William J. Carpenter (1827-1921)
Encyclopedia
William J. Carpenter, born April 17, 1827, died February 21, 1921, was a legendary West Virginia
outdoorsman. He was said to have had "no equal" in skills at hunting and fishing, and to be the best long rifle
marksman
in his community in his younger years—his skill in hitting difficult targets in squirrel
hunting earned him the nickname
"Squirrely Bill."
Carpenter was a descendant of Jeremiah Carpenter, the first white man to settle in the upper Elk River
valley, at or near the mouth of Holly River
, in the year of 1784. His father was the first white child born in that section of Webster County, West Virginia, created from Greenbrier County, Virginia
in 1788.
Carpenter's extended family is known for producing noteworthy raconteurs and musician
s.
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
outdoorsman. He was said to have had "no equal" in skills at hunting and fishing, and to be the best long rifle
Long rifle
The American longrifle , better known as the Kentucky rifle was described best by Captain John G. W. Dillin in the dedication to his seminal 1924 book, The Kentucky Rifle:...
marksman
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
in his community in his younger years—his skill in hitting difficult targets in squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
hunting earned him the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Squirrely Bill."
Carpenter was a descendant of Jeremiah Carpenter, the first white man to settle in the upper Elk River
Elk River (West Virginia)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River, long, in central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.-Course:...
valley, at or near the mouth of Holly River
Holly River State Park
Holly River State Park is located in Webster County, West Virginia, USA, approximately north of Webster Springs. It is the second largest park in the West Virginia state park system with a total of...
, in the year of 1784. His father was the first white child born in that section of Webster County, West Virginia, created from Greenbrier County, Virginia
Greenbrier County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,453 people, 14,571 households, and 9,922 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile . There were 17,644 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
in 1788.
Carpenter's extended family is known for producing noteworthy raconteurs and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s.