HOME CHART

ALICE CARPENTER (1590 - 1670) - IMMIGRANT


On 3 August 1590 ALICE CARPENTER was born in Wrington, Somersetshire, England. ALICE’s parents are Alexander Carpenter and Pricilla Dillen.

1613: MARRIAGE OF ALICE AND EDWARD SOUTHWORTH

ALICE’s suiter was William Bradford; however, her parents felt that he was socially inferior to her so on 28 May 1613 ALICE (age 23) married Edward Southworth in Leyden, Holland. ALICE and Edward had at least two children:

  1. Constant (b. about 1614)
  2. Thomas (b. 1617)

1621 (about): DEATH OF EDWARD

About 1621 Edward died in London, England.

1623: IMMIGRATION TO AMERICA

ALICE accompanied her brother-in-law and sister to New England aboard the ship Anne. ALICE left her son (by Edward) Constant in England; however, he did come to America 5 years later and was raised along with his brother Thomas (by Edward) in the Bradford home.

1623: MARRIAGE OF ALICE AND WILLIAM BRADFORD

On 14 August 1623 ALICE (age 33) married her former suiter William Bradford (Governor) (also widowed) in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. ALICE and William had at least four children:

  1. William (b. 17 June 1624)
  2. ALICE (b. about 1627)
  3. Mercy (b. 22 May 1627)
  4. Joseph (b. 1630)

PEQUOT WAR 1637

1657: DEATH OF WILLIAM

On 9 May 1657 WILLIAM died in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts.

CHARATABLE AND EDUCATED

ALICE was loved and regarded highly for her willingness to help those in need and strength of character. ALICE had a good education for her time, and brought considerable property with her from England. She provided guidance to the youth of the colony and promoted an interest in the literature lecturing on current topics.

1671: DEATH OF ALICE

On 26 March 1671 ALICE (age 81) died in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

***

Notes On Alice Carpenter

Information is based on the following sources:

Decendents of William Bradford: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/a/d/Harry-C-Hadaway/GENE3-0003.html?Welcome=1027358895 SEE WEB SITE SOURCE INDEX.

Rootsweb.com: Contact: Susan P. Canney [email protected] http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GETdb=canneyid=I18210 SEE WEB SITE SOURCE INDEX.

William of COBHAM was without a doubt the son of Alexander, and therefore a brother to Alice who married for her first husband a Southworth and for her second husband Gov. William BRADFORD. It was a well-known fact that Gov. Bradford paid his addresses to Alice Carpenter and was favorably received by her; but the marriage was opposed by her father on account of Bradford's inferiority in rank and social standing and she was therefore induced to marry Southworth. This circumstance proves that Alexander was a man of wealth and high standards which is also proved by his relationship with the Tyrconnel Carpenters. All the daughters of Alexander emigrated to America (except Agnes, who died while they were still in Holland) and there is no record that any part of the estate came to them; this clearly indicates that Alexander had a son who inherited the estate in England. By English laws the son would receive the inheritance, leaving the daughters without means and hence the offer of Gov. Bradford to defray the expense of the passage if Alice would come to America and make her home with them (him?).

There must have been some correspondence between William of Cobham and his sister, Alice BRADFORD, for it was a well-known fact among the family members in America that he had been made a Squire and given the title of Gentleman; also that he had received the grant of the Coat of Arms and was without heirs. There was a tradition in the family of Simon Carpenter who was born in 1759, that he was told by his father when mere boy that their only near relative in England had died without heirs and that the branch of the family had become extinct there. It appears that the Greyhound Arms on parchment were sent over to the family of William Carpenter and passed to the eldest son, John, who settled at Jamaica, Long Island. It was kept in this family and handed down from generation until sometime after the Revolution, when it was accidentally destroyed.

back to top