{"id":1192,"date":"2011-10-19T21:28:33","date_gmt":"2011-10-20T01:28:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/?p=1192"},"modified":"2022-02-15T17:54:19","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T22:54:19","slug":"some-memories-of-the-carter-family-by-sarah-frances-carter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/some-memories-of-the-carter-family-by-sarah-frances-carter\/","title":{"rendered":"SOME MEMORIES OF THE CARTER FAMILY – By Sarah Frances Carter"},"content":{"rendered":"

SOME MEMORIES OF THE CARTER FAMILY<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

(By Sarah Frances Carter, daughter of W.K.\u2019s 4th<\/sup>\u00a0wife)<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

My father, William Kennedy Carter, was born in 1850 (I don\u2019t have the date).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He was married four times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His first wife, Victoria, presented him with four children: Spencer, Jack, Thomas, and Lenora.<\/span><\/p>\n

His second wife*, whose name I have forgotten, died during childbirth, only two years or less after her marriage.\u00a0\u00a0The child died also.<\/span><\/p>\n

The third wife, Eliza, bore seven children: Annie, Emma, Jess, George, James, Nixon, and Daniel.<\/span><\/p>\n

His forth wife, Mary Elizabeth, also bore seven:\u00a0\u00a0Sarah, Claud, Katie, Leslie, Melvin, Mattie, and Calvin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa was an undertaker, and his funeral home was on the same property as our house.\u00a0\u00a0He had three hearses: a large, black, very ornate one for adults (which was pulled by two magnificent coal black horses); a gray one for young people (pulled by a beautiful gray horse); and a pretty white hearse for children (pulled by a white horse).\u00a0To me, they made an awesome sight, as the horses stepped majestically away, bearing the bodies of the departed ones to church or home for the funeral.\u00a0In about an hour, they would pass our home, followed by a long procession of mourners, on the way to the cemetery.\u00a0\u00a0It was a very sad business, and I do not wonder that our father, W.K.C., needed to keep close to the Lord for strength and help.<\/span><\/p>\n

In later years, he bought an \u201cautomobile hearse\u201d after he had tried driving in our first car.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I was about five years old (1910), Papa bought his first car.\u00a0\u00a0Until that exciting event happened, the family traveled by buggy or \u201csurrey\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0This was a two seated vehicle with no canopy nor protection of any kind from bad weather.\u00a0\u00a0We rode with \u201clap-robes\u201d over our knees because of the dust kicked up by the horses on the dirt roads.\u00a0\u00a0This was fine in good weather, but if a sudden rain storm came up, we had to seek shelter anywhere we could find it.<\/span><\/p>\n

But after Papa bought the car, things changed.\u00a0\u00a0Now, when we went several miles to rural churches, or to visit relatives, Papa drove the car.\u00a0\u00a0It was a one cylinder car, and had to be cranked to make it start (which was a long process).\u00a0\u00a0I recall once when Papa took me with him to a rural church, almost the whole congregation came out to see him crank the car.\u00a0\u00a0Very few people owned cars at that time, so they were quite a novelty.<\/span><\/p>\n

This car was rather odd.\u00a0\u00a0It had an enclosed seat and a platform on the back which was useful for hauling things.\u00a0\u00a0Resourceful Papa built a removable wooden seat for the platform, which accommodated three kids.\u00a0\u00a0We enjoyed this, riding in the wind and seeing the sights without being checked on by our parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

One Sunday, we took off for a trip of about 20 miles, so Mama packed a little basket of snacks for us in case we kids became hungry.\u00a0\u00a0I held the basket, and as we began to get hungry, I opened it just as the car hit a terrible bump in the road, scattering some of the precious snacks.\u00a0\u00a0I had to cover the basket quickly, lest it should happen again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes the car got stuck on muddy\u00a0\u00a0roads, and Papa would have to trudge to a nearby farm to find a farmer who would bring his horses and pull us out.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the city, we lived only a few blocks from our church, so we walked.\u00a0\u00a0I remember one Sunday a rainstorm came up while we were at church.\u00a0\u00a0Papa had brought an umbrella, which he held over Mama and the baby in her arms.\u00a0\u00a0Katie and I walked just behind them (supposedly under the protection of the umbrella).\u00a0\u00a0But we were just under the edge, and the rain poured off on our heads when it came over the edge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually, Papa bought a large car, a \u201cseven passenger\u201d which seated the whole family comfortably, and the old car was retired.\u00a0\u00a0Now when a heavy rain occurred on our trips, we just fastened on the curtains all around the car, and we were quite cozy.<\/span><\/p>\n

One Sunday, an older brother and his family dined with us, and after dinner, we all piled in the big car for a drive.\u00a0\u00a0After we were all wedged in, and on our way, my youngest brother (about a year old) could not be found!\u00a0\u00a0We finally located him between Mama and the daughter-in-law, completely covered by their long, full skirts!\u00a0\u00a0Understandably, the car suffered some broken springs that day.<\/span><\/p>\n

We children walked the eight blocks to school, but when rain came up during the day, Papa sent one of his employees to pick us up, while the other students watched enviously.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the years went by, the stress and strain of the funeral home began to tell on Papa, and he was apparently headed for a breakdown.\u00a0\u00a0The doctor advised him to move to the country and spend as much time out of doors as he could.\u00a0\u00a0He bought a 92 acre farm, and tilled the ground, with the help of his children, who were growing up.\u00a0\u00a0Several horses were needed here, for plowing and harrowing.\u00a0\u00a0My sister Katie loved them and enjoyed riding them bareback.\u00a0\u00a0But I was afraid of them, and it was only when they were hitched to a plow or harrow that I dared approach them and drive them, with fear and trembling, up and down the field.<\/span><\/p>\n

John, a frisky young bay, enjoyed teasing me at times.\u00a0\u00a0One day, he stopped in the middle of a row and refused to go on.\u00a0\u00a0I slapped him with the reins, and yelled at him, but he continued to stand stock still and refused to go on.\u00a0\u00a0He looked back at me, seemingly amused, and his expression said, \u201cMake me.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Finally, I called Papa from another part of the field.\u00a0\u00a0He came, and just looked John in the eye and said quietly, \u201cGo on John.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Respectfully, John went.\u00a0\u00a0Papa had a wonderful way with horses.\u00a0\u00a0I felt that he not only understood them, but they understood him.\u00a0\u00a0They respected him and obeyed him.\u00a0\u00a0All except Dynamite<\/span><\/p>\n

We never understood why he kept this mean, uncooperative horse, unless it was to break his obstinate, evil spirit, and teach him to be cooperative.\u00a0\u00a0We kids were afraid of Dynamite.\u00a0\u00a0He loved to run down anyone he saw, so we tried to keep out of his way.\u00a0\u00a0He ran down Mattie one day, and it was only by God\u2019s mercy that she was not hurt.\u00a0\u00a0Papa gave him a terrible beating for that.\u00a0\u00a0One day, I was trying to harrow a piece of land with him, and he was so ornery and rebellious that I had to call Papa, who tied him under a tree for the day.\u00a0\u00a0He had to watch the other horses go to their meal, while he had none.<\/span><\/p>\n

A nearby neighbor who had treated Papa very badly, asked him one day for a loan of a horse for a few hours.\u00a0\u00a0To my delight, he loaned him Dynamite, who was probably the only horse that could be spared.\u00a0\u00a0We kids went to an upstairs window to watch the fun, as he hitched Dynamite to a plow.\u00a0\u00a0Of course the stubborn horse would not go one step, in spite of the lashing and yelling that our profane neighbor dished out to him.\u00a0\u00a0So Dynamite was brought back, and we kids celebrated the event by laughing and dancing around because our ornery neighbor \u201cgot his\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa depended on Maude, the oldest of the horses for his heaviest work.\u00a0\u00a0There seemed to be a special bond between them.\u00a0\u00a0She always seemed to be so understanding and helpful that I never minded working with her.\u00a0\u00a0When Papa died, a very strange thing happened.\u00a0\u00a0She refused to eat from that day on and she herself died a few days later.\u00a0\u00a0As no one had noticed anything wrong with her before, we wondered if it could be connected to Father\u2019s death.\u00a0\u00a0Was this a coincidence?\u00a0\u00a0Horse instinct?\u00a0\u00a0Or did she just miss him?\u00a0\u00a0We will never know.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa was most kind and understanding with everyone.\u00a0\u00a0One could not help appreciating and responding to this.\u00a0\u00a0He seldom punished us, and when he felt that it was necessary, he did it with tears, seeming to feel each stroke of the whip himself.\u00a0\u00a0This made more impression of the culprit than the chastisement, and made for better behavior in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa\u2019s business was very time consuming and wearisome.\u00a0\u00a0But he always made time to be a devoted husband and a loving father to his children.\u00a0\u00a0He never missed morning devotions before breakfast, when he read the Bible and prayed with us and for us.\u00a0\u00a0No matter how long he was delayed by his business, we had to wait for breakfast.\u00a0\u00a0No devotions, no breakfast, regardless of the delicacies Mama had prepared.\u00a0\u00a0I did not then understand the vast importance of this, but I do now.\u00a0\u00a0I can still remember some of the things Papa read to us, and the prayers he made.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa was a very efficient man.\u00a0\u00a0In addition to his funeral home, he had a blacksmith shop where he repaired axles and wagon wheels and other farm equipment.\u00a0\u00a0He had a gun shop where he repaired guns and pistols.\u00a0\u00a0He installed lightning rods on houses.\u00a0\u00a0He seemed able to correct any problem known to man!<\/span><\/p>\n

He even pulled our teeth when it was necessary, so we did not have to go to a dentist!<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa never said much about his ancestors, so we never had much information.\u00a0\u00a0I think he felt that it did not matter where we came from, but that the important thing is where we are going when we leave\u00a0\u00a0this world.\u00a0\u00a0I remember just once hearing him speak about this.\u00a0\u00a0We were gathered around the big fireplace where we sang hymns together, roasted oysters, and popped corn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa told us about his great, great, great uncle; Harvey Chase, who was very wealthy.\u00a0\u00a0We later deducted that he was from Wales, as the Carters came here from England.\u00a0\u00a0Evidently, Chase was uncle to Papa\u2019s maternal great, great grandmother.\u00a0\u00a0She, with her husband, apparently came to America in the 1700s before the Revolutionary War.\u00a0\u00a0When Chase died, she should have inherited his millions.\u00a0\u00a0But in the meantime, her husband had died, soon after they came to America, so as she had no one to plead her cause, and knew not how to do it herself, Chase\u2019s wealth went to the government.\u00a0\u00a0I was quite small when Papa told us about this, and had no interest then, in places and dates.\u00a0\u00a0But I don\u2019t think Papa knew too much about it himself.\u00a0\u00a0This tells us little about the Carters, just that the great, great, grandmother was married to one.\u00a0\u00a0I never heard his name.<\/span><\/p>\n

In later years, I learned that we were descended from Robert \u201cKing\u201d Carter, considered the richest man in Colonial Virginia, the owner of Carter\u2019s Grove plantation near Colonial Williamsburg, and Shirley Plantation, 18 miles from Richmond,\u00a0\u00a0Virginia; since 1723.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anne Hill Carter, wife of \u201cLight Horse\u201d Harry Lee, and mother of General Robert E. Lee, was born at Shirley.\u00a0\u00a0Our cousin, Frank Carter, offered the information that King Carter was our ancestor, but I don\u2019t know where he got his information.\u00a0\u00a0And we can\u2019t ask him for he died many years ago.\u00a0\u00a0I am sure you have already examined all the records available about the Carters, so there\u2019s little I can add.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa was a kind man always ready to help others.\u00a0\u00a0He was very understanding.\u00a0\u00a0He knew how to relate to the sorrows of others and comfort them.\u00a0\u00a0He was very generous.\u00a0\u00a0He gave liberally to the church, and also to those in need.\u00a0\u00a0Once he buried a poor man free and gave his widow $100.\u00a0\u00a0He was certainly not wealthy as undertakers must be today.\u00a0\u00a0Funerals were cheap in those days, and also, Papa did not demand immediate payments for his services, but trusted people to pay him when they were able.\u00a0\u00a0Consequently people owed him large sums of money which he never received.\u00a0\u00a0He was gentle, not forcing his opinions on anyone.\u00a0\u00a0But people were won by his gentle, loving ways, and respected his opinions.\u00a0\u00a0He was a happy man, and his joy was contagious, for it was based on his faith and love for the Lord.\u00a0\u00a0He was a patient man, putting up with our mistakes and helping us to do better \u201cnext time\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papa lived to be about 75 years old.\u00a0\u00a0When he died, I felt that my world had come to an end.\u00a0\u00a0But Katie, my youngest sister, comforted me.\u00a0\u00a0She said, \u201cPapa always said that God would take care of us, and I believe He will.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0And thank God, He always has.<\/span><\/p>\n

What a wonderful legacy!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Contributed by Betty Sanders Lanier.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
*NOTE – The second wife of William K. Carter whose name Sarah Frances Carter could not recall was Isadora Davis of Perquimans County, North Carolina. Isadora was the daughter of Sanford Davis and his wife, Elizabeth Nichols. –Susan Griffin<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n
\n

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SOME MEMORIES OF THE CARTER FAMILY (By Sarah Frances Carter, daughter of W.K.\u2019s 4th\u00a0wife) My father, William Kennedy Carter, was born in 1850 (I don\u2019t have the date).\u00a0 He was married four times.\u00a0 His first wife, Victoria, presented him with four children: Spencer, Jack, Thomas, and Lenora. His second wife*, whose name I have forgotten, … Continue reading “SOME MEMORIES OF THE CARTER FAMILY – By Sarah Frances Carter”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10588],"tags":[5929,30766,7058,30765,6161],"class_list":["post-1192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-familystories","tag-bright","tag-brozier","tag-carter","tag-chase","tag-lee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1192"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8343,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions\/8343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/pasquotank\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}