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Benjamin Carpenter, farmer, section 31, Big Prairie Township, was born Aug., 7, 1836, in Ontario, Canada, and is the son of Asa P. and Margaret (Ulman) Carpenter. He accompanied his parents to Michigan in 1853. They settled in Croton Township, and he continued to reside with them until his marriage, obtaining a fair common-school education and employed in farm labor. After his marriage he remained in Croton Township a year, when (in 1867) he went to Morley and was in the employment of Nelson Higbee 15 months. At the expiration of that time he went to Ionia County and bought a farm, containing 40 acres of land. On this he resided six years, rented the place and went to North Plains Center in the same county, where he was resident two years, going thence to Ionia. Six months later he sold his farm and removed to Newaygo County, where he settled on 80 acres of land in Big Prairie, given him by his father. It is all well improved, and under advanced cultivation, with good buildings.
Mr. Carpenter was a soldier of the civil war and belonged to Co., K, Third Mich. Vol. Inf. He served three years, the full time of his enrollment, and was discharged July 20, 1864. He was shot across his mouth and thereby suffered the loss of his teeth; and contracted rheumatism, by which he is yet, at intervals, disabled. He was in some of the most prominent battles of the war. In political connection he is a Republican.
Mr. Carpenter was married April 12, 1866, to Sarah F., daughter of Benjamin F., and Laura M. (Goodwin) Higbee. She was born Nov. 13, 1842, in Ionia, Mich. Her father was born in 1818 at Binghamton, NY; her mother is a native of the city of Utica, NY. The one was of English parentage, the other of German descent; both are yet alive. Laura E., Maggie E., Frank L. and Edwin Ralph, the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter are all living.
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