Biography of Sterling M. Carpenter - Conway Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Cathy Barnes Date: 21 Jun 1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Goodspeed Publishers, 1891. page 56 Sterling M. Carpenter, one of the enterprising and substantial farmers of Lick Mountain Township, was born on the farm on which he now resides, two miles southeast of Centre Ridge, in the year 1857. Here he spent his entire life, and is the owner of a fine farm of 160 acres, which includes the original tract of eighty acres settled by his father about thirty-five years ago. There are about ninety acres under a fine state of cultivation, and the entire farm presents an appearance of thrift and prosperity. Mr. Carpenter was reared when the schools of Conway County were in their infancy; hence his education is comparatively limited. In December, 1876, he was married to Miss Eveline Williams, a native of Forsyth County, Georgia, and a daughter of Rev. Joseph and Louisa Williams, who were born in South Carolina and Georgia, respectively; Mrs. Williams dying on Crowley's Ridge while the family were removing to Arkansas, when Mr. Carpenter was about ten years of age. Mr. Williams continued his journey westward, and located in Conway County, where he departed this life in 1876. He was a Baptist minister. Mr. Carpenter is the father of three sons and two daughters; is a Republican in polities and cast his first presidential vote for James A. Garfield in 1880. He and Mrs. Carpenter are consistent members of the Christian Church. Robert Carpenter, deceased, the father of Sterling M., was probably a native of South Carolina, and was born in 1825. He was married in Mississippi in 1846 to Miss Mary A. Powell, who was born in Mississippi in 1825. In about 1848 they removed to Texas, and lived there six years, when they returned to Mississippi, and a short time after (about 1855), emigrated to Conway County, Arkansas, and settled in the woods a considerable distance from another settlement. Here they laid the foundation for their future home, and bore their share of the privations and hardships so common to pioneer life. On this farm Mr. Carpenter spent the rest of his life as a sturdy and honest farmer and an upright citizen. Contrary to the majority of the people of his native as well as of his adopted State, he was opposed to secession, and a staunch defender of the Union, and in June, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, of the First Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, of Gen. Curtis' command, but was not destined to do much service for the cause he so ardently advocated, as his death occurred at St. Louis, October 29th, of the same year as his enlistment. He was a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Carpenter is still living on the old farm, and is a member of the Christian Church. She is the mother of seven children, viz.; Letha (deceased), Martha. wife of Joseph Vaughan, Elizabeth, now Mrs. R. M. Simpson, S. M.-; Julia, Louisa and an infant, deceased. Mrs. Carpenter's father, William Powell, was born and married in South Carolina, and from there he removed to Monroe County, Mississippi, where he died about 1827. Mrs. Powell died there about 1852. Both were Primitive Baptists. Charles Powell, the father of William Powell, was also a South Carolinian. Reuben Carpenter, the paternal grandfather of S. M. Carpenter, was a native of South Carolina, but afterward lived in Mississippi, and from there he removed to Texas, where he died. His wife died there also.