M. 23 Oct 1718 in Coventry, Connecticut2
Wife: Deborah Long
D. Jul 1792 in Coventry, Connecticut3
In 18th century America, it was fairly unusual when someone lived past 80-years-old. Medical knowledge was primitive, living conditions were often unsanitary, and other dangers could wreck a person’s good health. That’s why the lifespan of someone like Amos Carpenter makes you wonder what he did differently.
Amos was born to Benjamin Carpenter and Hannah Strong, and he was christened on November 6, 1693 in Northampton, Massachusetts,1 the third of twelve children. When he was 14-years-old, the family moved to Coventry, Connecticut,4 a new settlement where Amos would spend the rest of his life. He bought some land from his father in 1717,5 and on October 23rd of the following year, he married Deborah Long.2 Between 1719 and 1744, they had 14 children.
Like all New England towns, every man in Coventry was expected to perform some civic duty, and starting in 1721, Amos was assigned to jobs such as “lister and inspector,” collector, and tithingman.6 After 1739, his name no longer appeared in town meeting notes. There is little else noteworthy about his life; he didn’t fight in any wars, and he didn’t make trouble in the community. He was a farmer who seems to have kept a low profile
But Amos did do one thing: he lived nearly a hundred years. After his wife Deborah died at an unknown date, he passed away in July 1792 in his 99th year.3 How could someone born that long ago live to such an age? There’s reason to believe that genetics played a part — Amos was part of a chain of people who lived to near-90 or older. There must have been something in the DNA Amos inherited and passed to his descendants that led to his longevity.
But Amos did do one thing: he lived nearly a hundred years. After his wife Deborah died at an unknown date, he passed away in July 1792 in his 99th year.3 How could someone born that long ago live to such an age? There’s reason to believe that genetics played a part — Amos was part of a chain of people who lived to near-90 or older. There must have been something in the DNA Amos inherited and passed to his descendants that led to his longevity.
Children:
1. Seth Carpenter — B. 18 Jul 1719, Coventry, Connecticut7
2. Mary Carpenter — B. 18 Jul 1719, Coventry, Connecticut8
3. John Carpenter — B. 20 Feb 1722, Coventry, Connecticut9
4. Seth Carpenter — B. 13 Apr 1723, Coventry, Connecticut10
5. Elisha Carpenter — B. 27 Apr 1725, Coventry, Connecticut;11 D. 14 Jul 1816, Granville County, North Carolina;12 M. Deliverance Meraugh (~1728-?), 14 Apr 1748, Coventry, Connecticut13
6. Timothy Carpenter — B. 5 May 1727, Coventry, Connecticut;14 M. Miriam Parker, 8 Feb 1759, Coventry, Connecticut15
7. Rachel Carpenter — B. 29 Mar 1729, Coventry, Connecticut;16 D. 28 Feb 1816, Westhampton, Massachusetts;17 M. (1) Joshua Boynton (1723-1752), 9 Nov 1749, Coventry, Connecticut;18 (2) Ebenezer French (1731-?), 5 Sep 1754, Coventry, Connecticut19
8. Phebe Carpenter — B. 20 May 1731, Coventry, Connecticut20
9. Joshua Carpenter — B. 30 Jun 1734, Coventry, Connecticut;21 M. Submit Webster (1734-1815), 15 Jan 1755, Lebanon, Connecticut22
10. Anna Carpenter — B. 22 Sep 1736, Coventry, Connecticut;23 M. Benjamin Fenton, 24 Feb 1768, Willington, Connecticut24
11. Ephraim Carpenter — B. 1 Apr 1738, Coventry, Connecticut;25 M. Mary Wheeler, 21 May 1761, Columbia, Connecticut26
12. Simeon Carpenter — B. 23 Mar 1740, Coventry, Connecticut;27 D. 21 Oct 1830, Waterbury, Vermont;28 M. Anna Burton (1750-1841), 11 May 176929
13. Dan Carpenter — B. about 1742, Connecticut;30 M. Rebecca Smith30
14. Azubah Carpenter — B. 13 Sep 1744, Connecticut;31 M. Perez Sprague, 16 Dec 1782, Coventry, Connecticut32
Sources:
1 Christening record of Amos Carpenter, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Amos Carpenter and Deborah Long, Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997, FamilySearch.org
3 Connecticut Courant, 23 Jul 1792, “Died at Coventry, Mr. Amos Carpenter, aged 99.”
4 History of Northampton, Massachusetts: From its Settlement in 1654, Vol. 1, James Russell Trumbull and Seth Pomeroy, 1898
5 Carpenter Cousins (website)
6 Coventry, Connecticut town records, FamilySearch.org
7 Birth record of Mary Carpenter, Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906, FamilySearch.org
8 Birth record of Seth Carpenter (older), C.B. & C.
9 Birth record of John Carpenter, C.B. & C.
10 Birth record of Seth Carpenter (younger), C.B. & C.
11 Birth record of Elisha Carpenter, C.B. & C.
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Elisha Carpenter
13 Marriage record of Elisha Carpenter and Deliverance Meraugh, C.M.
14 Birth record of Timothy Carpenter, C.B. & C.
15 Marriage record of Timothy Carpenter and Miriam Parker, C.M.
16 Birth record of Rachel Carpenter, C.B. & C.
17 Find-a-Grave listing for Rachel F. (Carpenter) Boynton
18 Marriage record of Joshua Boynton and Rachel Carpenter, C.M.
19 Marriage record of Ebenezer French and Rachel Carpenter, C.M.
20 Birth record of Phebe Carpenter, C.B. & C.
21 Birth record of Joshua Carpenter, C.B. & C.
22 Marriage record of Joshua Carpenter and Submit Webster, C.M.
23 Birth record of Anna Carpenter, C.B. & C.
24 Marriage record of Benjamin Fenton and Anne Carpenter, C.M.
25 Birth record of Ephraim Carpenter, C.B. & C.
26 Marriage record of Timothy Carpenter and Miriam Parker, Connecticut Vital Records, prior to 1850, FamilySearch.org
27 Birth record of Simeon Carpenter, C.B. & C.
28 Death record of Simeon Carpenter, Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954, FamilySearch.org
29 WikiTree listing for Simeon Carpenter
30 Geni listing for Dan Carpenter
31 Birth record of Azubah Carpenter, C.B. & C.
32 Marriage record of Perez Sprague and Azubah Carpenter, C.M.
1. Seth Carpenter — B. 18 Jul 1719, Coventry, Connecticut7
2. Mary Carpenter — B. 18 Jul 1719, Coventry, Connecticut8
3. John Carpenter — B. 20 Feb 1722, Coventry, Connecticut9
4. Seth Carpenter — B. 13 Apr 1723, Coventry, Connecticut10
5. Elisha Carpenter — B. 27 Apr 1725, Coventry, Connecticut;11 D. 14 Jul 1816, Granville County, North Carolina;12 M. Deliverance Meraugh (~1728-?), 14 Apr 1748, Coventry, Connecticut13
6. Timothy Carpenter — B. 5 May 1727, Coventry, Connecticut;14 M. Miriam Parker, 8 Feb 1759, Coventry, Connecticut15
7. Rachel Carpenter — B. 29 Mar 1729, Coventry, Connecticut;16 D. 28 Feb 1816, Westhampton, Massachusetts;17 M. (1) Joshua Boynton (1723-1752), 9 Nov 1749, Coventry, Connecticut;18 (2) Ebenezer French (1731-?), 5 Sep 1754, Coventry, Connecticut19
8. Phebe Carpenter — B. 20 May 1731, Coventry, Connecticut20
9. Joshua Carpenter — B. 30 Jun 1734, Coventry, Connecticut;21 M. Submit Webster (1734-1815), 15 Jan 1755, Lebanon, Connecticut22
10. Anna Carpenter — B. 22 Sep 1736, Coventry, Connecticut;23 M. Benjamin Fenton, 24 Feb 1768, Willington, Connecticut24
11. Ephraim Carpenter — B. 1 Apr 1738, Coventry, Connecticut;25 M. Mary Wheeler, 21 May 1761, Columbia, Connecticut26
12. Simeon Carpenter — B. 23 Mar 1740, Coventry, Connecticut;27 D. 21 Oct 1830, Waterbury, Vermont;28 M. Anna Burton (1750-1841), 11 May 176929
13. Dan Carpenter — B. about 1742, Connecticut;30 M. Rebecca Smith30
14. Azubah Carpenter — B. 13 Sep 1744, Connecticut;31 M. Perez Sprague, 16 Dec 1782, Coventry, Connecticut32
Sources:
1 Christening record of Amos Carpenter, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Amos Carpenter and Deborah Long, Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997, FamilySearch.org
3 Connecticut Courant, 23 Jul 1792, “Died at Coventry, Mr. Amos Carpenter, aged 99.”
4 History of Northampton, Massachusetts: From its Settlement in 1654, Vol. 1, James Russell Trumbull and Seth Pomeroy, 1898
5 Carpenter Cousins (website)
6 Coventry, Connecticut town records, FamilySearch.org
7 Birth record of Mary Carpenter, Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906, FamilySearch.org
8 Birth record of Seth Carpenter (older), C.B. & C.
9 Birth record of John Carpenter, C.B. & C.
10 Birth record of Seth Carpenter (younger), C.B. & C.
11 Birth record of Elisha Carpenter, C.B. & C.
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Elisha Carpenter
13 Marriage record of Elisha Carpenter and Deliverance Meraugh, C.M.
14 Birth record of Timothy Carpenter, C.B. & C.
15 Marriage record of Timothy Carpenter and Miriam Parker, C.M.
16 Birth record of Rachel Carpenter, C.B. & C.
17 Find-a-Grave listing for Rachel F. (Carpenter) Boynton
18 Marriage record of Joshua Boynton and Rachel Carpenter, C.M.
19 Marriage record of Ebenezer French and Rachel Carpenter, C.M.
20 Birth record of Phebe Carpenter, C.B. & C.
21 Birth record of Joshua Carpenter, C.B. & C.
22 Marriage record of Joshua Carpenter and Submit Webster, C.M.
23 Birth record of Anna Carpenter, C.B. & C.
24 Marriage record of Benjamin Fenton and Anne Carpenter, C.M.
25 Birth record of Ephraim Carpenter, C.B. & C.
26 Marriage record of Timothy Carpenter and Miriam Parker, Connecticut Vital Records, prior to 1850, FamilySearch.org
27 Birth record of Simeon Carpenter, C.B. & C.
28 Death record of Simeon Carpenter, Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954, FamilySearch.org
29 WikiTree listing for Simeon Carpenter
30 Geni listing for Dan Carpenter
31 Birth record of Azubah Carpenter, C.B. & C.
32 Marriage record of Perez Sprague and Azubah Carpenter, C.M.
