W. D. Carpenter
W. D. Carpenter, one of the old and well-established business men and a leading confectioner of Lima, was born at New Salem, Fairfield County, Ohio, and is a son of H. M. Carpenter, a pioneer merchant at Granville, Licking County, Ohio, where he was a valued business man for over 30 years.
During our subject's infancy his parents moved form Fairfield to Licking County, where his father, as above stated, established himself at Granville. Here the child grew to young manhood, receiving his education in the schools of that place. He then learned the tinner's trade and subsequently became foreman of the tin department in the Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home, at Xenia. After remaining four years in that institution, he removed to Wellington, Clinton County, and there found a favorable opening for a bakery and confectionery business. During his three years there he developed such skill in this line that he removed to Lima to occupy a wider field. Here he carried on both lines of business for a year and then sold his bakery interests in order to give more attention to his rapidly expanding confectionery trade. He is the pioneer in this business here and at present controls the bulk of it. He is a large manufacturer, and Carpenter's caramels and Carpenter's ice cream are well known throughout this entire section.
In 1880 Mr. Carpenter was married to Julia Miller, who is a daughter of Albert Miller, a prominent farmer of Greene County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter are members of the Presbyterian Church at Lima. Fraternally he is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias. His business location is No. 9 Public Square, where his display of confections is large and attractive, and where a visitor may discover the sanitary conditions and scientific methods, which makes the sweets manufactured here both digestible and wholesome.