Author: James Edward Mitchell
Samuel’s parents were John Carpenter, a son of John Carpenter, Sr. (aka Johannes Zimmerman) and w. Anne Barbara Kercher of Culpeper Co., VA. John, the father of the soldier, had three brothers –Andrew, William and Michael whose names appear recorded in their father’s will (John Carpenter) at Court in Culpeper Co., 29 Jun 1782 and proven 16 September 1782. See: William & Mary Quarterly, Vol V Thompson-Yates, Pg 700.

All three brothers in 1776 resided within a few miles of one another in Culpeper Co., presently at Madison, VA, where they owned and operated grist mills mapped, White Oak Run and Beaver Dam Run at (1740) Hebron Church that still holds weekly services.

Harold W. Gaar /Garr a resident of Erlanger, KY wrote a letter prior to Dec 1932 requesting records for Samuel Carpenter, Ephraim Utz (aka Uz) and Adam Fisher (aka Fischer). A. D. Hiller, Asst. to Administrator, U.S. Bureau of Pensions, WDC, replied in a typed letter, Dec 21, 1932 that searches were completed for the above individuals. Only, the Samuel Carpenter search produced a pension claim W.6631, based upon his service in the American Revolution. Samuel was born in [Culpeper Co., VA, formed 1749 from Orange (and Madison Co., formed 1792 from Culpeper).] The DOB [birth (1760)] was not given. His father, John Carpenter, lived with the wife, name not given. However, an important source was found. John’s wife’s name appears as a Legatee: Wife Ann Barbara (Kercher) Carpenter within John’s 1782 will at Culpeper, VA.

In Oct 1845, Joseph Carpenter, age 80, wrote the Asst. to Administrator, that he had been born within a mile of the farm home of the said soldier. Samuel had served from that neighborhood during the Revolution and Joseph had married a sister of Peggy Blankenbaker….

Hannah Carpenter, a daughter of Andrew, the soldier’s uncle mentioned above, and a cousin to the soldier, wrote that she was living in Madison Co. in 1856. She was born 25 Dec 1767 near the birthplace of Samuel; she had married a son of Michael Carpenter, his name not given. Her husband was deceased. Hiller’s typed letter 1932 to Harold W. Garr advised that the Pension files were searched for references regarding “Ephraim Utz of Kentucky” who had moved there from Madison, VA; it was stated that said Ephraim Utz might be able to prove the service of Samuel Carpenter in the Revolution, but Utz was then deceased. There was no further reference for any military service attributed for Utz or Fisher.

Researcher’s note: Samuel Carpenter, born 1760 is Not Identical to a cousin with the same name that married 1778 –Culpeper, Dinah Crisler (aka Christler) a daughter of Henry Crisler, Sr., a son of Johann Theobald Cristele (aka Christler). These individuals are all direct line kin, however.

Hiller wrote that while still single, Samuel initially enlisted and served two, 2 month tours in the (VA) Culpeper Co., militia, one tour as a substitute for a brother, Michael, above; the dates of the tours were not given. Samuel re-enlisted after 1778 in the (VA) Continental Regt., 1st (VA) Bgde., commanded by Brig Gen Peter Muhlenberg apart of Maj Gen Nathanael Greene’s 1st Div.; and, Cmdr. – in – Chief Geo. Washington’s Continental Army. Samuel Carpenter served in the American Revolution in South Carolina campaigns on Mar 15, 1781 at the battle of Guilford Courthouse with Gen Greene commanding general of the Continental Army’s Southern Dept., and on Oct 19, 1781at British Gen Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, VA. After his three years of military service Samuel was discharged from the (VA) Bgde and returned to Culpeper according to records within Pension file W.6631

Samuel married on 25 Mar 1793, (Margaret) Peggy Blankenbaker age 24, a childhood friend and a daughter of Christopher, who resided at the families (*grandfather, Matthias and w. Mary Blankenbücher) farm tract. This tract a June 24, 1726 -*First Patent of Land is mapped today at Madison Co, Library, Madison, VA as of the year 1740, compiled during 1940 by D. R. Carpenter Cert. Engr. VA.346. Cristopher Blankenbaker, above, married his w. Christina Finks a daughter of Mark Finks.

The Bureau’s Asst. to Administrator wrote that Peggy or Margaret Blankenbaker’s parents’ names were not furnished. William Carpenter a minister of the Gospel, no relationship stated; wrote, separately to the Bureau that Margaret was baptized at Hebron Lutheran Church. A search of “Hebron” Baptismal Register, Second Edition publ. by John Blankenbaker copyright 2004 P.O. Box 120 Chadds Ford, PA, 19317, identified Samuel Carpenter and wife, Margaret Blankenbaker (aka Blankenbücher) baptized at Hebron, a daughter Sarah Carpenter born 15 Feb 1794. Sponsors were recorded as Joseph Carpenter, his cousin; Margaret Carpenter, his unmarried sister and Sarah Blankenbücher, her unmarried sister.

Within the same Baptismal Register appears a 2nd individual also named Samuel Carpenter whose wife, Dina Crisler baptized on 29 May 1780 their daughter Nanci at Hebron Church.

Pension file W.6631 reflects that the soldier, died in Sep or Oct, 1825 at his Madison, VA, farm having lived his entire life within a few miles of his birthplace i.e., his father and grandfather’s (1726) first patent of land. His wife (Margaret) Peggy, received a pension claim W.6631 for her husband’s Revolutionary War service and she died approximately 1860, and was buried at their families private tract cemetery, now lost near Latitude: 38.423979 and Long: -78.232563 surveyed by Eugene M. Scheel’s Madison Co, (1992) map as, Utz-Thornhill-Curtis graveyard.