General Notes

Emigration: 10 JUL 1683 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Mo. Mtg. at Bridge Town, Island of Barbadoes (awarded 6/23/1683) 3
Emigration: ABT. 1671 Barbadoes

American Biographical Library
The Biographical Cyclopædia of American Women
Volume II
American Biographical Notes
The Chicago Historical Society
page 63
CARPENTER, SAMUEL, one of the greatest improvers and builders of Philadelphia, in an early day; d. in 1714. (Simpson's Eminent Philadelphians.)
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Colonial families of the United States of America: Volume 1
ISSUE
Samuel was Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania
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Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I-III
Penn Family

"William Penn Jr., did not accompany his father on his second visit to Pennsylvania in 1699, his young wife preferring to remain in England, and his first visit to his father's Province was in February, 1703-4, when he accompanied Lieut. Gov. John Evans. This visit was the result of a long cherished plan of his father, that his son might get acquainted with the new country as well as acquire a mode of living more in keeping with his income, he having developed extravagant tastes in England. In a letter to Logan, the father earnestly recommended his son to the society of Samuel Carpenter, Richard Hill and Isaac Norris, in whom he had the greatest confidence."
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Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I-III
Rawle Family

"Robert Turner was a preacher among Friends as early as 1657, and suffered imprisonment for conscience sake in 1660-61-62, both at Bridewell and Newgate. He was an intimate friend of William Penn, and the purchaser of many large tracts of land in Pennsylvania, and like Samuel Carpenter was one of the wealthiest of the early English immigrants to Pennsylvania, and with Carpenter, one of the most prominent in the affairs of the Province. "
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Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I-III
Emlen Family

"William Fishbourne was grandson of Ralph and Sarah (Lewis) Fishbourne, of Talbot county, Maryland, and son of William Fishbourne, born in Maryland, who came to Philadelphia about 1702, where he married Hannah, daughter of Samuel Carpenter, Provincial Councillor. "
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Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I-III
Pemberton Family

"When a young man Israel Pemberton removed from Bucks county to Philadelphia, where he entered the counting house of his father's friend, Samuel Carpenter, and he later became one of the wealthiest and best known merchants of the city. "
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Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I-III
Carpenter and Preston Family

"Samuel Carpenter, said to have been the first merchant of Philadelphia, and who was at least the first to engage in foreign trade at that port, and at his death in 1714, the wealthiest man in the Province of Pennsylvania, came of "an ancient and noble family of great antiquity" in England. He came to Philadelphia from Barbadoes, bringing a certificate from the Friends Meeting at Bridgetown, dated 6mo. 23, 1683. That he was of English parentage and nativity seems to be proven by the will of his brother Abraham, who died in Trenton, New Jersey, which mentions a sister Mary, a widow, in Lambeth, England; a sister Demaris, wife of David Hunt, of Southwark, England; children of a brother, John Carpenter, "late of Horsham, Essex;" and a sister Dorothy Jupp, also of England. Nothing has, however, been discovered in reference to his parents, or whether they accompanied him to Barbadoes or not. According to Besse, Samuel Carpenter, was among those who suffered persecution for their religious faith in Barbadoes in 1673, but as he was born in the year 1650, he may have gone to Barbadoes to engage in trade about the time of attaining his majority, as he was possessed of ample wealth on his arrival in Pennsylvania. According to Burke's "General Armory" the arms of the Carpenter family of Barbadoes, granted in Ireland, June 11, 1647, were as follows: "Paly of six ar and gu. on a chevron Sa. three plates each charged with a cross pattee gu." Crest,--A Demi-lion rampant, gu. Ducally crowned or. collared Sa. with the motto, Audaces Fortuna Juvat. The crest above described was invariably used by Samuel Carpenter, of Philadelphia, on his seal. His two brothers, Joshua and Abraham Carpenter, were also merchants in Philadelphia for a time, and owned several tracts of land jointly in West Jersey. Joshua was a member of Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania, 1702-07, and was one of Penn's Commissioners of Property, 1708. Abraham, the other brother, removed to Trenton, New Jersey, and died there unmarried as before recited.

Samuel Carpenter engaged early in foreign trade and had a warehouse and residence on the river front, with a bakery and the Globe Tavern, one of the earliest hostelries of Philadelphia. He lived for many years in the "Slate-roof House" on Second street, site of the Commercial Exchange, where Gov. Penn resided in 1700, and afterwards; John Penn, eldest son of the "Founder," being born there and where the Provincial Assembly met in 1696.

Samuel Carpenter engaged early in foreign trade and had a warehouse and residence on the river front, with a bakery and the Globe Tavern, one of the earliest hostelries of Philadelphia. He lived for many years in the "Slate-roof House" on Second street, site of the Commercial Exchange, where Gov. Penn resided in 1700, and afterwards; John Penn, eldest son of the "Founder," being born there and where the Provincial Assembly met in 1696."
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Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I-III
Edgar Arthur Singer

"The first of the Tresse family to come to America was Thomas Tresse, a brother of Hugh Tresse, last above mentioned, who was in Philadelphia at least as early as 1688. He was a prominent merchant, and was associated with Samuel Carpenter, and others in a number of business enterprises; was one of the company, with William Bradford, the printer, Robert Turner, and William Rittenhouse in 1690, organized for the purpose of erecting a paper mill in or near Philadelphia, the interest wherein Turner and Tresse sold in 1701. In 1709 Thomas Tresse purchased 13,000 acres of land on the Manatawney, Hanover township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, and, March 12, 1712, executed a deed of trust therefore to his sister Margaret Tench, and his nephew Thomas Tresse, Jr., including other lands, at Germantown, in the Jerseys and elsewhere, for the benefit of his sisters, nephews and nieces. The wharf of Thomas Tresse adjoined that of Samuel Carpenter, and was on Front street between Walnut and Dock streets."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 33, Vol 1
"There was a constant cry of want of money, where little existed,--of bad markets,--where heaven had most 'blest their store,'--of little value of lands and improvements,--where so much abounded, etc. They feared to invest capitals if they had them, even while the properties they actually held were progressivly, though with small momentum, rising in value to their zenith. Thus, as late as the year 1700 to 1705, etc., we see such a man as Samuel Carpenter, who made the first and most numerous important improvements in Philadelphia and the country, selling them out in vexation and disappointment."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 39, Vol 1
"The 'Coffee House,' of the day belonged to Samuel Carpenter, in the neighborhood of Front and Walnut Streets, near which he had also erected the first crane, and built the first back house, and first wharves of the accommodation of ships."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 52, Vol 1
"Samuel Carpenter's lot is from Front to Second street, and is the second lot above Walnut street, No. 16.
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 88, Vol 1
"Samuel Carpenter, in a letter of 1708 to Jonathan Dickinson, thus speaks of their embarrasssments of trade, saying, 'I am glad thou didst not come this summer, for craft from Martinico and several other privateers have been on our coast, and captured many. Our vessels here have been detained some time in fear of the enemy, and now by this conveyance to Jamaica, they are hurrying off 16 vessels to join convoy at the capes under the York man of war."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 104, Vol 1
"The entertainment given by the French Ambassador at Carpenter's house, now the Archade, was a supper and ball. The temporary building extended from the house along Chestnue Street up to Sixth Street; the inside was about 15 feet high, and 30 broad, handsomely painted with festoons of roses from the ceiling. Money was thrown out among the crowd. The fireworks were on the opposite square."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 394, Vol 1
"The earlist mention we have seen of a coffee house, was that built by Samuel Carptenter on some of his ground at or near to Walnut street. In 1705 he speaks of having sold such a building some time before to Captain Finney, who was also Sheriff." Note: The Common Council proceedings of 1704 are dated at Herbert Carey's inn and at other times at "the Coffee House."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 520, Vol 1
"Was one of the greatest improvers and builders in Philadelphia, dwelling among us at the same time as a merchant. He was probably at one time, if we except the Founder, the wealthiest man in the province. There is extant a letter of his of the year 1705 to Jonathan Dickison, offering for sale part of his estate, wherein he says, 'I would sell my house and granary on the wharf (above Walnut street) where I lived last, and the wharves and warehouses; also the globe and long vault adjacent. I have 3/16 of 5000 acres of land and a mine, called Pickering's mine. I have sold my house over against David Lloyd's [site of the present Bank of Pennsylvlania] to William Trent, and the scales to Henry Babbock, and the Coffee House [at or near Walnut street and Front street] to Captain Finney, also my half of Darby mills to John Bethell, and a hal fof Chester mills, to Caleb Pussey.' Besides the foregoing, he was known to own the estate called Bristol mills, worth 5000 pounds; the island against Burlington of 350 ares; at Poquessing creek, 15 miles from the city, he had 5000 acres; he owned about 380 acres at Sepvisor plantation, a part of Fairhill, where he died in 1714....James Logan, in writing to the proprietaries respecting him, says, 'He lost by war of 1703, because the proffitable trade he before carried on almost entirely failed, and his debts coming upon him, while his mills and other estate sunk in value, he could by no means clear himself, and from the wealthiest man in the province in 1701, he became much embarrassed.' Isaac Norris, in his letter of the 10th of 6 mo. 1705, to Jonathan Dickinson, says of him, to wit: 'that honest and valuable man, whose industry and improvements have been the stock whereon much of the labours and successes of this country have been grafted, is now weary of it all, and is resolved, I think prudently, to wind up and clear his incumbrances."
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Ethel Chandler Cullen's notes:
"Samuel Carpenter was born in 1650 and in 1673 he suffered in the Barbados for refusing to bear arms. He was then 23. He joined William Penn in Philadelphia in 1682 and next to Penn was considered the weathiest man in the Province. Besides having warehouses and wharves in Philadelphia, he had 20,000 acres of land in parts of the Province. He was an active Friend."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 52, Vol 3
Samuel is listed as one of the first individuals to build in Philadelphia (on Front, west side above Walnut).
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 55, Vol 3
"Samuel Carpenter is our Lime-burner on this Wharf. Brave Limestone found here, as the Workmen say, being proved."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 57-58, Vol 3
This year (1690) Robert Turner, John Tissick, Thomas Budd, Robert Ewer, Camuel Carpenter, and John Fuller proposed to establish a 'Bank for money'."
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Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time; Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and Hits Inhabitants
John F. Watson
1887
Page 115, Vol 3
"The Slate-Roof House, south-east corner of Second and Norris's alley (now called Gothic street), was built by Samuel Carpenter about 1699."
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Philadelphia Quaker Arrivals, 1682-1750
Arrived in Philadelphia from Barbadoes on June 23, 1683-from Mo. Mtg. at Bridge Town, Island of Barbadoes
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Life and Times in Colonel Philadelphia
Joseph J. Kelly, Jr. (Stackpole Books)
1793
Page 46
"This is ... a fair Key of about 300 square feet built by Samuel Carpenter, to which a ship of 500 tuns may lay her broadside, and others intend to follow his example."