Karen Carpenter
Birth Name: Karen Anne Carpenter
Date of Birth: March 2, 1950
Place of Birth: New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Date of Death: February 4, 1983
Place of Death: Downey, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, German, distant Irish, Dutch, Scottish, and Welsh
Karen Carpenter was an American singer and drummer. She was the sister of singer Richard Carpenter, with whom she formed vocal and instrumental duo The Carpenters.
Karen was the daughter of Agnes Reuwer and Harold Bertram Carpenter. Her father was born in Wuzhou, Guangxi, China, to missionary parents.
Karen’s paternal grandfather was George Bertram Carpenter (the son of Thomas Carpenter and Elizabeth Ann Sherlock). George was from Hammersmith, London. Elizabeth was the daughter of Joseph Sherlock and Elizabeth Esther Marsh.
Karen’s paternal grandmother was Nellie Jane Lynn (the daughter of Elmer Eugene Lynn and Emma Gene Briggs). Nellie was born in Wellsville, New York. Elmer was the son of William Lynn and Matilda A. Conley. Emma was the daughter of George Delavan/Delevan Briggs and Martha Ingley. George’s paternal fifth great-grandmother, Ruhamah Samoset, is sometimes said to have been a Nauset Native American. This is disputed.
Karen’s maternal grandfather was George Arthur Tatum (the son of James Tatum, Jr. and Jennie Elizabeth Short). George was born in Baltimore, Maryland. James was the son of James Tatum and Mary Catherine/Catharine Sure. Jennie was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Short and Elizabeth Carrie/Caroline Guyton.
Karen’s maternal grandmother was Anna May Reuwer (the daughter of Theodore H. Reuwer and Elizabeth D. Schmidt). Anna was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Theodore was the son of German emigrants, Frederick Dieterick Reuwer, of Hesse, and Catherine/Catharine Wilhelmina Scheck, of Darmstadt, Hesse. Elizabeth was the daughter of German emigrants, Philipp (later Phillip) Schmidt, of Darmstadt, Hesse, and Mary.
Sources: Genealogies of Karen Carpenter – http://www.wargs.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.wikitree.com
Actually, I met Susan (Seal) Carpenter in June 1979. George Carpenter’s biological mother was Elizabeth Ann Sherlock. Thomas Carpenter was George Carpenter’s father.
”Ruhamah Samoset, was a Nauset Native American”
Disputed.
Karen’s paternal line can be traced back to her third great-grandfather, Joseph Carpenter.
George was from Hammersmith, London, and was the son of Thomas Carpenter and Susan Seal. Thomas was the son of Joseph Carpenter and Susan Rainham. Susan was the daughter of William Seal and Jane Isaac.
Nellie was bon in Wellsville, New York. Elmer was the son of William Lynn and Matilda Conley. Emma’s middle name is Gene, and was the daughter of George Delavan Briggs and Martha Ingley. George’s paternal fifth great-grandmother, Ruhamah Samoset, was a Nauset Native American.
Karen’s grandfather George was born in Baltimore, Maryland. James was the son of James Tatum and Mary Catherine Sure. Jennie’s middle name is Elizabeth, and was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Short and Elizabeth Carrie Guyton.
Anna was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Theodore’s middle initial is H, and was the son of German emigrants, Frederick Dieterick Reuwer, of Hesse, and of Catherine Wilhelmina Scheck, of Darmstadt, Hesse. Karen’s great-grandmother Elizabeth’s middle initial is D, and was the daughter of German emigrants, Philipp (later Phillip) Schmidt, of Darmstadt, Hesse, and of Mary.
Genealogies of Karen Carpenter – https://www.geni.com/people/Karen-Carpenter/6000000011233848829
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/L6W5-CSD
Karen also has distant Dutch, Scottish and Welsh, as well as 1/2048 Nauset Native American ancestry.
I suggest you to add her brother Richard Carpenter into this site.
Thank-you so much Ethni & Follers for putting her on here. She was such a talented lady & lost at far to young an age. I know I’m always asking for new people to be listed on this website, but I just know how quick you both are at finding the ancestry’s to these celebrities. How about adding Kate Jackson’s ethnicity on here & possibly looking more in to Olivia Cooke’s background? I hope you don’t mind me asking. Thank-you. :)
I have put up Kate Jackson. Finding more on Olivia Cooke’s ancestry is a bit difficult at the moment.
Thank-you so much Follers, I have seen Kate Jackson up on this website.
Also thank-you for putting Karen Carpenter up to, she was such a brilliant musician & it’s interesting to know her background. I’m currently listening to Karen’s song ‘Rainy days & Monday’s’. She was such a talented lady. Thank-you for also looking in to Olivia Cooke’s ancestry too. I watch Olivia on ‘Bates Motel’ & I love her on the show. She seems to be gaining huge credibility in Hollywood at the moment & I reckon we’ll be seeing more great things from Olivia. :)