Given birth dates of 23 May 1605, 27 May 1605, and a few others are proven fabrications. They have been disproved and were caused by indiscriminate merging. Any use of such even with about or circa before such dates gives them validation. It is best not to cite them.
Carpenter Sketches - William Carpenter2 - by Eugene Coles Zubrinsky, FASG
http://carpentercousins.com/Wm2_Rehoboth.pdf
BIRTH: The earliest known record of William2 and his family of origin is that of their
tenancy at Westcourt Manor, in the Wiltshire part of Shalbourne parish, beginning in 1608
(see RESIDENCES, below). The line separating Wiltshire and Berkshire bisected the
parish, and the Hampshire border was/is only about four miles distant; it is therefore
likely that he was born in one of these three counties. The entirety of Shalbourne parish
has been in Wiltshire since 1895.
William2’s approximate birth year is calculated from his age, 33, as reported a few days
before 2 May 1638 and recorded on that date in the passenger list of the Bevis, on which
ship he and his family sailed to Massachusetts (TAG 70:193–94, 203; see also IMMIGRATION,
below). William is named with his father in the aforementioned 1608 Westcourt
Manor record (see RESIDENCES, below). The copyhold was reaffirmed in 1614
by cross-outs and insertions in the original, 1608 record, augmented by a margin note.
Presumably in 1621, when the copy court roll was compared to the manorial court book,
William2’s age, 16, was inserted in the original record in a space theretofore left blank
(Westcourt Recs 7; Crookston). No record of his specific date of birth or baptism has
been found, and any such date appearing in the secondary literature is a fabrication.
I encourage people to read and use the best known data on the two Carpenter (1635 & 1638) immigrant families researched by Gene Zubrinsky. Please note that these 12 Carpenter Sketches are occasionally updated as verified information is found. Please see: http://carpentercousins.com/carplink.htm
John R. Carpenter
La Mesa, CA USA
http//carpentercousins.com
