Benjamin Carpenter (May 17, 1725—March 29, 1804) was a leader of colonial

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

who served as an officer in the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

and as

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

Biography

Benjamin Carpenter was born in

Swansea, Massachusetts Swansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts. It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, south of Boston, and southeast of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 17,144 at the 2020 cens ...

on May 17, 1725. He lived in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

and

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

prior to settling in

in 1770. Carpenter became involved in the early politics of Vermont, including the ongoing dispute between

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

over which one should have the jurisdiction, including the ability to sell land grants to white settlers. Siding with those who had purchased land grants from New Hampshire and favored Vermont's independence, Carpenter was kidnapped by pro-New York forces in 1783. He was released on the condition that he petition the Vermont government for release of imprisoned members of the pro-New York group, something he never did. At the start of the Revolution Carpenter served as chairman of his county Committee of Safety, and was appointed a

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

in the

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

. In addition, he served as a member of Vermont's Council of Safety. In 1779 Carpenter was elected Lieutenant Governor, and he served until 1781. Carpenter served as a member of the Council of Censors in 1783. Benjamin Carpenter was a devout

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

. In addition to serving as a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...

for more than 50 years, he also took to the pulpit on occasion to lead services and preach sermons. Carpenter died on

Guilford, Vermont Guilford is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford. The population was 2,120 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a tot ...

on March 29, 1804. He was buried in West Guilford's Carpenter Cemetery.Inscriptions on the Grave Stones in the Grave Yards of Northampton and of the Other Town in the Valley of the Connecticut
by Thomas Bridgman, 1850, page 195

Liberty Ship

A United States

Liberty Ship Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Though British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. Mass ...

called the SS Benjamin Carpenter was named for him. It was a standard 10,000 ton Liberty Ship with hull number 2786. It was laid down on 25 March 1944 and launched on 14 April 1944. The ship was scrapped in 1960.

References

External links

Benjamin Carpenter page
web site, accessed December 24, 2011 {{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, Benjamin 1725 births 1804 deaths People from Windham County, Vermont Lieutenant Governors of Vermont People of Vermont in the American Revolution Vermont militiamen in the American Revolution Baptists from Massachusetts People from Swansea, Massachusetts Deacons People of pre-statehood Vermont Burials in Vermont Baptists from Connecticut Baptists from Vermont Baptists from Rhode Island 19th-century Baptists