In Search of the Vertical Green Bend Sinister
 

Introduction
 

Captain William Carpenter of Rehoboth, MA who was born in 1605 apparently
had several Carpenters in his ancestry.  His grandmother Eleanor was the
daughter of Robert Carpenter. His great grandmother on his father's side was
Elizabeth, the daughter of John Carpenter.

It appears that all of these Carpenter lines had a common ancestor noted
as William of Homme.  This William was born about 1440 in Herefordshire
and his Coat of Arms were distinctive.

Coats of Arms are a common way of tracing lineage. The arms granted to
Lord George Carpenter in 1719, as published in the account of his life (The
Life and Times of Lord George . . .) were Pally of six, argent and gules on a
chevron, azure, three cross crosslets, or. CREST, on a wreath a globe in a
frame all or.  Supporters, two horses, party-perfess, embattled argent and
gules.  MOTTO: "Per Actua Belli" (Through the Asperities of War).

From the Carpenter Memorial published in 1898 by Amos b. Carpenter we
find on page 33 "The statements of (William) Playfair, Burke (of Royal Pedigrees, etc)
and Davis and Owen (Peerages) in regard to the decent of the Tyconnel Carpenters from
John 1303, and also William of Homme, establishes the fact that the Homme Carpenters
are all descended from John of 1303. William Carpenter, (No. 8) the great grandson of
William of Homme, was the direct ancestor of the Tyconnel Carpenters: and his third son
William was the progenitor of the Rehoboth branch of the family."

The same Coat of Arms, mentioned above, less the supporters and motto, were used by
the Herefordshire Carpenter family and were emblazoned in a glass window of the college
and church at Westbury upon Trin as early as 1443.  They were placed there by
permanently by Bishop John (the Elder) Carpenter of Worcester, who was a
native of Westbury and a great benefactor of the college, having rebuilt and
refounded it.  Bishop John Carpenter died in 1476 and was buried in the
church, where a plain altar monument was erected to his memory.  This church
(in 1890) is the Holy Trinity of Bristol, and is described in Willi's Survey
of Cathedrals, published in 1742.  And in Atykn's and Rudder's History of
Gloucester where there is a very interesting sketch of Bishop John Carpenter
who was also known as "Master John Carpenter" mentioned in the will of the
town clerk of London, John Carpenter, the younger.

These Coat of Arms will take an unusual twist in the last portion of the 1400s.

The Reverend Richard Carpenter followed in the footsteps of his granduncle John
Carpenter the Elder, Bishop of Worcester and served in the same Church at Westbury.
Richard Carpenter was Canon of Westbury upon Trin (Tryn) in Gloucestershire and
Vicar of Mixbury in Oxfordshire and possibly in Trottescliffe in Kent.  He was Vicar
of Ramsbury in Wiltshire.  He was also of Colford parish in Gloucester.

Because Richard Carpenter was a Catholic Priest, his coat of arms of three cross crosslets,
derived from John Carpenter the Younger of London would pass down to his descendants
with a vertical green bend sinister.
Even though priests were required to be celibates, it was not unusual in those times for church
officials of all ranks to have families named in their wills, though of course no wife was named.

SEE:  (WN & Q) Wiltshire Notes and Queries, Pages 256-258 and 293 which lists The
Wiltshire Wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (1383-1558):
"1503 Carpenter, Rychard, D.C.L. and priest, Remmesbury (= Ramsbury, Wilts)
(Wilts?) Mixbury, Oxford. (Oxfordshire)  25 Blamyr."

What is this vertical green bend sinister?  Why is it often ignored in the Carpenter Coat of Arms?
Finally a researcher takes the question and does the research to find the Whats & Whys.

Many thanks to Fay Charpentier-Ford for her efforts on this issue!\

John R. Carpenter
La Mesa, CA
 
 
 

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Addenda:

Motto:

"Audaces Fortuna Juvat" or "fortune favors the brave"  is in error.  See next.

THE CARPENTER FAMILY OF ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES.
By J. Hatton Carpenter.
FROM: Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Vol. 16 Number 2, April 1925.
Page 60-70.  Partial excerpt ...
"The family bore arms, which in heraldic parlance reads as follows: "Paly of
six, argent and gules, on a chevron azure, 3 cross crosslets or." Motto
"Per acuta belli" (through the asperities of war)."

References:

Burke's General Armory , by John Burke and John E. Burke 1884 edition, London, England
Full Title is "Burkes's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales :
Comprising a Registry of Armorial Bearings from the Earliest to the Present Time.

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Copyright © 1909 by Robert Appleton Company
(aka The Encyclopedia Press, Inc. in 1912) -
Online Edition Copyright © 1999 by Kevin Knight - Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York