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Archiver > CARPENTER > 1998-08 > 0902887659


From: Linda Hannah <>
Subject: Rehoboth Report
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 20:07:39 -0600 (MDT)


Hi to the Carpenter Gang!
This report is a bit long as it contains directions so you may want to
get a cup of tea or coffee while it is being printed for you to read. Sit
back and I hope you enjoy our trip back to our Roots!!
Three weeks previous to my trip I wrote the "Chamber of Commerce of
Rehoboth" I don't know that they have one but I thought I might get
something from someone. A week before we were to leave I get a letter from
Joseph A. Carpenter. He says there are three main places to visit: The East
Providence Grave yard, the Goff Memorial Library with the Trim Room upstairs
that has lots of Carpenter genealogy and the Carpenter Museum. So-o--o-o-
Saturday, Aug. 2 1998 my daughter Beth-Ann Hannah of Boston the last 3
yrs. drove me down to Rehoboth. We took hiway 95 to 152 to Attoboro ,
another Carpenter hangout, where we had lunch. After lunch we continued
down 152 and still hadn't come to Pawtucket Ave. so we stopped at a Barn
(Garage) Sale. He had everything!! We asked for directions and we were
only one signal away from 152 and Pawtucket Ave where the Newman
Congregational Church was located and across the street was the old Rehoboth
Cemetery. We went in and found the Carpenter graves but no William #16
(Carpenter Memorial #) nor Daniel with the Carpenter coat of arms on his
grave. I took lots of slides. So we went back to the church but couldn't
raise the one person we knew was there from the car in the parking.
Next we saw another smaller church at the back of the cemetery. It
turned out to be a Nazarine church. The minister there gave me the phone #
of the cemetery board but no one answered. We went back to the cem. and
went in from another end. It seems the Carpenters are all together from
what we saw. I took some more slides, as I remember I got an Abigai, Abiah,
later Wm. and a Nathaniel but I don't know what years until I get the film
developed. I also took some Hunts.
As it was getting late we decided to hot foot it over to Rehoboth, 30
miles away. We found the Goff Memorial Library but it was due to close in a
half hour. I was able to get eight pages photo copied of Wm. and Abby's
family-stuff I hadn't seen before. The library wasn't open on Sunday. I
didn't get back on Monday as I hoped I would.
Before they closed we got directions to the Carpenter Museum which we
knew from Mr. Carpenter's letter was only open on Sunday from 2-4 pm. The
letter I wrote to the "Chamber of Commerce" ended up forwarded to the
President of the Antiquian Society who dumped it into Cousin Carpenter's
lap. He descends from Abiah and Oliver too! The Society's address is
Rehoboth Antiquarian Society, Box 2, Rehoboth MA 02769. They oversee the
operation of the Goff Library and the Carpenter Museum.
We found it not 2-3 blocks away behind the village Congregational Church
on Locust Ave. It was built in 1974 to house the various artifacts of
colonial families in the area. It is contructed like a typical 17th century
home: small entry and rooms left and right but no second story.
On Sunday we went back from Boston. It is about an hour and 20 min.
from there. We got there 15 min early so I took pictures of the surrounding
homes.
When we got into the building we were shown into the right room. It is
set up like a colonial kitchen with huge fireplace, trestle table, shelves
with wood utencils and bowls. A grandfather's clock that belongs to a group
of Carpenters stands on the north wall. I took an available light picture as
I forgot my flash. (leaned against the wall and held my breath) Don't know
if it will come out probably not but I tried.
The left rooom is setup like an 18th centurey room. Wallpapered, cherry
and mahagony furniture. Same thing with pictures here.
Across the back of the two rooms where a kitchen would be normally was
a long room with various displays. China that belonged to a trader
Carpenter. A Carpenter Coat of Arms on the wall. Portraits of another
colonial family members.
Behind half of this room is the library/computer/office room. It is the
lean-to portion of the house. They have everything (?) on PAF Personal
Ancestrial File program. A double bookshelf: half has general local history
and the other half has genealogy. There are two large tables for hand
copying. They just got a $1 or 3 million donation, so they are considering
buying a copier like the Goff lib. has and charging 10 cents a copy which
will give them some income.
I found the seven, one-inch volumnes of handwritten genealogy of Ray
G. Carpenter! I had heard about it but thought it had been published. Does
anyone know if it has? If not, I recommmended the museum have their lawyer
search for the copyright. It is out of date (he wrote it in March 1964). I
suggested they get it on disk so they can print it out on paper or sell the
disk-copy to people. I volunteered to put it on Family Tree Maker which I
have. If we do it I think it wil take me about six months. But I could be
wrong! They are going to suggest it and clear it with the Antiquarian
Society Board and then it goes to the lawyer to check on copywright. It may
take awhile so don't get too excited!!
I really had a full 2 hours with Cousin Joe and the lady in charge that
day. (forgot her name) She has a medical library backround and has really
shaped up the museum library according to Joe. He was very pleased with her
work.
Out back there is a barn and parking. We parked out front. Go west of
the church to get around to the back parking. They are going to put farm
impliments and Indaian artifacts out there once they get it climate controled.
The land for the museum was given by Elsie and her son, Winsor
Carpenter, who in the 1970's lived across the street. They have both passed
on now. So they named the museum after them although the objects in it
represent many local colonial families.
The land is sloped so they built a basement open to the back (west).
It houses a huge meeting room, kitchen, rest rooms and a hallwasy with old
maps and portraits. For such a small museum I thought they did a great job
planning it. Most of the work was done locally and at times with volunteer
help to get portions of it done before the weather set in.
It was a great two days and I wish I could have had a full day at the
Goff Library and had more info on the cemetery in East Providence. I am
going to write the Newman Church as they have a location map of the graves,
I am told.
If you go specifically to the area I advise flying into Providence RI
and getting a motel there or trying to find a Bed and Breakfast in Rehoboth.
(see Internet) From Providence go to East Providence to Pawtucket Ave and
Highway 152 to the Rehoboth Cemetery across from Newman Congregation Church
on the corner. Samuel Newman was the one who named Rehoboth.
From there go south on Pawtucket to get to Highway 44 and take it
across to Rehoboth. At the intersection of 44 (Winthrop St) and Hiway 118
(Anawan St) you turn south onto Bay State (also a continuation of 118) You
can take Bay State west (it curves west) or go to County St. and turn right,
they both go to Goff Lib. and Locust St. The lib. is on Bay State Rd.
Locust St. and Bay State is where the Church is and the Carpenter Museum is
behind the church on Locust.
Across the street east of the church is the John Weaton House c. 1700
where there was a meeting room and post office. It is now a residence.
There is a little house across north of that which used to be a dry goods
store. It is a residence too. The store's front porch has been removed.
Either the blue and white house or the yellow house with picket fence is the
Elsie and Winsor Carpenter home but I'm not sure which and forgot to ask. I
took pictures of all.
I hope I haven't bored you with my report. I tried to be as descriptive
as I remember without pictures. I will try to figure out how to scan
pictures into E-mail. Do I need a special program or can I use the one's
that came with it? It is a hand held one not a box one. It has been awhile
since I used it. Never had time or inclination to learn. Now you all have
motivated me! Hope you enjoyed our visit to Rehoboth. I was surprised not
to find a real village center. The church-museum area is the old center.
Hiway 44 and 118 is the new center I guess. Any questions? Linda

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