This gentleman was born January 23, 1826, in Hornellsville, Steuben county, New York. His father, Daniel P. Carpenter, was born in 1781, in Westchester county. New York. His mother's maiden name was Anna Ketcham, and she was born in the town of Cornwall, Orange county. New York, in 1787. Her ancestors formerly lived on Long Island, but removed to Orange county at a very early day. On his father's side his ancestors were from Rhode Island. Mr. Carpenter's grandfather and great grandfather both bore the name of Benedict. They were descendants of William Carpenter, who emigrated from Amesbury, England, and settled in Rhode Island.

Charles K. Carpenter spent his boyhood, until he was eleven years of age, in Steuben county, and the last winter of this time he was employed with an ox-team hauling pine saw-logs to McBurney's mill. Each morning saw him in the woods by daylight ready for his daily work.

In 1837 he came with his parents to Orion, Oakland County,. Michigan, and for the succeeding three years he lived where Rudd's mill now is, working hard clearing land and hauling saw logs, and, as may be imagined, 'with very limited opportunity for schooling ; six months' attendance at the district school being the sum total after he was ten years old.

In 1840 his parents removed to the place where Mr. Carpenter now resides. From that date until he was twenty-one years of age his summers, were occupied in working on the new farm, and his winters in chopping mill logs and thrashing grain with a flail.

On the 27th of November, 1847, he married Jennett Coryell, who was born in Mount Morris, Livingston county, New York, March 9, 1831. She was the daughter of George and Eliza Sherwood Coryell. George Coryell was from Ovid, Seneca county. New York, and his wife from Herkimer county. She was a descendant of the Hendersons on her mother's side, and came with her parents to Michigan in 1846, and settled in Orion township, where she has ever since resided.

Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Carpenter are the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living. Their oldest son, Clinton, died when twenty months old. The names of those living are as follows : Rolla C. Carpenter, professor of mathematics and civil engineering in the Michigan State Agricultural College, at Lansing, was born June 26, 1852 ; W. L. Carpenter, now a law student in the University of Michigan, was born November 9, 1855; Emma Blanche Carpenter was born March 19, 1857 ; Louis G. Carpenter was born March 28, 1861 ; Mary Carpenter was born August 25, 1866 ; George Carpenter was born November 27, 1869 ; and Jennett Carpenter was born January 27, 1875 .

Mr. Carpenter has always followed the occupation of farming. He has been an active and efficient member of the Oakland County Agricultural Society since its organization ; was one of the original incorporators, and a director, for twenty years. He was also president of the society for two years. He has from time to time furnished many valuable papers to the agricultural press of the State, and has for the. past few years been prominent in the ranks of the new agricultural order familiarly known as "grangers."

In his younger days Mr. Carpenter was politically a Democrat ; but at the time of the division upon the "Kansas-Nebraska" bill between Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Douglas, he cast his fortunes with the doctrine of "popular sovereignty," and was elected as a Douglas Democrat to tlie State legislature from the Pontiac district, in 1859.

On the breaking out of the great Rebellion in 1861, he followed the dying advice of Douglas, and became a "War Democrat," taking a very active part in shaping public sentiment and sustaining the administration of Mr. Lincoln in its efforts to preserve the Union. During the war the duties of superintending enlistments and paying bounties for his township devolved almost wholly upon him.

Mr. Carpenter wm one of the incorporator of the Detroit and Bay City railway ; was one of the first directors, and very active in securing local subscriptions and right of way ; and to his efforts is largely due the location of the road through Orion and Oxford, instead of Romeo and Fish Lake, he having devoted two years of incessant labor to the accomplishment of this end. He is still one of the directors, himself and Mr. James F. Joy being the only ones residing in the State.

Politically, Mr. Carpenter has not acted with the Democratic party since 1861. When the "Prohibition party" was formed in Michigan, he became at once an active member, and was a presidential elector on that ticket in 1870. In 1872 his friends procured his nomination for the office of auditor general on the same ticket, and in 1874 he was put in nomination for governor. In 1876 he was presidential elector at large. In the latter year the "Greenback" party nominated Mr. Carpenter for governor, but he having never acted with that organization declined the nomination.

During the past few years Mr. Carpenter has devoted much time to the development of Island Park, in Orion (or Canandaigua) lake, as a pleasure resort; and the success of the association and the popularity of the locality is largely due to his organizing ability. Under his liberal and judicious management it has become a famous resort for church and Sabbath school excursions, and one of the most popular places of recreation in Michigan.