud C., an extensive farmer and cattle dealer living a mile east of Marion, married, first, Libbie Belle, and they had five children: Daisy, who died young; Belle; Benjamin; Clinton and Ralph. In 1893 she passed away, and for his second wife he married Stella Stinson, in 1899, and they have one child, Frances Beulah. (3) Cora A. married Charles Heer and died in 1887, at the age of twenty-four years. 4

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We herewith present to our readers a complete roster of the membership, compiled in alphabetical order, together with the years in which they first settled in Linn county. 3

Names preceded by a star signify the members have died since joining the association.
1864             *Carpenter, W B             Marion

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Interment: Oak Shade Cemetery, Marion, Linn, Iowa 2.

Notes for FRANCES ALICE MASON  

Interment: Oak Shade Cemetery, Marion, Linn, Iowa 2.
Died: October 17, 1906 2

Children of WASHINGTON CARPENTER and FRANCES MASON:

1. ALFRED MASON CARPENTER, b. March 11, 1853, Delhi, Delaware, New York; d. May 15, 1928, Marion, Linn, Iowa; m. (1) ALICE DELILA SIMSON, January 11, 1877, Marion, Linn, Iowa; m. (2) MARJORIE JENKINS, 1899.
    
2. CLAUD C. CARPENTER, b. March 02, 1855; d. July 18, 1939; m. (1) S. ELIZABETH BEALL; m. (2) STELLA STINSON.
    
3. CORA CARPENTER, b. October 03, 1862; d. July 23, 1887; m. CHARLES HEER.
    

Endnotes