Person:Robert Carpenter (23)

Will

An abstract of the will identified as J46^[1]:

Robert Carpenter als. Whelan, Boscombe. p. 4 Dec 1554, Dated 5 Oct. 1554. Sons Stephen, Leonard, John, Anthony. Dau. Eliz. Wife Agnes. Children under 12. O'seers:- John Carpenter als. Whelan. Thomas & Robert my brethern, Walter Estmonde., John Barons: Witnesses:- John Cheserned clerk. Mr. Henry Clyfford, Edmond Gyllot & John Whelan."

Relatives

Presumably the John Carpenter als. Whelan mentioned as overseer of his will was his brother.

Given his name - Carpenter alias Whelan - and the fact that he names another Robert as his brother in his will, it seems likely that he was part of a blended family. The conjecture is that he and John were full brothers, son of a man named Whelan, and their mother remarried to a Carpenter after the death of their father. However, the opposite is also a possibility (i.e., that they were born Carpenters and their step-father was a Whelan)^[2]. Thomas and Robert might be half-brothers or step-brothers (or brothers-in-law, for that matter, although it would be expected that their surnames would be included if so). However, there is too little information to be certain of the family configuration.

They may have been related to William Carpenter of Charlton, Downton, Wiltshire, as there apparently was a John Carpenter als. Wheller(en) of Downton whose inventory and bond (admon) was dated 03 Jan 1615 (Bk. 8 to 302). (Alias surnames could be carried for several generations, and John of Downton may have been a descendant of the Robert or John of this generation.)

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Record Book No.9 (Arch Sarum 1-18. - Registers of the Archdeacon of Salisbury Cathedral) 1547.

   The Bourne Valley Historical, Record and Conservation Society has in its archives nine hand written copies of wills in the period dated 1545 to 1661. Per Letter & copies provided by Mr. Keith P. Norris, Hon. Archivist of the above Society (53 Bouverie Avenue / Salisbury / Wiltshire SP2 8DU / England) on 17 Feb. 1997.

2. ↑ FamilySearch: Use of Aliases - an Overview.

   The example given of the use by step-children of an "alias" surname is that the step-father's surname was used as an alias.

3. ↑ Average age of marriage was 27 in England from 1566-1619. 1542 assumed to be not much different.