Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


ROBERT E. CARPENTER. � A man who has become posted in en- 
gineering and mechanics, is Robert E. Carpenter, whose wife is the represen- 
tative of an old pioneer family of California. He was really christened Robert 
Edward, and was born in Brownell. Ness County, Kans.. on April 5. 1888. the 
son of Reuben T. Carpenter, a native of Towa. The father came to Kansas 
when a young man, and homesteaded in Ness County, where he was one of 
the early settlers. He followed farming and stock-raising there, and in time 
became a successful man. In December, 1918. he retired to Great Bend, 
Kans., where he now resides. Mrs. Carpenter was Clara Van Winkle before 
her marriage, and her grandfather crossed the plains in early days to Califor- 
nia, but returned East again. She died when Robert, who was the oldest of 
three children, was about six years of age. He has a brother. E. V. Carpenter, 
an electrician for the Standard Oil Company of California. 

Robert's childhood was passed on his father's farm until he was sixteen 
years of age, during which time he received the foundation for a good educa- 
tion in the public schools of Kansas. Then he followed clerking in a store, 
and later was employed in the pumping department of the Missouri Pacific 
Railroad. From there he went to Denver, Colo., and while there he enlisted in 
the United States Navy and in January, 1908. came west to Goat Island in 
San Francisco Bay, where he remained until October, 1908. Then he sailed 
on the cruiser California � the same vessel that was afterward called San 
Diego and which last year went down off New York City. Thus serving his 
country, Mr. Carpenter remained abroad for three years and two months, 
during which time he became oiler. The cruise was very educational, for he 
visited various important ports of Japan, the Philippines, New Guinea, and 
South America. 

In December, 1911. Mr. Carpenter received his honorable discharge at 
San Francisco, and he liked the coast so well that he concluded to remain in 
California. In January, 1912, he came to Bakersfield and the following June 
entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company. His first position was in 
the pipe-line department, and he was assigned immediately to the Mendota 
Pumping Station, where he rose gradually to be an engineer. Having ac- 
quired a special knowledge of work with asbestos, he has given the company 
satisfaction by doing all that was required in that field, and in the same ex- 
pert manner as engineers aboard ship are accustomed to do. 

At Fresno, on August 15, 1912, Mr. Carpenter was married to Miss 
Wealthy Caruthers, a native of Caruthers, Fresno County, and the daughter 
of William A., the famous founder of the town called after him. He was a 
doughty soldier in the Civil War and he and his wife both died at Caruthers. 
They had four children, two of whom are living, one being in the United 
States Navy. The youngest in the family, Mrs. Carpenter, was educated 
in the public and high schools at Hanford. They have one child, a bright 
daughter named Elsie Lucile. 

A Democrat in national politics, Mr. Carpenter is ever ready to help good 
local movements, irrespective of party. He is a member of the Eagles, and 
is affiliated with the lodge at Fresno.