CARPENTER, WILLIAM, born July 3, 1787, in the city of Philadelphia, Penn., was the eldest son of Samuel and Catharine Carpenter. He had two brothers, Charles and Samuel, Jun.; also two sisters, Elizabeth and Catharine. His father died when William was quite young, leaving the family dependent entirely on their own exertions for a livelihood. William was baptized in the German Lutheran church in Philadelphia, Sept. 23, 1787. Carl Linnensheet and Margreth, his wife, (grandparents), sponsors. Arrived at manhood, he and his brother Samuel came to Licking county, Ohio, then the "far west." In the fall of 1819 William C. was married to Margaret Pence, who is still living. She was the daughter of Peter and Catharine Pence, and was born Feb. 5, 1803, in Shenandoah county, Va. Her mother's maiden name was Godfrey, whose father fought in the Revolution, under Gen Wayne, and was killed by the Indians, near Wheeling, Va., in the summer of 1820. William Carpenter, his wife and Samuel, started for Illinois. The time occupied in coming was six weeks. They passed through what is now Springfield, crossed the Sangamon river, and built a cabin about two miles north of it. At that time the "Kelly cabins" constituted all the settlement at what is now the city of Springfield. Samuel C. soon tired of the west, and returned. When land came into the market, Wm. C. entered the land upon which he had settled, and erected a two story log house, which is still standing, although dilapidated. This afterwards became an important point for the stage line on the State road leading from Springfield to Peoria, and called the "six mile house." Their nearest neighbors then were three or four miles distant, and the Indians (friendly tribes) frequently visited the house for something to eat, and a matter of considerable alarm to the females when the men were away, as was frequently the case, "to mill," or "on a hunt." They grew cotton, picked, carded, spun and wove it into cloth for family use. These cards are still in the possession of some of the family. For a long time Edwardsville, Madison county, Ill., was the nearest mill and postoffice. It took two weeks to go and return with a grist, usually a sack of corn, on horseback. St. Louis, Mo., was the nearest market. About the year 1828, William Carpenter, with a family of five children, moved to Springfield, then grown to the dignity of a town, and called Calhoun. He there engaged in merchandizing. The farm was afterwards rented, and occupied by Hon. St. T. Logan, then just arrived from Kentucky. Six children were born in Springfield. Of their eleven children--

CATHARINE, born Sept. 28, 1820, in Sangamon county, was married June 8, 1843, in Springfield, to Adolphus Wood, who was born Nov. 8, 1806, in Chenango county, N. Y. They had six children; the two eldest died young. Of the other four, WILLIAM C., born in Springfield, Ill., Dec. 28, 1848, was married August 29, 1874, in Chicago, to Emma E. Wood, who was born in Springfield, Jan. 2, 1851. They have one child, CHARLES O., and live on the farm with his mother. ELIZABETH and GEORGE live with their mother. CHARLES is clerk in Diller's drug store, Springfield, Ill.

Mr. Wood died Jan. 12, 1861, and his widow resides three and a half miles north of Springfield.

CHARLES, born Nov. 12, 1822, in Sangamon county, was killed in Springfield by a fall from a horse, March 17, 1833.

SAMUEL, born Nov. 12, 1824, in Sangamon county, was married Nov. 27, 1851, to Mary E. J. Kerns, who died March 16, 1853, and Samuel C. was married Dec. 16, 1858, to Mrs. Martha J. Black, whose maiden name was Short, daughter of Rev. Daniel Short. She was born Sept. 25, 1831, in Butler county, Ohio. They had six children born in Sangamon county. ANNA S., WILLIAM D., CARRIE E., MARTHA J., MARY M. and LENA L. Mrs. Martha J. Carpenter died July 17, 1873. Samuel Carpenter and his children resides five miles north of Springfield, adjoining the farm where he settled in 1820.

ELIZABETH, born Jan. 19, 1826, in Sangamon county, was married Nov. 27, 1851, in same place, to Richard Cobbs, who was born in Cynthianna, Harrison county, Ky., May 22, 1822. They have four children, MARIETTA, JOHN W., ALBERT R. and MARGATET A. Mr. Cobbs is a tailor, and resides in Springfield.

WILLIAM, Jun,, died in his third year.

MARGARET, born Feb. 27, 1830, in Springfield, was married June 5, 1848, to William A. Browning, who was born April 23, 1825, in Licking county, Ohio. They have seven children living; three died in infancy. AMELIA E. was married Dec. 28, 1871, to R. F. Gailey. Their only child, WILLIAM A., died in infancy. They reside in Pana. EVA O., MARGARET L., MARY J., WILLIAM O., LOUISA B. and FLORA M. reside with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Browning reside in Pana, Ill.

JOHN, born Nov. 2, 1832, and

GEORGE, born March 28, 1835, in Springfield, both reside with their mother.

EMILY A., born August 8, 1837, died Oct. 5, 1854.

MARY E., born March 28, 1843, and

SARAH J., born Jan. 26, 1846. The uninarried children reside with their mother:

William Carpenter died August 30, 1859, in Springfield, and his widow resides at the corner of Seventh and Carpenter streets, Springfield, Ill. William Carpenter was elected Justice of the Peace in Ohio in 1820, held the same office in Sangamon county about fourteen years, and was the second Justice of the Peace in Sangamon county. May 15, 1830, he was appointed Quartermaster 20th Reg. Ill. Millitia, Col. T. M. Neal commanding. April 12, 1832, he was appointed Paymaster 4th Reg. Mounted Vol. Inf., by Col. Samuel M. Thompson. In 1834 was elected to represent Sangamon county in State Legislature, when the Capital was at Vandalia. He was subsequently a member of the city council for a number of years. In 1837 was appointed by President Van Buren, Postmaster at Springfield, which office he resigned in 1840. In 1844 and '5 Mr. C. with his son-in-law, Adolphus Wood, erected a saw and grist mill on the Sangamon river, on the Peoria road, which has always been known as Carpenter's mill, although christened Rock Dam Mills.