Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

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concerning John Carpenter, town clerk of
London
The corporation of London, who have good reason
to exult in the eminent position which the City
of London School has attained under their foster-
ing care, have, in spirit of just gratitude, honored
the memory of John Carpenter by causing a statue
of him to be placed in a conspicuous part of the
building, with an inscription which presents a faith-
ful outline of his character and good deeds, and
will form an appropriate conclusion to the present
narrative. It occupies five sides of an octagonal
pedestal and is as follows
To the memory of John Carpenter, an eminent
citizen of London and member of the Company of
Mercers, who lived during the reigns of Henry V
and Henry VI and who bequeathed to the corporation
of this city certain lands and tenements for
the purpose of maintaining and educating four
boys and sending them to the Universities ; from
which bequest resulted the foundation and endowment
of The City of London School under the
authority of an Act of Parliament A. D. MCCCC-
XXXIV. He was distinguished by his general
attainments and learning; his knowledge of the
laws, customs and privileges of this city; his
integrity of character, and universal benevolence.
From his earliest youth he was devoted to the
service of his fellow-citizens, and throughout the
course of his life proved himself a ready defender
of their rights and a zealous promoter of their
interests. He was elected common clerk or town
clerk of London, A. D. MCCCCXVII, and held
that office for twenty-one years, during which
period he compiled that valuable treatise still extant
under the title of "Liber Albus." He likewise
represented the city in Parliament, A. D. MCCCC-
XXXVI and MCCCCXXXIX. As one of the
executors of Sir Richard Whittington, he conferred
essential benefits on the city by promoting
various public works, especially the erection of
conduits, the rebuilding of Newgate, the enlargement
of the Hospital of Saint Bartholomew, the
completion of the Guildhall, and the formation of a
library attached thereto, to which he subsequently
bequeathed sundry rare books for the benefit of
students resorting to the same. In token of his
eminent services, he was honored both by his sovereign
and fellow-citizens with peculiar immunities
and privileges. He left munificent bequests to the
Charterhouse and the Fraternity of Sixty Priests
in London, of which brotherhood he was a member,
as well as to many other religious establishments
and persons; also to the hospitals of Saint
Mary within Cripplegate, Saint Mary without
Bishopsgate. Saint Bartholomew in Smithfield,
Saint Katherine near the Tower, and Saint Thomas
in Southwark ; to the houses for poor lepers at
Holborn, Locks and Hackney, and for poor madmen
at Bethlem ; to the prisoners in Newgate,
Ludgate, the Fleet, Marshalsea and King's Bench,
:
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
72
and the Prison of Convicts at Westminster. He
died on the Xllthof May MCCCCXLII; and was
buried before the chancel of the Church of Saint
Peter, Cornhill, of which parish he was an inhabitant
and a liberal benefactor. Thus his comprehensive
charity embraced all the necessities of his
fellowmen, and the general conduct of his life
exhibited the character of one who (in the words
of Holy Writ) desired "To do justly, love mercy
and walk humbly with his God."
(I) William Carpenter, the American
progenitor, was born in 1605 ; his wife
was Abigail ; she died February 22, 1687
he died February 7, 1659, in Rehoboth,
Massachusetts. He was a farmer. He
was admitted a freeman of Weymouth,
May 13, 1640; was representative of Weymouth
in 1641 and 1643, ^"d from the
town of Rehoboth in 1645 ; constable in
1641. He was admitted as an inhabitant
of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, March 28,
1645. In June of the same year he and
others were made freemen of Rehoboth.
Governor Bradford (who married his
cousin Alice) manifested great friendship
for William Carpenter and favored him
in all his measures in the Plymouth Court
and ever after that it appears, from all
their dealings and transactions, whether
private or public, that they were close
friends. There is no doubt but that it was
through the influence of Governor Brad-
ford and his wife Alice that William Car-
penter, of Weymouth, was induced to
come to New England ; and by William
Carpenter, of Providence, the Seekonk
Plain was pointed out to his cousin, Wil-
liam Carpenter, of Weymouth, on account
of its adaptability as a tract of territory
for a colony.
During the two years' residence in
America, of William Carpenter, of Prov-
idence (before William Carpenter, of
Weymouth, came over), he must have
learned about the soil and location. Soon
after William Carpenter, of Weymouth,
landed, his attention was drawn to this
location, probably by his cousin, and he
;