PREFACE

     I am Joseph F. Carpenter, son of Joe W. Carpenter, grandson of William Henry Harrison Carpenter, and my cousin, Kathleen Carpenter Griffin, daughter of William Seay Carpenter, great granddaughter of William Henry Harrison Carpenter have worked together on this book. Many books and articles have been written about our families, and with so many children; many inconsistencies and errors were noted. Kathleen and I decided, and Kathleen agreed, to combine all the resourced information we had on the family from George Zimmerman/Carpenter down through George Franklin Carpenter and do our best to write a more accurate record.

     Since we have the George Franklin/William Henry Harrison Carpenter family Bible, we have tried to bring our lineage to date. Since the younger generation never knew all of William Henry’s children, we have included memories and stories from our sisters, aunts, and ourselves.

     This book is being put together in the hopes that our children and grandchildren can trace their genealogy back to George Zimmerman/Carpenter.

George Zimmerman

     The origin of the name Zimmerman came from Cimri meaning “timber” and became Cimriman, one who works in timber.  That deteriorated into Zimmerman and translated to Carpenter.¹

     Most researchers believe that George Zimmerman was born in Germany and in the Heidelberg-Alsace region.  Boundaries changed often in this region and some sources call his country of birth as Switzerland.

     The best date of birth for George Zimmerman is the year 1727.²  Before 1746, George left his homeland and traveled down the Rhine River to the Palatinate area and probably met with other German/Swiss people who had earlier emigrated.  From here he traveled down river to Rotterdam where he embarked on the ship Neptune.³  The Neptune sailed via England and then on the Philadelphia where it arrived in October 1746.  Therefore, when he arrived in America, he was about nineteen years of age.  George Zimmerman took an oath of allegiance to the U. S. Government at the courthouse in Philadelphia, October 25, 1746.⁴

     From sources, George went from Philadelphia to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, then to the Georgetown, Maryland area.  He finally settled near McGaheysville, Stonewall District, Peaked Mountain Area, near the southern tip of Massanutton Mountain in Virginia..⁵  George was a farmer and surveyor.  Family tradition says he was also a physician.  He had brought a mortar and pestle with him from Europe.

     George was married twice.  We know nothing about the first wife.  It is guessed this marriage was about 1751.  This first marriage produced two sons:  George Jr. in 1752 and John in 1755.  George had bought land in Augusta/Rockingham County Virginia in 1756.  Therefore, it is assumed John was born in Virginia.  In about 1757/1758, George, Sr. married Anna Schulteli, daughter of John Schulteli of Germany.  To this union, nine children were born:  Conrad, Adam, Barbara, Margaret Jane, Elizabeth (Catherine), Anna, Salome, William L. and Henry.

     Religion was an important part of the life of George Zimmerman.  He was a Protestant and had fled Europe to escape religious persecution. 

     George helped establish the Friedens Church. Some think that he is buried at this church.

     By the 1760’s George had translated the Family name to the English form “Carpenter” as in shown in court records.

     George, Sr. served in the Revolutionary War with several of his sons. He was a private in Captain Thomas Hamilton’s First Virginia Regiment, Commanded by Colonel George Gibson from 1777 until his death about March 1778. He died at Valley Forge. The DAR proof of this is established by Kathleen Griffin when she joined the DAR’s.

     I did tell you that the approval of my DAR application came, didn't I? In case Michelle ever wants to use it to join (or Elsie or Margaret or whomever???), the number is 834551