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Thomas P. Carpenter, lawyer and ex-judge of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, late of Camden, was born on April 19, 1804, at Glassboro, Gloucester Co., N. J., where his father Edward Carpenter, was then living and operating the glass-works now owned by the Whitneys, his mother being a daughter of Dr. James Stratton of Swedesboro, well known through that portion of the State as physician and a churchman. He was descendant of Samuel Carpenter, Thomas Lloyd, and Samuel Preston, well known men in the early days of Pennsylvania. His father dying when he was quite young, Mr. Carpenter spent his early life with his grandfather, at Carpenter�s Landing (now Mantua). After receiving a liberal education, he studied law with Judge White of Woodbury, and was admitted as an attorney in September 1830. On October 26, 1838, he was appointed prosecutor of the pleas of Gloucester County, and took a prominent part in several important trails, and among the first the one known as the "Mercer trial" (March 1843). On February 5, 1845, he was appointed by Governor Stratton one of the associate judges of the Supreme Court of the State, his circuit comprising Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties. On his retirement (after seven years) from the judgeship he devoted himself to the practice of his profession, principally as a counselor, and was eminently successful. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he joined the Union League of Philadelphia, and gave his entire sympathies to the Union cause. In 1865 he was active in promoting the success of the Sanitary Fair, occupying as he did the position of president of the New Jersey auxiliary. He married Rebecca, daughter of Dr. Samuel Clemens Hopkins, formerly of Woodbury. He was an earnest Christian, and in the church (Protestant Episcopal) he always held an honored position, being for many years vestryman, warden, and deputy to the diocesan and general conventions. He was not only an able lawyer, but amid the cares of an active practice he was thoroughly versed in classical and general literature. He was greatly respected throughout the State of New Jersey, of which he was at the time of his death one of the best known citizens. As a judge of the Supreme Court he was held in high esteem by his associates, and by the bar of the State for his ability. Learning and for the uniform good judgement which he brought to the consideration of cases. In the counties where he presided at circuits, which he visited during his term of office at regular periods, his genial manners and kindly intercourse with the people made him very popular. Judge Carpenter was interested and active at home in all enterprises, which affected the prosperity and welfare of his town. In church, at the bar, and in society he was, during his life, one of the most prominent men of his native State. Overwork and a death in the happy home-circle, where, after all his loveliest traits were shown, broke his health. In 1872 he had a slight threatening of paralysis, and he never fully recovered from the shock. He died at his home in Camden on the 20th of March, 1876.
Among all notices that appeared none summed up his life and character more truthfully than that by Bishop Scarborough in the Convention address: " Judge Thomas P. Carpenter, of Camden after a life of singular purity and gentleness, was taken, not many weeks ago, from his labor to his reward. He held many important trusts in the diocese, and always won the respect and confidence of those who came in contact with him. While he was an impartial judge, an able lawyer, and a man of generous culture in other branches of learning, he was a very Nathaniel in guilelessness. The family, the parish, the diocese, and the whole church militant are, humanly speaking, the poorer for the death of such a man, but the store of Paradise is enlarged, which is far better."
