Descendants of Levi Carter
Generation No. 1
1. LEVI1 CARTER1,2
was born Abt. 1736 in Wales3, and died April 22, 1811 in Albany, Greene County,
Tennessee4. He married SUSANNA5 in
probably Virginia. She was born Abt.
1740 in Arnettesville, Monongalia County, Virginia5, and died 1819 in Albany,
Greene County, Tennessee5.
Notes for LEVI CARTER:
In the gedcom
files I downloaded from the Internet, the marriage dates for Levi and Susanna
ranged from 1753 and 1754 to 1769. I
have been unable to verify any of those dates.
Because of the long period of time between the births of John Carter in
1760, and Jesse Carter in 1774, it is possible that Susanna was Levi's second
wife. Also, the birth places of Levi
and his family members, and Caleb and his family was gotten through sources on
the Internet and may or may not be correct.
I simply pass it on without guaranteeing its accuracy.
from:
"Family History of Levi Carter," by E. V. Carter Schnegelberger,
typed and rearranged by Charles Barnum, sent to Kathy Beaudry in January of
2004, used with permission:
"Levi
Carter, John Sr., Joseph, Caleb Sr., Nathan, Ephraim, and David were traced
from New Jersey to Green County, Tennessee and were probably brothers. In 1772 Caleb Carter claimed 400 acres of
land in Monongalia County, Virginia (now part of W. VA). Two years prior to the (American) Revolution,
the served in Lord Dunmore's War.
Captain Zackquil Morgan's roll listed seventy-six names, was dated
October 4, 1775 and included" Levy
Carter, Caleb Carter and Joseph Carter.
All three were
credited with serving 162 days apiece, and being paid 12 pounds, 3 shillings
each.
"Levi had
an active frontier life and withstood the hardships of military service. Between 1775 and 1777 Levi owned land on
Indian Creek, at the mouth of Lemasters Run, near Arnettsville. The town then was Paoint Maron, Virginia
where the Monongahela River and Cheat River join. Levi and John each served two months at
Pickett's Fort, located on the Monongahela River about twenty miles south of
Morgantown, Virginia. They were under
the command of Capt. William Haymond and Lt. Morgan.
"In 1777,
the Carter brothers moved south through the Shenandoah Valley of the
Appalachian Mountains to Surry County, North Carolina. There, Caleb, Jesse, Nathaniel and John
Carter were soldiers of North Carolina.
In 1780 Caleb, John, Abrahma, Joseph, and Levi paid taxes in Washington
and Sullivan Counties of North Carolina.
The counties became part of Tennessee by 1783. Hence, they were citizens of Tennessee. John owned land adjoining Levi's on Lick
Creek and built a fort called Carter Fort.
Today, a historical marker stands at Carter's Station and Cemetery. Here the Cherokee Indians battled the
settlers for several years.
"A
Revolutionary War voucher was issued to Levi Carter, No. 3538, by the state of
North Carolina, dated June 12,
1783. The King's proclamation in 1763
forbid settlement west of the Appalachian Divide. (Levi) Carter lived under the threat of death
from the Tories, so the entire Carter clan moved to the Wautaga frontier in the
Tennessee Valley. Some of Levi Carter's
sons who fought in the War applied for
pensions in 1830. They gave New Jersey
as their birthplace. Proof of their land
claims along the Lick Creek are stored in the North Carolina archives in
Raleigh.
"Levi's
name appeared frequently in the Green County minutes after 1783, as did the
names of James, Joseph, Caleb, Abraham, Elijah and Daniel (Carter). In 1786 a road was to be built and the court
ordered that Joseph, Abraham and Levi view and mark the route, and report . . . the results . . . In 1790, a Christian Society was organized,
and they built a revival church on the hill at Carter's Station. Today, a United Methodist Church stand nearby
and continues the services which began in 1790.
"Levi's
will was dated 25 December 1809 . . . (and) read:
"In the
name of God amen. Be it remembered that
I Levy Carter of the County of Green and the State of Tennessee being sick and
weak in body, and knowing that is appointed once to die, do make and publish
this my last will and testament in manner and form folliwng, that is to say
first, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Susanna some of all my estate
both real and personal property during her lifetime or widowhood and it is my
will that my sons Joseph and Elijah receive no more than they have already
received until the rest of my herirs receive the said sum of sixty dollars in
trade. Then after her decease for all my
property be equally devided amongst all my heirs and I do hereby constitute and
appoint my wife Susanna sole Executrix of this my last will and testament
hereby revoking all former wills by me made in witness whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal twenty fifth day of December in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and nine. Levy Carter
"Levy
died April 22, 1811 (and) Susanna died in 1816 and his children divided 151
acres."
More About LEVI CARTER:
Burial: Carter Station Cemetery, Albany, Greene County,
Tennessee
Notes for SUSANNA:
At the time of
Susanna's birth, Monongalia County was part of Virginia, but is now located in
West Virginia. To date, I have been
unable to document her last name. She is
simply referred to as "his wife Susanna" in written documents.
More About SUSANNA:
Burial: Carter Station Cemetery, Albany, Greene County,
Tennessee
More About LEVI CARTER and SUSANNA:
Marriage: probably Virginia
Children of LEVI CARTER and SUSANNA are:
i. RACHEL2 CARTER6, b. 1754, New Jersey7,8; m.
JOHN HARTLEY8, November 12, 1799, Greene County, Tennessee.
More About JOHN HARTLEY and RACHEL CARTER:
Marriage: November 12, 1799, Greene County, Tennessee
2. ii. CALEB CARTER, b. 1756, New Jersey; d. Aft.
1840, Monroe County, Tennessee.
iii. LEVI OR LEVY CARTER9, b. 1758, New Jersey10.
Notes for LEVI OR LEVY CARTER:
Some records
show Levi born in Greene County, Tennessee.
iv. JOHN CARTER11, b. 1760, Arnettesville,
Monongalia County, Virginia11; m. POLLY TEMPLETON, February 09, 1815, Greene
County, Tennessee.
Notes for JOHN CARTER:
At the time of
his birth, Arnettesville may have been in Virginia, but is now located in West
Virginia.
More About JOHN CARTER and POLLY TEMPLETON:
Marriage: February 09, 1815, Greene County, Tennessee
3. v. JESSE CARTER, b. 1774, Arnettesville,
Monangalia, Virginia; d. 1849, McMinn County, Tennessee.
vi. JOSEPH CARTER12, b. 1776, Surry, North
Carolina.
vii. SUSANNAH CARTER12, b. 1780, Washington County,
North Carolina.
viii. ELIJAH CARTER12, b. April 07, 1786, Greene
County, Tennessee; d. November 13, 1858, Gentry County, Missouri; m. UNKNOWN,
August 15, 1811, Greene County, Tennessee.
More About ELIJAH CARTER and UNKNOWN:
Marriage: August 15, 1811, Greene County, Tennessee
ix. NATHAN CARTER12, b. 1788, Greene County,
Tennessee; d. 1830, Greene County, Tennessee.
Generation No. 2
2. CALEB2 CARTER
(LEVI1)13 was born 1756 in New Jersey14, and died Aft. 1840 in Monroe County,
Tennessee. He married (1) PHOEBE WILLIAMS
March 17, 1798 in Greenville, Greene County, Tennessee. She was born Bef. 1782, and died Bef.
1809. He married (2) RACHEL TEMPLETON15
May 18, 1809 in probably Greene County, Tennessee15.
More About CALEB CARTER and PHOEBE WILLIAMS:
Marriage: March 17, 1798, Greenville, Greene County,
Tennessee
More About CALEB CARTER and RACHEL TEMPLETON:
Marriage: May 18, 1809, probably Greene County,
Tennessee15
Children of CALEB CARTER and PHOEBE WILLIAMS are:
i. NATHANIEL3 CARTER, b. Abt. 1800.
Notes for NATHANIEL CARTER:
In
"History of Texas . . . Central Texas," published in 1896 by The
Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Nathaniel is credited as being "the
author of Carter's Spelling-Book."
ii. PEGGY CARTER, b. 1805; m. JOHN FRAZIER16.
4. iii. DR. JOHN WESLEY CARTER, b. 1797, Greene
County, Tennessee; d. Aft. 1864, probably Missouri.
Children of CALEB CARTER and RACHEL TEMPLETON are:
iv. ALFRED3 CARTER, b. Abt. 1810.
v. PLEASANT CARTER, b. Abt. 1811.
vi. JASPER CARTER, b. Abt. 1812.
vii. BURTON CARTER, b. Abt. 1813.
viii. POLLY CARTER, b. Abt. 1814.
ix. SOPHIA CARTER, b. Abt. 1815.
3. JESSE2 CARTER
(LEVI1)17 was born 1774 in Arnettesville, Monangalia, Virginia, and died 1849
in McMinn County, Tennessee. He married
SUSANNA HARMON18 January 09, 1798 in Greene County, Tennessee18. She was born November 19, 1775 in Greene
County, Tennessee18, and died September 04, 1865 in McMinn County, Tennessee18.
More About JESSE CARTER and SUSANNA HARMON:
Marriage: January 09, 1798, Greene County, Tennessee18
Children of JESSE CARTER and SUSANNA HARMON are:
i. HENDERSON C.3 CARTER18, b. 1800, Greene
County, Tennessee18; d. August 10, 1868, McMinn County, Tennessee18.
ii. NANCY MARIAH CARTER18, b. 1802, Greene County,
Tennessee18; d. November 17, 1875, Washington County, Missouri18.
iii. JAMES CARTER18, b. 1804, Greene County,
Tennessee18; d. 1853, Tennessee18.
iv. MARGARET CARTER18, b. 1810, probably Greene
County, Tennessee; d. Bet. 1830 - 185018.
v. JOHN CARTER18, b. April 13, 1813, Greene
County, Tennessee18; d. January 24, 1868, Jackson Township, Washington County,
Missouri18.
vi. SUSAN CARTER18, b. Abt. 1814, Greene County,
Tennessee18; m. LEVI PRESLEY18; b. 1807, Tennessee18.
vii. JESSE CARTER, JR.18, b. Abt. 1817, Greene
County, Tennessee18; d. October 05, 1854, Hopkins County, Kentucky18.
5. viii. PETER T. CARTER, b. 1818, Greene County,
Tennessee; d. January 25, 1882, On home farm, north of Pattonsburg, Daviess
County, Missouri.
ix. LEWIS M. CARTER18, b. 1820, Monroe County,
Tennessee18; d. May 23, 1870, Monroe County, Tennessee; m. ELIZABETH FOSTER18,
June 15, 1841, Monroe County, Tennessee.
More About LEWIS CARTER and ELIZABETH FOSTER:
Marriage: June 15, 1841, Monroe County, Tennessee
Generation No. 3
4. DR. JOHN
WESLEY3 CARTER (CALEB2, LEVI1) was born 1797 in Greene County, Tennessee, and
died Aft. 1864 in probably Missouri. He
married SOPHIA HILL August 15, 1820 in Monroe County, Tennessee, daughter of
PLEASANT HILL and MRS. HILL. She was
born 1802 in North Carolina, and died 1858 in McNairy, Tennessee.
Notes for DR. JOHN WESLEY CARTER:
John Wesley
was known by his middle name, and was a physician.
In a
biographical sketch of his son, Henry Jones Carter, the following is written
about John Wesley Carter:
"He
(referring to Henry) was born in Monroe County, east Tennessee . . . but in
1839 was taken by his parents, Wesley and Sophia (Hill) Carter, to McNairy
County, in the western part of the state.
The father's birth (meaning Wesley's) occurred in Virginia in 1800, and
in Green County, Tennessee, he married Miss Hill, who was born in North
Carolina, in 1802. They became the
parents of eight children: Renie, Phoebe Jane, Henry J., James A., Drusilla,
Lucinda, John W. and Margaret. The
mother (Wesley's wife Sophia Hill Carter) died in 1858, and during the civil
war the father went to Missouri, since which time nothing has been heard of
him. His father (meaning Wesley's
father), Caleb Carter, was also a native of Old Dominion (a nickname for the
state of Virginia) . . ."
note from Kathy Beaudry:
The above "sketch" of Henry Jones Carter says
that Wesley Carter was born in 1800 in Virginia, yet in another
"sketch," of John W. Carter, Jr., Wesley is said to have been
"born in Tennessee in 1797, and was a doctor by profession . . . They were
married in Greene County, Tennessee, and the following children were born to
them: Jane, Sarah, Phoebe, Henry J., James A., Druscilla, Joseph, Lucinda, John
W., and Margaret . . ."
sent to me by Charles Barnum, February of 2004:
"Subject: Dr. John Wesley Carter father of several
Hamilton County Texas Carter families.
The migration
of Dr. John Wesley Carter has been determined to a fuller extent based on
recent findings. He departed Greene County Tennessee on or before 1820 and moved to Monroe County
Tennessee. His father was Caleb Carter.
The 1830 Monroe County Tennessee census listed John
Carter as follows on page 111.
John W. Carter
males 1 each-20 to
30 (John W. Carter)
males 2 each-under
5
(James)
(Henry)
females 1 each-20 to 30 (Sophia Hill, wife)
females 2 each-5 to 10
(Phoebe Jane)
(Drusilla)
females 1 each-under 5
(Lucinda)
The 1820
Monroe and Greene County censuses of Tennessee were burned; however, the 1830
census of Monroe enumerated Caleb Carter.
Caleb Carter
male 1 each 60-69
(Caleb Carter)
male 1 each 10-14
(grandchild?)
female 1 each
60-69 (Rachel Templeton)
female 1 each 10-14 (grandchild?)
female 2 each
20-29 (possibly Polly & Sophia married with children)
Dr. John
Carter travelled along the Tennessee River from Greene County across Alabama
until he arrived at Tishomingo County Mississippi about 1839. There his last
child, Margaret, was born. He moved to McNairy County Tennessee in 1842. Most
of his children married in Tennessee. Renie and Joseph were born and died
between 1830 and 1840 and therefore did not appear on any census.
The 1840 Tishomingo County Mississippi census was as
follows:
males 1 each-30 to 40 (John W. Carter)
males under 1 each-under 5 (John Jr Carter)
males 2 each--10 to 15
(James Carter)
(Henry Carter)
females 1 each-30 to 40 (Sophia Hill, wife)
females 1 each--under 5 (Margaret)
females 2 each-5 to 10
(Lucinda)
(Sarah)
females 2 each-15 to 20
(Drusilla)
(Phoebe Jane)
1850 McNairy County Tennessee Census
John W. Carter, Physician 51 Tennessee
Sophia 47 Virginia
John (Junior) 14 Tennessee
Margaret 10 Mississippi
Dr. Carter departed Tennessee for Missouri in 1864 and
never communicated with his family thereafter. John Wesley Carter Junior,
farmer/rancher, married in McNairy County in 1855 to Elizabeth Jane Rushing. In
1870 he lived in Purdy, McNairy Co. Tennessee as shown on the census.
#143
Carter,
John 35 Tennessee
Jane 38 Alabama
James E. 14 Tennessee
John R. 11 Tennessee
Anderson J. 07 Tennessee
Sarah A. 06 Tennessee
Missouri a 04 Tennessee
Jessee
O. 08 Tennessee
George
W. 01 Tennessee
John Wesley
Carter Junior moved to Hamilton TX in 1877 possibly passing through Collins Co
TX not Collins Co TN as was reported in a Hamilton County History as there was
no Collins County in Tennessee.
Additionally, I possess no evidence that he passed through Collins Co. TX.
Several
historic articles stated Caleb Carter was killed in the American Revolution.
The Am. Rev. was fought between 1775 and 1781. Caleb Carter fathered James W. Crater, Physician, in 1799.
Therefore, it was impossible that Caleb died in the Am. Rev. and fathered a
child eighteen years later. Caleb died about 1840 as traced through the
records. That inaccurate story has been handed down to the present even into
the Masonic records-The Texas Mason, Spring 1995. Caleb's father, Levi, also
did not die in the Am. Rev. as he died in 1752, i.e. twenty-three years before
the war began.
I respectfully
request errors in this report be called to my attention.
CWBarnum
1068 Pinewood Dr Sparks
NV 89434"
More About JOHN CARTER and SOPHIA HILL:
Marriage: August 15, 1820, Monroe County, Tennessee
Children of JOHN CARTER and SOPHIA HILL are:
i. DRUSILLA4 CARTER, b. Abt. 1822.
ii. JOSEPH A. CARTER, b. Abt. 1823.
iii. PHOEBE JANE CARTER, b. January 20, 1825.
6. iv. HENRY JONES CARTER, b. September 04, 1826,
Monroe County, Tennessee; d. September 06, 1906, Hamilton County, Texas.
7. v. JAMES ATCHLEY CARTER, b. September 17, 1828,
Monroe County, Tennessee; d. August 30, 1911, Hamilton County, Texas.
vi. LUCINDA CARTER, b. 1829.
vii. SARAH S. CARTER, b. Abt. 1830.
8. viii. JOHN WESLEY CARTER, JR., b. January 29, 1835,
Monroe County, Tennessee; d. October 30, 1882, Hamilton County, Texas.
ix. RENIE CARTER, b. Abt. 1837.
x. MARGARET CARTER, b. 1840.
xi. DRUCILLA CARTER, b. Abt. 1842.
5. PETER T.3
CARTER (JESSE2, LEVI1)18 was born 1818 in Greene County, Tennessee18, and died
January 25, 1882 in On home farm, north of Pattonsburg, Daviess County,
Missouri18. He married JERUSHA DOBBS18
March 03, 1842 in McMinn County, Tennessee.
She was born 1826 in Tennessee, and died Abt. 1859 in Daviess County,
Missouri.
Notes for PETER T. CARTER:
All the info
on Peter, his spouse Jerusha and their children was sent via e-mail to me by
Susan Price.
More About PETER CARTER and JERUSHA DOBBS:
Marriage: March 03, 1842, McMinn County, Tennessee
Children of PETER CARTER and JERUSHA DOBBS are:
i. JOHN LIDE4 CARTER, b. January 12, 1844,
Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee; d. October 12, 1929, Sand Springs, Tulsa County,
Oklahoma; m. MARGARET A. BELCHER, October 29, 1865, Daviess County, Missouri;
b. June 06, 1850, Missouri; d. May 29, 1928, Sand Springs, Tulsa County,
Oklahoma.
More About JOHN CARTER and MARGARET BELCHER:
Marriage: October 29, 1865, Daviess County, Missouri
9. ii. SUSAN ELLEN CARTER, b. 1846, Athens, McMinn
County, Tennessee; d. March 30, 1862, Daviess County, Missouri.
iii. JAMES CARTER, b. 1848.
10. iv. JASPER NEWTON CARTER, b. May 23, 1850,
Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee; d. January 23, 1924, Pattonsburg, Daviess
County, Missouri.
v. JESSE CARTER, b. May 08, 1852.
vi. FRANKLIN PIERCE CARTER, b. May 10, 1853.
vii. JULIANN TENNESSEE CARTER, b. August 31, 1855.
Generation No. 4
6. HENRY JONES4
CARTER (JOHN WESLEY3, CALEB2, LEVI1)19,20 was born September 04, 1826 in Monroe
County, Tennessee, and died September 06, 1906 in Hamilton County, Texas. He married MARY CAROLINE PRESTON21 May 14,
1848 in McNairy County, Tennessee22, daughter of JOHN PRESTON and ELIZABETH
RUNNELS. She was born June 11, 1830 in
Tennessee, and died October 24, 1917 in Perryton, Ochiltree County, Texas23,24.
Notes for HENRY JONES CARTER:
from:
freepages.genealogy.rootsweb/com~gazeteer2000/b/bl_ridge/blu_sch.htm
"BLUE
RIDGE SCHOOLS
In 1878 a
group of Blue Ridge citizens met at the home of Marion Andrew Whittenton to
organize a school community. This
meeting was attended by Henry Jones Cater, J.F. Bullard, George Knoll, Robert
Richey, Thomas Wesley, Russell Ficus, Levi Angel, James Monroe Chamblisss, Able
Koen, and John Hannah Brown.
Funds were
raised to build a school house. It was decided at this meeting to name the
new school Blue Ridge and John Hannah Brown offered a lot for the school. John Brown's offer was rejected because it did
not have a water source. Henry Jones
Carter gave a lot where a well could be dug.
Lumber was hauled from Waco in 1878 and the one-room building was
erected by volunteers during the summer of 1879.
Levi Angel was
employed on 26 September, 1879, as the first teacher when Henry Jones Carter,
M.A. Whittington, and J.F. Bullard were trustees. Among the first students to attend this
school were Silas Allen, Mrs. Ambler Willis, and Mrs. J.G. Northcutt. At one time the Blue Ridge School had over
one hundred pupils with only one teacher.
Some older students assisted the teacher by "hearing the
lessons" of younger students. Other
early teachers included Capt. Alfred Hayne Watson, a Mr. Thomas, R.P. Edgar, Joseph Hardy
"Joe" Dixon, T.A. Putnam, H.A. Allen, T. B. Cooper and Miss Lizzie
Patterson. Una Toland Brown taught
school at Blue Ridge for two years before she attended college in Denton and
before she married Vance Brown.
Later teachers
included Martha Kirkland "Mattie" Boyd (who later became Mrs. John
Milner), Herman and Sammie Gault Walton, William Jennings Harris, Dessie Baize
Griggs, a Miss Patterson, A Mrs. Anderson, Wilma Faye Henderson (who later
married Newton Parrish), Leone Riley (who later married Joe Poston), Pearl
Moore, Mrs. Geneva Sills Allen, and Len Dalton.
Kathryn Baker was principal at Blue Ridge during World War 1."
from: "History of Texas . . . Central Texas,"
Published in 1896 by The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago. This was sent to me (Kathy Beaudry) by
Carolyn Carter Schiewe, in July, 2002, and is a verbatim account of the
biographical sketch, with some clarifications in parentheses added by me.
"Henry
Jones Carter, a pioneer of Texas, is one of the largest landowners of Hamilton
county, where he is actively and prosperously engaged in agricultural
pursuits. The flourishing condition of
this county, with its splendid farms, many comfortable dwellings, fine churches
and substantial school buildings, is a monument to the perseverance and labors
of the brave men who, like our subject, patiently endured the trials of a
pioneer life that they might develop the wonderful and varied resources of this
region, and make for themselves and their children a pleasant home in this
fruitful and goodly land.
"He was
born in Monroe county, east Tennessee, September 4, 1826, but in 1839 was taken
by his parents, Wesley and Sophia (Hill) Carter, to McNairy County, in the
western part of the state. The father's
birth occurred in Virginia in 1800, and in Greene County, Tennessee, he married
Miss Hill, who was born in North Carolina, in 1802. They became the parents of eight children:
Renie, Phoebe Jane, Henry J., James A., Drusilla, Lucinda, John W. and
Margaret. The mother died in 1858, and
during the civil war the father went to Missouri, since which time nothing has
been heard of him. His father (meaning
Wesley Carter's father), Caleb Carter, was also a native of the Old Dominion (a
nickname for the state of Virginia), and married Miss Williams, by whom he had
three children: Wesley; Nathaniel, the author of Carter's spelling-book; and
Mrs. John Frazier. For his second wife
the grandfather wedded Miss Templeton, and to them were born several
children. Pleasant Hill, the maternal
grandfather of our subject, married Sally Riptoe, and they had a number of
children, among whom were Alfred, Pleasant, Jasper, Burton, Polly and Sophia.
"On
reaching man's estate, Henry J. Carter was married, May 14, 1848, the lady of
his choice being Miss Mary Caroline Preston, who was born in Tennessee, in
June, 1830, and is the daughter of Jack Preston. Eleven children blessed this union: James
Wesley, John Quincy, Joseph Henry, Sarah Jane, Mary Gussie (born Mary Augusta),
Frances Harriet, deceased, George Raymond, Alexander Lee, deceased, Francis
Marion, deceased, Alfred Lafayette and David Mitchell.
"With his
wife, Mr. Carter left Tennessee, March, 1849, for Texas, going by water to New
Orleans, then up the Red river, landing at Shreveport, Louisiana, thence by
land to Harrison County, Texas, thence they went to Smith county, where he
rented land until 1856. On the 15th of
September of that year he became the first settler on Cowhouse creek, in what
is now Hamilton County, their nearest neighbor being his brother, James A., who
lived seven miles distant, at what is now Evant. At about twelve miles distant resided James
Rice and Henry C. Standefer, the first settlers on Leon river in Hamilton
County, who were considered neighbors.
For sixteen year (for which he received nothing but two percussion caps),
Mr. Carter engaged in skirmishes with the Indians, being in the fight at Dove
creek, where twenty-seven white men were killed and seventeen wounded. This campaign was one of the most severe and
last for thirty days, during which time men not used to cold weather spent a
large portion of the time wading in snow several feet deep. The settlers were also reduced to dire
extremities for want of food during this service.
"On the
Cowhouse, Mr. Carter preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land in 1873, and
during those trying early days lost $500 in the cattle business, which proved a
sad misfortune at that time. However,
to-day his is the owner of thirty-four hundred acres in Hamilton county, five
hundred of which are under a high state of cultivation and well improved, his
property being valued at one hundred thousand dollars (in 1896), all
accumulated through his own individual efforts.
He comes of a most highly respected family, and he is a credit to the
worthy family name he bears. That he has
made his career a grand success is due to his untiring energy, affability,
integrity and judicious conduct as a business man. He always supported the Democratic party
until lately, now voting independently of party ties. In religious relations he is a member of the
Christian church."
from an unnamed newspaper story on the history of Texas,
this article was sent to me (Kathy Beaudry) in July, 2002, by Carolyn Carter
Schiewe:
"EARLY
SETTLERS WERE RELIGIOUS
by
Dona Kauitzsch
"From the
very earliest settlers the people never forgot or neglected the religious side
of their lives.
"The
Carters, who first settled in this section, were devout members of the
'Christian Church.' Whenever it was
possible they had a minister to come and hold a meeting.
"When the
Methodists, Baptists, and Primitive Baptists moved in, they all attended one
another's services. Every preacher was
welcome to preach in any frontier school house, there were no rural churches in
those days of Hamilton County.
"This
story, told by Mrs. Emma Arnett of Hamilton, happened almost 80 years ago.
"Her
great uncle, Henry Carter, lived on and owned the Stribling place. He had not yet built the large house but he
was still living in in a large log cabin.
The Blue Ridge school house had been built, and the minister had come to
hold a meeting. He insisted that they
observe Christmas with a Christmas Tree at the school house. They were to get someone to explain to the
crowd just what Christmas really meant and how they should observe it. The Christmas tree was decided, then came the
question, "Who on earth could make that talk?" It was finally decided to ask Mr. Carter's
nephew, William Ballard, who lived just across the Cowhouse from the Carter
Mill. Ballard was a Methodist and he
could pray the best prayers, and make the best talks in the county. Ballard accepted the responsibility. He and his family went in a wagon to the
Carter home early Christmas eve morning, as they had asked his wife, Annie, to
help with the tree decorating.
"The
eldest Ballard child (Mrs. Arnett) was quite a small girl. She was frightened when they were greeted by
Carter's seven sons. She had never seen
so many big, tall boys together and she was afraid.
"They
boys sat on seats that had been made by sawing curved logs into lengths - that
were set on uprights - the proper heights.
Little Emma would have nothing to do with the boys, no matter how hard
they coaxed. Until something very
interesting happened. They brought in a
wash tub and some pop corn. With a
covered, long handled, iron skillet they began popping corn over the fire in
the open fire place. They never stopped
until they had the big 'wash-tub' heaping full, only then would Emma 'make
friends' with her mother's cousins.
"Soon
women and their children came to the Carter place. They had their precious needles, thimbles,
and many long threads that they had spun very fine, and twisted tightly for
strength. The group began stringing
pop-corn, yards and yards of it, they took a bag of blueing (used in
laundering) and made a pan of strong solution of it, this they dipped a part of
their corn string into and they came out a beautiful light blue. Then they decided that they must have some
aniline to make red dye (exactly what they needed). Annie Ballard had some, that her father had
brought her from Galveston; but it was 12 miles away. The men had gone to "the breaks"
for a tree. Must they send a boy that
far alone? What if the Indians should
come? What if his horse stumbled and
left him helpless with a broken leg?
"No, this
they would do, pioneer style "the best they could, with what they
had."
"That
night when they went to the school house, never had the children seen anything
so beautiful. The large cedar tree
reached from floor to ceiling. It was
draped with blue and white ropes of pop corn.
"The
present were not wrapped, but were stacked at the foot of the tree and hung all
over it, unwrapped, by hand spun threads.
There were rag dolls and other stuffed toys; guns and pistols that had
been whittled from lumber, dresses, shirts, shoes, stockings, and many other
handmade things. Each child got a bag of
nuts (from the river) and home made candy.
The seven Carter boys got a beautiful 'jackknife apiece." These had been brought from Galveston the
autumn before and they had been hidden in an iron pot that had been buried
under the dirt floor of the cabins. Wax
candles, home molded, had been placed in a circle around the tree and grease
lamps and lanterns hung on the wall behind it.
Every thing was very beautiful.
After
"Cousin William" had told them the lovely story about the Christ
child, the older ones bowed for prayers.
(Not the youngsters, they could not take their eyes off of the
glamourous tree.)
"Soon the
little girls were mothering a rag doll and little boys were aiming wooden guns.
"How
would the children of this generation like toys like that for Christmas. They would be insulted, of
course."[charles.FTW]
BLUE RIDGE
SETTLERS
EARLY
SETTLERS
Joseph Henry Carter arrived with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Jones
Carter, in Hamilton County from Tennessee on 15 September,
1856,
and became the first settlers on the Cowhouse Creek. Indian
raids
caused Mr. Carter to leave his family in the new town of
Hamilton, while he and the older boys lived in a log cabin at Blue
Ridge.
With oxen they sodded the largest farm in Hamilton County
because
Mr. Carter had acquired more than a league of land. A double
log
house was built and as soon as conditions were deemed safe all
of the
family moved to the farm, and helped to organize and to built
the
Blue Ridge School. In 1872 Henry Carter built a large two-story
house
at Blue Ridge, hauling lumber from Waco on ox-drawn wagons. In
October, 1907, this house was sold to Thomas Edwin Stribling and his
wife
Martha Mariah "Mattie" Kirkland Stribling. This house, which
burned
in 1977, was later known as the Jack Stribling house. I
retrieved from the ashes some of the square nails which held this
house
together.
In the
mid 1870's many early settlers built small houses on public
school
land at Blue Ridge with the hope that land would be placed on
the
market at affordable prices. In 1876 public school land at Blue
Ridge
was sold at prices from 25 cents to $2.50 an acre.
Other
pioneers began settling at Blue Ridge in the 1870's. Marion
Andrew
Whittenton and his wife Mary Elizabeth Bullard Whittenton
arrived
at Blue Ridge on December 23, 1871, and camped by a spring
and
lived in their covered wagon and a dugout until a house could be
built.
In 1876 Marion Andrew Whittenton donated land to establish a
public
cemetery--the Whittenton Cemetery at Blue Ridge. Mr.
Whittenton
made splints, set bones and made caskets for neighbors.
Mr.
Whittenton helped establish the first school at Blue Ridge and
was one
of the first trustees. Mrs. Whittenton’s sister, Miralda and
her
husband Tom Wesley arrived at Blue Ridge shortly after the
Whittentons.
George
Knoll met Nancy Ann Ruth Koen at a singing in the home of a
friend
at Blue Ridge and they were married 21 December, 1876. George
Knoll
helped establish schools, churches, and post offices at both
Blue
Ridge and Aleman where they later lived. The Koens came to
Hamilton County in 1876 with their sister Ozilee Pierson and family.
On July
20, 1880, A. P. Koen married Eunice Ann West
and
Lizzie Bullard came to Blue Ridge from Brundedge, AL. They were
joined
in 1877 by William Hilliard Bullard and his mother Amanda M.
Spence
(Bullard) Davis and younger siblings Sara "Babe" and Alfred
Davis.
The trip from AL to Waco was by train. From Waco to Blue
Ridge
two longhorn steers pulled their wagon over snow-covered
trails.
William Hilliard Bullard returned to AL for his wife, Cora
Allen
Bullard, and their baby son John
James
Lemuel Grisham, Sr. with his wife Margaret Amanda (Jones)
Grisham
arrived at Blue Ridge from Fannin County, TX before July,
1880,
with four young children--William Richard, James Lemuel "Lem"
Jr.,
Ida Rose Anna, and Charles Ephraim. James Lemuel and Margaret
Amanda
Grisham were charter members of the Blue Ridge Baptist Church
of
Christ. For many years they made semi-annual trade trips to
Lampasas in their ox drawn wagon to buy staples. The trip took days
of
travel each way.
William
Henry Jarius "Billy" Fergusson and his wife, Sarah Alexander
"Sallie" (Adcock)
Fergusson moved from Bell County, TX, to a
Cowhouse farm of John Dillard Hunt in 1890 with their
children--Robert Jeff, Charles Johnson, Callie Mae, Luther Guy and
Maggie
Roberta.
In
October, 1907, Thomas Edwin Stribling purchased the Henry Jones
Carter
farm and two-story house. He and his family arrived in
Hamilton County from Coryell County, TX on 31 October and 1
November,
1907. His family included his wife, Martha Mariah "Mattie"
(Kirkland) Stribling and their children, Anna Jane Stribling, Amanda
Elizabeth "Mandy" (Stribling) Crain, William Joseph
"Joe", John
Thaddeus "Jack", Neil Augustus, and Eugene Perry
"Pet." Also moving
were
Mandy’s husband, James Wesley "Jim" Crain and their children--
James
Edwin, Robert Verne, Ruby Pearl, and Lura Bernice; and Joe’s
wife,
Lillian "Lilly" Dooley Stribling and their children--Willie
Eunice,
Jessie Laura, and Thomas Edgar.
In 1928
Verge (Claudie Virgus) Grisham built a store/filling station
with an
attached rock ice house. A feed mill was added. The
store/filling station which had attached living quarters was later
operated by Elmo and Mildred (Williams) Newsom, Bill and Lorene
(Williams) Jones, and Elzie and Mildred (Raibourn) Kemp. The REA
brought electricity to Blue Ridge in
1939.
More About HENRY JONES CARTER:
Burial: Graves-Gentry Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas
Notes for MARY CAROLINE PRESTON:
The 1910
census for Ochiltree County, Texas lists Mary as living with her son Fayette
Carter and his family, in which place she was still living at the time of her
death. She had divorced her husband,
Henry Jones Carter, in 1896.
from "The Hamilton Herald-News, The Hamilton
Rustler," Hamilton, Texas:
"THE
PASSING OF MRS. MARY C. CARTER
Pioneer Woman
of Hamilton County Dies in Ochiltree Brought Back to Old Home For Burial.
Mrs. Mary C.
Carter died at the home of her son, Fayette Carter in Ochiltree County, last
Wednesday, October 24, at 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon. She had been ill only a short time, just a gentle going to sleep
because the night time of life had come, and she was weary with its problems,
its sorrows and even its joys. The
shadows had grown long, the Beacon Light on the other shore sent out its rays
to brighten the track of the waters for the one whose eyes had grown dim to the
things that lay along the pathway here, and she laid down the burden of her
years and passed over.
Deceased was
born in Tennessee in the year of 1830, being at her death 87 years of age. She was married in Tennessee to H. J. Carter
in 1848. Together they came to Texas in
1849, settling in Smith County. In 1854
they moved to Hamilton County, settling in the fertile valley of the Cowhouse,
the estate becoming baronial in extent and wealth. To their union was born eleven children,
eight sons and three daughters, only one of whom, Mrs. Gussie Livingston of the
Farnash community resides in this county.
She made her home with her son, Fayette Carter who with his family and
his mother moved to Ochiltree county in 1912.
Thus it was for more than half century she lived in Hamilton county, in
the early days battling with and subduing hardships and trials of Pioneer life,
a life which robbed womanhood of that protection and tender care which the
chivalry of more advanced civilization accords it, yet she was a woman pure and
true, a Christian, and exemplary in every relation of life.
By her request
the body accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Fayette Carter, was brought back to the
old family home where a granddaughter of Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Stribling,
resides. From there the funeral cortege
came to Hamilton Sunday afternoon, burial taking place in the old Hamilton
cemetery at 3:30 o'clock. Rev. J. Hall
Bowman, pastor of the Methodist church conducting the funeral service. Mrs. Carter had been a consistent member of
the Methodist church since a young girl.
Many friends
in Hamilton as well as from over the county were gathered at the grave to pay a
last tribute of love and respect to this "Mother in Israel" who had
gone to her reward. The sympathy of all
goes out to the griefstricken loved ones, but they seek not in vain for
comfort, for every promise of the scriptures in vouchsafed to them for
consolation.
"There's
no regret or worry where she is,
No look back,
no pain no grief to bear;
No farewell
kisses, no last touch of bliss.
No loneliness,
no missing, not a tear."
This obituary
appeared in the newspaper on November 1, 1917; date of death was October 24,
1917.
More About MARY CAROLINE PRESTON:
Burial: October 28, 1917, Old Hamilton Cemetery,
Hamilton, Texas25
More About HENRY CARTER and MARY PRESTON:
Divorce: May 1896, Hamilton County, Texas
Marriage: May 14, 1848, McNairy County, Tennessee26
Children of HENRY CARTER and MARY PRESTON are:
i. JAMES WESLEY5 CARTER27,28, b. April 22,
1850, Smith County, Texas29; d. March 10, 1912, Hamlin, Jones County, Texas30;
m. (1) SAMANTHA JOSEPHINE KUYKENDALL31, September 16, 1874, Hamilton County,
Texas31; m. (2) EVELINE JACKSON31, Abt. 190331.
Notes for JAMES WESLEY CARTER:
From The Hamilton Record and Rustler, dated March 14,
1912.
"Committed
Suicide"
James W.
Carter, Former Hamilton Citizen Commits
Suicide
by Taking Strychnine---
"Sheriff
Ed Beck was apprised by phone message from Hamlin last Sunday of
the death by suicide of James W. Carter of that city at
about 10:30 o'clock that morning.
Until a few years ago Mr. Carter was a citizen of
Hamilton County and is survived by a
brother, A. L. Carter, of Blue Ridge, and a son, David
Carter, of Evant, and two daughters,
Mesdames Lady Hastings and May Jones, also of Evant in
this county. Relatives were
informed of the deplorable affair and David Carter left
on the afternoon train to attend the
funeral. We have
been unable to obtain particulars as to the cause of his committing the rash
act. "
More About JAMES CARTER and SAMANTHA KUYKENDALL:
Marriage: September 16, 1874, Hamilton County, Texas31
More About JAMES CARTER and EVELINE JACKSON:
Marriage: Abt. 190331
ii. JOHN QUINCY CARTER32,33,34,34, b. July 11,
1851, Smith County, Texas35,35,35; d. February 18, 1934, Tulare County,
California36; m. ELIZABETH BLANSIT37,38, Abt. 1872, Hamilton County, Texas; b.
September 1856, Alabama; d. November 08, 1931, Tulare County, California.
Notes for JOHN QUINCY CARTER:
In the 1880
census for Hamilton County Texas, John's occupation is listed as farmer, with
his parents both born in Tennessee. At
that time he was living with his wife
Elisabeth and 5 children. In the 1900
census, John is shown living in Foard County, Texas with his wife
"Lizzie" and 9 children, the youngest of whom is Grace, the
grandmother of Kathy Beaudry. According
to that record, Elizabeth had 16 children, with 13 still living. In the 1910 census, John and his wife are
listed as having 10 children, with 9 still living, and Elizabeth is said to
have been born in Texas, which is incorrect.
I would guess that one of the children gave the information to the
census taker. In the 1920 census, he
was living in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona with his wife Elizabeth, daughter
Grace Downey, and grand-daughter Evelyn Downey.
After I found
the information about John's death on-line from a site that lists the records
of burials in the Visalia Cemetery, I
visited the cemetery and took pictures.
Neither John nor his wife have headstones, just a concrete
"button" in the ground to mark the plot number.
More About JOHN QUINCY CARTER:
Burial: February 20, 1934, Visalia Cemetery, Visalia,
Tulare County, California39,39,39
Notes for ELIZABETH BLANSIT:
In the 1900
census for Foard County, TX, Elisabeth is listed as having 16 children with 13 of them still living. In the 1900 census, Elisabeth is called
"Lizzie;" in the 1880 and 1920
census she is called Elisabeth; she is buried under the name of "Betty
Carter." To date, I have been
unable to find them in the 1930 census for California.
Elizabeth is the daughter of John Chambers
Blanchet/Blansit and is the sister of
Maude Blansit. Maude married Alfred
Lafayette "Fayette" Carter, the brother of John Quincy Carter.
In 2000 and
2002, Kathy McNeil Beaudry visited Visalia Cemetery, where Elizabeth and John
are buried. Sad to say, they have no headstones,
only a concrete "button" to mark their graves. The plots were paid for by their oldest
son, James A. Carter.
More About ELIZABETH BLANSIT:
Burial: November 10, 1931, Visalia Cemetery, Visalia,
Tulare County, California40
More About JOHN CARTER and ELIZABETH BLANSIT:
Marriage: Abt. 1872, Hamilton County, Texas
iii. SARAH JANE CARTER41, b. July 20, 1854, Smith
County, Texas.
iv. JOSEPH HENRY CARTER41, b. February 18, 1855,
Smith County, Texas.
v. MARY AUGUSTA CARTER42, b. February 15, 1856,
Smith County, Texas43; d. February 08, 1933, Hamilton, Hamilton County, Texas;
m. JAMES SAMUEL LIVINGSTON44,45, Bef. 1874, Hamilton, Hamilton County, Texas;
b. May 29, 1855, Bastrop County, Texas46,47; d. April 23, 1898, Hamilton,
Hamilton County, Texas48.
Notes for MARY AUGUSTA CARTER:
In the 1900
census for Hamilton County, Texas, "Gussie" is listed as a widow and
farmer with 13 living children, and the mother of either 17 or 19
children. (It's hard to read the exact
number)
More About MARY AUGUSTA CARTER:
Burial: Old Hamilton Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas
Notes for JAMES SAMUEL LIVINGSTON:
In the 1880
census for Hamilton County, Texas, Jim's occupation(s) is listed as: Farmer,
Merchant and Stock raiser.
from the Internet at:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gazeteer2000/chasley/ches_005.htm
the following
passages were posted by Elreeta Crain Weathers
"[William
Dennis "Bill" Payne married Olive "Ollie" Dunlap in 1872 in
Hill County and relocated to Hamilton County later that year. William Payne was murdered in Beckham County,
Oklahoma, on July 12, 1914.]
"PAYNE
KILLS LIVINGSTON
It was about
1898 that Payne killed Livingston. It
was Saturday night and they had been, were at Hamilton drinking pretty
heavily. James S. "Jim"
Livingston it was said had given Payne a severe beating. Later it was said when Payne was standing at
the saloon door Livingston came up and called him a "@#$%@#$" and
said he had what it took to take care of him.
Payne shot and killed Livingston, the ball going through his forearm,
upper arm, and into his side, from which it was deduced that Livingston was
reaching for his throat.
Jim Livingston
was taken upstairs to Dr. R.A. Kooken's office.
He was asked if he had any statement to make and he said he did not . .
.
In the trial
for killing Poe, Payne was defeated (sic) by Judge James A. Edison (our next
door neighbor, later on the Austin Court of Civil Appeals) and acquitted. In the second trial, for killing Jim
Livingston, he was defended by Judge C.K. Bell, later attorney general, and
assisted by my uncle John C. Main, and was convicted. His reputation was so bad that he was given
two years this time and served it. After
he came back he did not stay long, but went to Indian Territory, where he was
shot by a fellow from some distance with a buffalo gun and killed.
(Several years
ago a jovial young man introduced himself to me on the street as Tom
Livingston. He was the grandson of Jim
Livingston. His father was "Cad"
Livingston, possibly named after Mr. Williams.
He was born and reared in New Mexico, but at the time was ranching in
Oklahoma. He spoke of "White
Metal" Livingston, of whom Mr. Williams sometimes spoke, and who Mr. Jim
Read, the bartender in Uncle Bill Jones' saloon in Reserve, New Mexico, told
Evetts Halley and me that he knew. We
also discussed one of the Livingstons who was an historian in New Mexico, and
he told of one who had been a prominent lawyer there.)
(The original
Livingston was Mr. Uel (sic) Livingston, one of the earliest and best know
(sic) ranchers in the county, the father of Jim and the others. There was the story that someone visited his
home saw a new Bible, and said, "Mr. Livingston, that is a beautiful
Bible. Do you read it much?" He answered that it was only in times of bad
drought.)
(John E.
Chesley, my uncle, who ranched here and later in Stephens County, told me there
was a "Red Jim" and a "Black Jim," that one was a heavy
drinker, the other an abstainer, and that the drinker stopped short and the
other took it up.")
More About JAMES SAMUEL LIVINGSTON:
Burial: Old Hamilton Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas
More About JAMES LIVINGSTON and MARY CARTER:
Marriage: Bef. 1874, Hamilton, Hamilton County, Texas
vi. FRANCES HARRIET CARTER49, b. December 14,
1858.
Notes for FRANCES HARRIET CARTER:
In the 1870
census for Hamilton County, Texas, Frances is listed as "Fanny."
vii. GEORGE RAYMOND CARTER49, b. July 16, 1860.
viii. ALEXANDER LEE CARTER49, b. October 31, 1862.
Notes for ALEXANDER LEE CARTER:
In the 1870
census for Hamilton County, Texas, Alexander is listed as "Lee."
ix. FRANCES MARION CARTER49, b. August 09, 1865.
x. ALFRED LAFAYETTE "FAYETTE"
CARTER50,51, b. November 02, 1867, Live Oak, Hamilton County, Texas52; d. March
1932, Lampasas County, Texas; m. AMANDA MAUDE BLANSIT53, July 04, 1888,
Hamilton County, Texas; b. February 22, 1870, Hamilton County, Texas54; d.
December 28, 1942, Perryton, Ochiltree County, Texas.
Notes for ALFRED LAFAYETTE "FAYETTE" CARTER:
sent to Kathy Beaudry by Kermit Rutledge:
THE HAMILTON HERALD-RECORD
Hamilton, TX - March 26, 1937
-- A. Lafayette Carter, Pioneer, Travels to New Frontier
Alfred
Lafayette Carter was born March 2, 1867 in Live Oak Community on
the Cow House in Hamilton County, Texas. He was the son of Joseph [sic]
Henry and Mary Caroline Carter. He was married to Miss Maude Blansit on
July 4, 1889.
There were twelve children born of this union, seven boys
and five girls.
Mamie, Stella, Marion, Blansit, Munroe, Hamilton,
Jewell, Mildred, A.L., Jr., Mack, and twin sons Ed and
Fred. Mamie died
at the age of 12 , Hamilton died at 18, and Ed died an
infant, age 4
months. All of the
children live in or near Perryton, Texas, except
Munroe, who lives at Long Beach, California, and Fred,
who lives at
Alice, Texas.
There are 15 grandchildren.
He was
converted and joined the Methodist Church at the age of thirty
under the preaching of Abe Mulkey. He has been a faithful Christian
ever since. He has
been a member of Rock House Masonic Lodge for more
than 45 years.
During the
early childhood of "Fayette" Carter his father began
pre-empting and purchasing from the state, more than a
league of land in
the Blue Ridge country, but as there was no school or
settlement and the
Indians were still making raids in this country they
moved on to
Hamilton and only the father and older boys lived in the
log hut at Blue
Ridge and with their oxen sodded in the largest farm in
Hamilton County.
They built a double log house (one room of which is still
standing) and
as soon as conditions were deemed safe all of the family
moved out on
the farm, organized and built the Blue Ridge School near
the site where
the beautiful Blue Ridge High School now stands. "Fayette" Carter grew
to manhood helping his father improve the home site. Shortly after his
marriage, being an instinctive pioneer, he took his young
wife and
infant into the undeveloped new country now called Foard county,
took up
a section of land, dug a one-room dugout, covering it
with Mesquite
brush and earth, and began the hard task of putting in a
farm. He lived
in his dug-out home for three years and then at the
request of his
father returned to the old home in Hamilton county where
he lived until
1912 when he again answered the call of the pioneering
spirit, moving to
Ochiltree county where he began, on an extensive scale,
the breeding and
raising of white-faced cattle. With the development of
power machinery
he again pioneered in the vast production of wheat.
"Fayette"
Carter had little opportunity of gaining an education in the
schools, but he went a long way in remedying this
handicap by giving
himself an extensive self-education. He had a high appreciation of
friendship, to him, friendship was a beautiful flower
that bloomed
brightest during dark days and days of adversity. He was a devoted
husband and a beloved father, always willing to carry a
burden but never
willingly burdening others. Much pain he bore in stoic solitude rather
than to cause fear or uneasiness to his friends and loved
ones. He
always lived in the open and he appreciated it. He loved the beautiful
things of nature and on March 19, while walking in God's
own garden he
lay down in sleep to awaken in that new frontier where
there are no
pioneering hardships.
Mr. and Mrs.
Fayette Carter were visiting their nephew, David H. Carter
and family on their baronial estate in the Evant section,
just across
the line in Lampasas county, when death came to him
suddenly from a
heart attack. Mr.
and Mrs. David H. Carter and son, Prof. James D.
Carter, principal of the Evant school, accompanied Mrs.
Maude Carter and
children to Perryton, Texas, where the body of A. L. Carter
has been
laid to rest.
When news
spread in Hamilton and the county that Fayette Carter had
passed away at the home of David H. Carter, many friends
made haste to
go there to pay tributes to his memory in beautiful
floral offerings and
in expressions of sympathy for the sorrowing loved ones.
=================================
from another source:
"Wheatheart of the Plains - An Early History of Ochiltree County,
TX".
Published 1969 by the Ochiltree County Historical Survey
Committee.
Article submitted by Mrs. S. L. (Marion) Brillhart.
A. L. and Maud
Blansit Carter left Hamilton, Texas, in July, 1912, with
nine children and A. L.'s mother, who was eighty-two
years old. They
had visited the Panhandle previously and had decided that
the grassy
plains of Ochiltree County offered the best opportunity
for a
farmer-rancher with a large family. They believed that this country
held great promise for future prosperity. A. L. had paid $15 to $25 for
the land he was to settle here.
They came by
train from Hamilton to Glazier, and from Glazier to
Ochiltree by mail and passenger car, driven by Lawrence
Thomas. They
arrived in the tiny, but bustling settlement on July 22,
1912. The trip
had been a great adventure for the children, who ranged
in age from
nineteen to three years.
Marion was the oldest child to come to this
new land. Her
older sister, Stella, was married and lived in Hamilton.
Another older sister, and a younger brother had died
years before.
Spring and
summer of 1912 had brought lots of rain and the grassy
prairies unbroken by fences, were green and lush. The
lakes were full of
water, and wild flowers grew in colorful abundance in the
canyons south
of Ochiltree. The
family looked forward to their new life with optimism
and hope, as they cast aside nostalgic memories of home,
friends and
family back in Central Texas.
The first day
in Ochiltree was eventful for the teenagers, Blansit,
Monroe, Hamilton and Marion. They were introduced to some of the young
ladies of the community who were having an Embroidery
Club meeting at
the North Hotel when they arrived. Some of the girls there that hot
afternoon were Ruby and Pearl North, Willie Sanders,
Carrys and Vern
Dodson, Katie Mead Whippo and Ruth and Nona
McMillen. The young people
were delighted when new arrivals came, and graciously
welcomed them into
the social life of the community.
A. L. and his
sons began immediately to clear the land, break the sod
and build the house with the help of Jim Sites and Clyde
Cofer. Mark
Emmett dug the well and cellar. The family resided at the North Hotel
while the house was being built. Materials and supplies were brought by
freight wagon from Liberal, Texhoma, and Guymon to
supplement those that
couldn't be bought in Ochiltree. A. L. had brought his
horses, farm
machinery, household and personal possessions from
Central Texas in
rented boxcars.
The first
crops were planted that fall, but were doomed to failure by
the dry winter and spring ahead. Those first few years weren't all bad,
however, and the Carter family stayed and became part of
the growing
community.
The small town
had a few hundred population and several businesses.
They included stores that sold furniture, hardware,
drugs, lumber,
groceries and other necessities. Mr. Russell and Bill McLarty had the
two mercantile stores and Mr. Dodson owned the variety
store. There
were two churches--Methodist and Baptist--the courthouse
and the school.
Life on the
High Plains was vigorous and many social and sporting
activities were enjoyed by young and old. One of the most memorable
events in their first
years at Ochiltree was the night in May, 1915,
when a wagon-load of young people started to Missouri
Avenue School,
approximately fifteen miles northwest, to attend an
end-of-school
social. Unexpected
rains came and the wagon bogged down frequently, and
the group arrived too late for the social. The tired, mud-splattered
teenagers finally got back about daybreak to greet some
worried parents,
but much fun was enjoyed by the youngsters.
Plum and grape
gatherings and fishing trips on Wolf Creek and in
Lipscomb County provided food and fun for families, and
many wagon-loads
of folks could be seen moving across the prairies on
these jaunts.
There were few fences to break the wagon trails that
criss-crossed the
plains, but everyone respected the landowner's rights and
acts of
vandalism and theft were practically unheard of.
Of course, the
most important social event in Marion's life was on July
18, 1917, when she married Saint Luke Brillhart. Theirs was the first
church ceremony held in the Methodist Church in Ochiltree
County, and
everyone for miles around attended. She had made her dress and those of
her attendants by hand from material bought at Summer's
Dry Goods Store
in Liberal. Her
attendants were her sister, Jewell, and a friend, Maud
Loveless. Saint's
attendants were Hamilton Carter, brother of Marion,
and a friend, Charles Garrett. Ice cream for the reception had been
ordered from Liberal, but the mail car failed to arrive
with it, and
last minute refreshments had to be prepared. Another crisis developed
on their wedding day when Marion's veil blew out the
window into the
mud. Quick
cleaning was done to the garment, and the ceremony went on
as planned amid bouquets of flowers that had been brought
from Liberal.
Mrs. Jim Wilson was organist and Mrs. Carl Ellis was
soloist."
(End)
=================================
More About ALFRED LAFAYETTE "FAYETTE" CARTER:
Burial: March 1932, Perryton, Ochiltree County, Texas
Notes for AMANDA MAUDE BLANSIT:
In the census
record for 1910, Maud is listed as having had 12 children, with 10 of them
still living. Mamie Martin, her first child, and Ed, her
last child, had died.
In 1911, Maude
and Fayette moved to Perryton, Ochiltree County, Texas from Hamilton County,
TX.
In the 1920
census, Maude was living with the family of her niece, Isabelle Carter Moncus,
in Tempe, Maricopa County, Arizona, a town that borders Phoenix. Also living in the household are: Walter
Moncus, head; Jewel Carter, daughter of Maude; and the following children of
Isabelle and Walter: Herman, Ima, Claude, Maude, Ray and May.
In that same
census, Maude lists herself as married, although her husband is not living in
the household. Her sister Elisabeth and
Elisabeth's husband John Quincy Carter, their daughter Grace Carter Downey and
grand-daughter Evelyn Downey, are living in Arizona also, one town away in Mesa.
More About ALFRED CARTER and AMANDA BLANSIT:
Marriage: July 04, 1888, Hamilton County, Texas
xi. DAVID MITCHELL CARTER55, b. May 10, 1869.
7. JAMES ATCHLEY4
CARTER (JOHN WESLEY3, CALEB2, LEVI1) was born September 17, 1828 in Monroe
County, Tennessee, and died August 30, 1911 in Hamilton County, Texas56. He married (1) MARY ELIZABETH BEAUCHAMP July
02, 1848 in McNairy County, Tennessee.
She was born March 12, 1827 in Tennessee, and died February 29, 1912 in
Hamilton County, Texas.
Notes for JAMES ATCHLEY CARTER:
from "Memorial and Biographical History of McLennan,
Falls, Bell and Coryell Counties, Texas," published in Chicago by The
Lewis Publishing Company
"James A.
Carter, one of the original settlers of Langford's cove, Coryell County,
Texas, emigrated to this county in
November, 1854. He first stopped at
Wolf's ranch, where he remained ten months.
Desiring a move favorable location, he entered the Cove, being the first
white man here for settlement, and he took two pre-emptions. He brought with him a large drove of cattle,
the property of John Williams, of Bell County.
In running cattle over the broad prairies, he discovered a more suitable
locality for agricultural purposes when the range should be exhausted and the
grazing industry abandoned. This favored
spot is located on Cowhouse Creek, now Hamilton county. He accordingly changed his quarters about two
years after his advent to the Cove.
"
Was appointed
Sheriff of Hamilton County, TX, from 1862-1864.
More About JAMES ATCHLEY CARTER:
Burial: Live Oak Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas56
More About MARY ELIZABETH BEAUCHAMP:
Burial: Live Oak Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas
More About JAMES CARTER and MARY BEAUCHAMP:
Marriage: July 02, 1848, McNairy County, Tennessee
Children of JAMES CARTER and MARY BEAUCHAMP are:
i. SARAH PETTIS5 CARTER56, b. April 23, 184956.
ii. GEORGE QUINCY CARTER56, b. February 12,
185056.
iii. HENRY CLAY CARTER56, b. January 01, 1853.
iv. ELECTRA ANN CARTER56, b. April 25, 1855.
v. JOSEPHINE CARTER56, b. July 02, 1857.
vi. ANSEBEL? CARTER56, b. December 16, 1859.
vii. CHARILDA CALEDONIA CARTER57, b. November 10,
1861, Hamilton County, Texas; d. Abt. 1948, Hamilton, Hamilton County, Texas;
m. JAMES N. BILLINGSLEY, December 04, 1879; d. April 27, 1928, Hamilton County,
Texas.
Notes for CHARILDA CALEDONIA CARTER:
from the obituary posted on Elreeta Weather's web site,
sent it by Stewart Billingsley:
"MRS.
BILLINGSLEY PASSES AWAY HERE
"Funeral
services were held at the graveside at Live Oak Cemetery Monday at 3 p.m. for
Mrs. J. N. Billingsley, 87, with Minister Joe Scarborough of the reagan Street
Church of Christ conducting the rites and the Williams & Riley Funeral Home
in chagre of the arrangements. Pallbearers
were J.V. Neel, Floyd and Lloyd Williams, Ben Neal, Vertis Ballard and James
Billingsley. Flower bearers were her
granddaughters.
"Mrs.
Billingsley passed away at her home in Hamilton Sunday. She was born Caledonia Carter, November 10,
1861 and was the daughter of James A. and Mary Carter of the Ohio Community,
Hamilton County. She was married to
James N. Billingsley on Dec. 4, 1879.
Eleven children were born to them.
Four of the children, Mrs. Make Neal, Bessie and Irma Billingsley and Mrs.
Nellie Jones, with their father, preceded Mrs. Billingsley in death.
"Surviving
are the following children: Ben Billingsley of Comstock, TX; W.S. Billingsley
of Hamilton; H.J. Billingsley of the Ohio Community; Mrs. John Massie of
Vernon; Mrs. R.B. Williams of Jonesboro; Mrs. L.A. Brinkley of Hamilton and
Mrs. Lillie Kelley of Ft. Worth."
More About JAMES BILLINGSLEY and CHARILDA CARTER:
Marriage: December 04, 1879
viii. FREDONIA ADALINE CARTER58, b. October 10, 1863.
ix. SAMUEL D. CARTER58, b. November 25, 1865.
x. ELDORA CARTER58, b. February 10, 1868.
xi. ALICE MARY CARTER58, b. August 24, 1870.
8. JOHN WESLEY4
CARTER, JR. (JOHN WESLEY3, CALEB2, LEVI1) was born January 29, 1835 in Monroe
County, Tennessee, and died October 30, 1882 in Hamilton County, Texas. He married (2) ELIZABETH JANE RUSHING Abt.
1855 in McNairy County, Tennessee. She
was born February 01, 1832 in Alabama, and died June 19, 1924 in Hamilton
County, Texas.
Notes for JOHN WESLEY CARTER, JR.:
from "Biographical Sketch of the John W. Carter
Family," by Naomi Langford Wittenburg, a great-granddaughter of John W.
Carter, and
"A History of Hamilton County, Texas,"
Published 1979, p. 131
"John and
his family arrived in Texas in 1877 from Collins County, Tennessee . . . Nine
children were born to them: Jack, Sally, Bell, Jesse, Fannie, John Riley, Mary
and Minnie."
More About ELIZABETH JANE RUSHING:
Burial: Murphee Cemetery, Hamilton, Texas
More About JOHN CARTER and ELIZABETH RUSHING:
Marriage: Abt. 1855, McNairy County, Tennessee
Children of JOHN CARTER and ELIZABETH RUSHING are:
i. JAMES A.5 CARTER, b. July 01, 1856, McNairy,
Tennessee.
ii. ISAAC H. CARTER, b. November 25, 1857,
McNairy, Tennessee; d. September 25, 1859, McNairy, Tennessee.
iii. JOHN RILEY CARTER, b. May 20, 1859, McNairy,
Tennessee; d. Abt. 1945, Hamilton County, Texas.
More About JOHN RILEY CARTER:
Burial: Center City Cemetery
iv. ANDREW JACKSON CARTER, b. September 05, 1862.
v. SARAH ANN CARTER, b. May 06, 1864.
vi. MISSOURI ISABELL CARTER, b. January 30, 1866,
McNairy, Tennessee; d. June 1920, Texas.
vii. JESSEE OLIVER CARTER, b. July 09, 1867,
McNairy, Tennessee; d. June 10, 1956, Alamagordo, Otero County, New Mexico.
viii. GEORGE W. CARTER, b. March 29, 1869.
ix. FANNIE IDA CARTER, b. 1870.
x. MARY ELIZABETH CARTER, b. September 11,
1872, McNairy, Tennessee; d. August 11, 1928, Texas; m. ROBERT L. CHAPMAN, Bef.
1898, Hamilton County, Texas.
More About ROBERT CHAPMAN and MARY CARTER:
Marriage: Bef. 1898, Hamilton County, Texas
xi. MINNIE LEE CARTER, b. April 10, 1874,
McNairy, Tennessee.
9. SUSAN ELLEN4
CARTER (PETER T.3, JESSE2, LEVI1) was born 1846 in Athens, McMinn County,
Tennessee, and died March 30, 1862 in Daviess County, Missouri. She married ALMA A. TALLEY February 14, 1860
in Daviess County, Missouri. He was born
June 22, 1837 in Lawrence County, Ohio, and died December 22, 1923.
More About ALMA TALLEY and SUSAN CARTER:
Marriage: February 14, 1860, Daviess County, Missouri
Child of SUSAN CARTER and ALMA TALLEY is:
i. INFANT5 TALLEY, b. March 30, 1861.
10. JASPER NEWTON4
CARTER (PETER T.3, JESSE2, LEVI1) was born May 23, 1850 in Athens, McMinn
County, Tennessee, and died January 23, 1924 in Pattonsburg, Daviess County,
Missouri. He married RACHEL COLON
LEDGERWOOD Abt. 1871. She was born March
1854 in Missouri, and died April 06, 1937 in Pattonsburg, Daviess County,
Missouri.
More About JASPER CARTER and RACHEL LEDGERWOOD:
Marriage: Abt. 1871
Children of JASPER CARTER and RACHEL LEDGERWOOD are:
i. CORDELIA5 CARTER, b. October 1871.
ii. CRAWFORD HERMAN CARTER, b. January 08, 1874.
iii. INFANT SON CARTER, b. 1875.
iv. THOMAS J. CARTER, b. September 23, 1876.
v. ANNA L. R. CARTER, b. July 28, 1880.
vi. MINERVA IDELLA CARTER, b. August 24, 1881,
McFall, Gentry County, Missouri; d. September 07, 1949, Bethany, Harrison
County, Missouri; m. HATTEN ELI PRICE, April 28, 1901, Missouri; b. January 27,
1874, Pattonsburg, Daviess County, Missouri; d. January 24, 1933, Pattonsburg,
Daviess County, Missouri.
More About MINERVA IDELLA CARTER:
Burial: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Pattonsburg, Daviess County,
Missouri
Notes for HATTEN ELI PRICE:
All info on
Hatten Price and his children comes from the research of Susan Price.
More About HATTEN ELI PRICE:
Burial: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Pattonsburg, Daviess County,
Missouri
More About HATTEN PRICE and MINERVA CARTER:
Marriage: April 28, 1901, Missouri
vii. EFFIE ETHEL CARTER, b. April 19, 1884.
viii. ANDREW JACKSON CARTER, b. June 01, 1886.
ix. NEVADA AZELLA CARTER, b. February 1888.
x. MATTIE ESTELLA CARTER, b. 1890.
Endnotes
1. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
2. Carol Chapman,
"Electronic."
3. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
4. Carol Chapman,
"Electronic."
5. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
6. Carol Chapman.
7. Research of
Carol Chapman Wilson, from Mormon site
8. Research of
Susan Price
9. Carol Chapman.
10. Research of
Carol Chapman Wilson
11. Carol Chapman.
12. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
13. Biographical
sketch of John Wesley Carter, Sr. & John Wesley Carter, Jr. in Texas
historical books.
14. Biographical
sketch of Henry Jones Carter from "History of Texas," Central Texas
Edition, published in 1896 by The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
15. Carol Chapman.
16. Biographical
sketch of Henry Jones Carter, "History of Texas." In this sketch, Peggy is referred to as
"Mrs. John Frazier."
17. Carol Chapman.
18. Susan Price.
19. Mormon's web
site, www.familysearch.com.
20. Census Records,
Hamilton County, Texas, 1870; Smith County, Texas, 1850
21. Carol Chapman.
22. Research of
Carolyn Carter Schiewe
23. Carol Chapman.
24. Doris Scott
research.
25. Carol Chapman.
26. Research of
Carolyn Carter Schiewe
27. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
28. Family Bible.
29. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
30. Research of
Carolyn Carter Schiewe
31. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
32. Census
Records, 1880, 1900 & 1920
33. Family Bible.
34. Census
Records, 1880, Hamilton County, Texas; 1900 Foard County, Texas & 1920 Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona
(near Phoenix)
35. Census
Records, 1880
36. Obituary.
37. Census
Records, 1870, Hamilton County, TX, 1880 Hamilton County, TX, 1900, Foard
County, TX, 1910 Foard County, TX; 1920 Maricopa County, Mesa, AZ
38. Census
Records, 1880 Hamilton County, Texas
39. The
Internet.
www.cagen.com/cpl/tulare/tcemvisc.htm
40. Kathy McNeil
Beaudry.
41. Census
Records, Hamilton County, Texas, 1870
42. Census
Records, 1870 Hamilton County, Texas (Mary Augusta is listed as
"Martha."
43. Census
Records, 1900 Hamilton County, Texas
44. photo of James
Livingston & Gussie Carter Livingston posted on Internet.
45. Charlene Rose.
46. Research of
Carolyn Carter Schiewe
47. Charlene Rose.
48. Research of
Carolyn Carter Schiewe
49. Census
Records, Hamilton County, Texas, 1870
50. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
51. Family Bible.
52. Carolyn Carter
Schiewe.
53. Census
Records, Hamilton County, Texas, 1900
54. Census
Records, Hamilton County, Texas, 1870
55. Census
Records, 1870, Hamilton County, TX
56. Charles Barnum
research.
57. Obituary.
58. Charles Barnum
research.