"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 506.  Grant County.

WILLIAM B. CARPENTER

     What more noble and worthy undertaking has ever fallen to the lot of man
than to press forward into the wilderness of nature and clear the path for the
onward march of his fellows to bring in the comforts and advantages of
civilization; and perhaps no class of people have been more instrumental in this
activity than the early miners of our Pacific slope.  Conspicuous among them, is
the gentleman and enterprising citizen whose name heads this article, and who
has been in the front ranks of the vanguard of pioneers from the time that he
arrived to man's estate.
     Born in Monroe county, Missouri, to Samuel and Elizabeth (McCullom)
Carpenter, on November 20, 1830, he early began to learn the hardships of life
on account of the death of his mother, which was instrumental in forcing him out
into the world at a tender age.  His opportunity for gaining an education was
very limited and had it not been for his careful reading and constant research,
he would have been left without scarcely any book training.  but as it proved,
his extra effort in acquiring his training in educational lines has made him to
appreciate the lore of knowledge more than those to whom it came easily, and so
we have in Mr. Carpenter a very energetic advocate of good schools, and he has
been instrumental in materially urging forward that commendable part of our
government.  For a number of years, at various times, he has been chosen on the
school boards and his acceptance of office has universally been with great
advantage to the school and district resulting from his energy and wisdom in
these lines.
     When he first started on his own resources he commenced to till the soil
and as early as 1860 he came to California and entered the business of mining,
which he has continuously followed since, making it a real business that has
drawn out his energies and capabilities.  In 1863 he came to Grant county,
settling at Canyon City, and he has been connected, more or less, with every
prominent mining camp in the entire region adjacent.
     the marriage of Mr. Carpenter and Miss Lucy Wilkinson was celebrated in
1849, and to them were born the following children:  Elizabeth, Matilda, Eliza,
Thomas and James, all of whom are deceased.  Mrs. Carpenter also has passed to
the other world.
     In October, 1874, Mr. Carpenter contracted a second marriage, the lady then
becoming his wife was Sarah J., daughter of James and Jane (Cook) Armstrong.
They raised two orphan children, Mary, wife of M. K. Young, and Roy, single.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.