Alfred Moore Carter

Notes:

Last Will & Testament of Alfred M. Carter


Elizabethton, Carter County, Tennessee
January 31st, A.D. 1845
In the name of God Amen. I, Alfred M. Carter, of the County of Carter, and State of Tennessee, being of sound mind and memory, but weak of body; knowing that it is appointed unto all men once to die, do make and appoint this my last will and Testament.
I give my Soul to God, who gave it, to be disposed of according to the
good pleasure of his will.
I do hereby nominate and appoint Evelina B. Carter, Samuel P. Carter, Wm.
B. Carter, Jr., and James P.T. Carter to be my Executrix and Executors.
Touching such wordly estate as it hath pleased God to favor me with, I
dispose of it in the following manner.

1. All my just debts I request to be paid by my Executrix andExecutors. In order that they may be able to do this, I desire that they shall have full power and authority to sell and dispose of, any part, or all of my personal or real property, at private sale, and to the best advantage.
However, should my Executrix and Executors believe, that, by continuing my business as it was conducted before my decease, they will be able to pay all my debts without disposing of any of my personal property, or real estate, I do hereby give them the entire control of the whole of my estate, both personal and real, for the space of five years, if so much be necessary, in order to accomplish this object: Allowing to them a fair and reasonable compensation for their labours: Provided herein, however, that my Executrix and Executors, either jointly, or separately, shall not be accountable to any of my heirs for any misfortune arising from bad trading, as from any other sources of loss which is beyond their control.
2. After my debts are paid, I wish that my wife, Evelina B. Carter, shall enjoy the use of my farm which lies on the Watauga River, (being a part of a Tract of land containing six-hundred and fifty acres, which was originally granted to Landon Carter), together with my dwelling house, lots of ground, in and about Elizabethton, with the forge and mills, and all the machinery attached thereto, and also, that she shall have the entire control and use of all my Slaves, during her natural life.
3. I wish that my property, of whatever kind, which remains after the payment of my debts, be equally divided between the following persons, viz. David W. Carter, the heirs of my daughter Elizabeth J. Rhea, Landon D. Carter, Samuel P. Carter, Wm. B. Carter, Jr. and James P.T. Carter, with the following exceptions: to wit, David W. Carter to receive four-thousand dollars less, and Landon D. Carter three thousand less than either of my other children, in asmuch as I formerly gave to them the sum attached to each of their names above.The heirs of Elizabeth J. Rhea to receive one sixth part of my Estate, after
the debts I owe have been discharged.
4. I desire that at the final division of my estate, (that is, after the decease of my wife); all my slaves shall form a portion of the property that shall fall to the lot of Samuel P. Carter, Wm. B. Carter, Jr. and James P.T. Carter, as I wish to prevent them being thrown in numerous hands. Witness
my hand [last line on tear in paper and is unreadable].

A.M. Carter (Seal)

Witness
Wm. L. Murphey
Wm. P. Brown
Aquila Moore

Alfred married Matilda W. Wendell about 1810 in Carter County, , , Tennessee. Matilda was born about 1785; died on 4 Feb 1816 in Elizabethton, , Carter County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alfred married Evilina Belmont Perry about 1817 in Elizabethton, , Carter County, Tennessee. Evilina (daughter of David Perry) was born about 1797 in Augusta County, , , Virginia; died about 1877 in Elizabethton, , Carter County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

David married Eliza Jane Hale about 1838 in Carter County, , , Tennessee. Eliza was born on 17 Dec 1814 in Carter County, , , Tennessee; died on 30 Nov 1893 in Bristol, , Washington County, Virginia; was buried in Bristol City Cemetery, , Washington County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Samuel Perry (he changed his middle name to Powhatan) CARTER was born in Elizabethton, Carter County, Tennessee on 6 August 1819. Carter County was named after his grandfather, Landon CARTER, and Elizabethton was named after his grandmother, Elizabeth McLin CARTER. The CARTERs were probably the richest family in the Northeastern corner of Tennessee during the early 1800's. They had accumulated large land holdings, and operated several iron forges. Samuel was well educated, having attended Duffield Academy, Washington College in Limestone, TN, Princeton University, and graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. He served aboard the U.S.S. Ohio, and saw combat action in the war with Mexico in 1846. Following the war, he returned to Annapolis where he was an instructor. Between 1855 and 1857, he was again at sea and saw action on the China coast. In 1857, he returned to the Naval Academy as an instructor of seamanship. Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Samuel was assigned to the War Department, and given the task of returning to Northeastern Tennessee and organizing forces among the mostly Union sympathetic population. He led forces which captured Cumberland Gap in 1862, destroyed 100 miles of railroad tracks, and in 1863, commanded the Kentucky Division which defeated Morgan one day and Smith the next. Recognized for his combat leadership, he advanced in rank throughout the war and was a Major General by war's end. After the war, he returned tothe Naval Academy where he was the Commandant between 1869-1872. In 1882, he was promoted to Rear Admiral, making him the only U.S. military officer to have held the rank of Army General and Navy Admiral. Samuel died on 26 May 1891, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C. Samuel's father, Alfred Moore Carter, and grandfather, Landon Carter, also have interesting stories. But instead, let me jump to his great grandfather, John Carter. John was a very wealthy merchantand fur trader. He left Virginia in about 1770 and set up an indian trading post near present day Rogersville, Tennessee. He may have stayed in that location, but the Shawnees robbed and destroyed the post. He moved to the Watauga Settlement near Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River in what is now Carter County. He was a signer of the Watauga Association in 1772, which provided for self rule four years before the thirteen colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.He held several important postions in Watauga, and was later chairman of the courts in Washington District and Washington County, North Carolina (all of eastern Tennessee). In about 1780, he and his son Landon built a mansion using hand hewn timbers, and installed what is believed to be the first glass windows in the region. John died shortly after the mansion was completed, and may have been the wealthiest man in North Carolina. His descendants were instrumental in the formationof Tennessee in 1796, and two of his great great grandsons became govenors of the State.

Anne Arundel County, MD 1870 Federal Census
Page 696
Family No.: 17
Samuel P. Carter 50 M W TN Occupation: Capt. USN
Caroline Carter 42 F W DC Occupation: Kpg Hs
Samuel Carter 6 M W NY


Washington D.C. 1880 Federal Census
Page 242B
Samuel P. CARTER 60 TN TN VA
Martha C. CARTER 50 DC PA VA
Samuel CARTER 16 NY TN DC



The Washington Post, May 28, 1891
Page 2

Died 9 a.m. on May 26, 1891, Rear Admiral S.P. Carter, U.S.N. Funeral of Admiral Carter will take place from his late residence, 1316
Connecticut avenue, Thursday, May 28, at 3, and from the Church of the
Covenant at 3:30 p.m. Interment at Oak Hill.

Gravestone inscription reads:
Samuel Powhatan Carter
Rear Admiral U.S. Navy
Brev. Major General, U.S. Vol.
Born 6 Aug 1819
Died 26 May 1891

Samuel married Caroline C. "Carrie" Potts on 16 Jul 1851 in District of Columbia, , , . Caroline (daughter of Samuel J. Potts and Mary A. Ross) was born about 1828 in District of Columbia, , , ; died on 24 May 1875 in Murau, , Tyrol, Austria; was buried on 29 Oct 1875 in Oak Hill Cemetery, , Georgetown, District of Columbia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel married Martha Custis "Markie" Williams on 3 Oct 1877 in District of Columbia, , , . Martha (daughter of Captain William George Williams and America Pinckney Peter) was born on 28 Mar 1827 in Georgetown, , , District of Columbia; died on 31 Oct 1899 in Georgetown, , , District of Columbia; was buried on 2 Nov 1899 in Oak Hill Cemetery, , Georgetown, District of Columbia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Mary H. Fowler about 1843. Mary (daughter of Dr. Charles Fowler) was born about 1822; died about 1846. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Elizabeth J. Brown about 1850 in Elizabethton, , Carter County, Tennessee. Elizabeth (daughter of Col. William J. Brown) was born about 1830 in Pennsylvania, , , ; died about 1882. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Colonel James Patton Taylor Carter
(1822 - 1869)

by Dave Mathews
http://home.cinci.rr.com/secondtennessee/biocart.html
If nothing else, Colonel James P. T. Carter could boast a rich and prominent family history. His great-grandfather, Colonel John Carter, was born in Virginia in 1737 and first married Elizabeth Taylor. Landon Carter, the only child of John and Elizabeth Carter, was born January 29, 1760 but Elizabeth died during his birth. John then married a woman named Susan and established a trading post near present day Rogersville, Tennessee as early as 1769. He soon settled in the nearby Watauga area and became a prominent and wealthy settler. The original Colonel John Carter died in Washington County, Tennessee in 1781.
Landon Carter, son of John and Elizabeth, also became known as Colonel Carter. He was active in the Revolutionary War and politics in general. Landon Carter was educated at Davidson College and married Elizabeth Maclin in 1784. Carter County, Tennessee was named after Landon Carter and the county seat of Carter County, Elizabethton, was named after Landon's wife. Landon and Elizabeth Carter had seven children. Landon Carter died in June, 1800.
Their oldest child, Alfred Moore Carter, was born in 1784 and died in 1850. Alfred Carter became a prosperous iron manufacturer of Carter County. He first married Matilda M. Wendell in 1810, but she died in 1816. In 1818 he married a Virginian named Evalina Belmont Perry. The youngest child of Alfred and Evalina, James Patton Taylor Carter, was named after James Patton Taylor, the husband of Alfred's sister Mary Cocke (Carter) Taylor.
James Patton Taylor Carter, son of Alfred and Evalina Carter and Colonel of the 2nd Tennessee Infantry, was born July 30, 1822 in or near Elizabethton in Carter County. James joined his father in the iron business and eventually assumed control of it in 1850 when his father died. James Carter married twice. He first married Margaretta Dunn of Rogersville, Tennessee in Carter County on August 5, 1851. James and Margaret had only one child, William A. Carter born in 1853. James married second to Margaret Letcher of Lexington, Kentucky. James and Margaret Letcher Carter had no children. Margaret Letcher has been erroneously identified as a daughter of the former Kentucky governor who was actually childless, but she may have been a relative.
Although James Carter was a Whig, he did not formally engage much in politics. However, when East Tennesseans met at Knoxville on May 30 and 31, 1861 to discuss secession, Carter was one of five delegates chosen to represent Carter County. Carter was firmly against secession, as were the majority of East Tennesseans, and he became a champion of the Union cause. The Knoxville meeting was futile because on June 8, 1861 Tennessee voted to join the Confederacy. Carter closely aligned himself with the senator from Tennessee and future president, Andrew Johnson.
A discussion of James Carter must include mention of his two prominent older brothers, Samuel Powhatton Carter and William Blount Carter. Samuel, oldest son of Alfred and Evalina Carter, was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He became the only man in history to hold the rank of both Rear Admiral in the Navy and Brevet Major General in the Army. Reverend William Blount Carter, another son of Alfred and Evalina, was a graduate of Princeton University and a Presbyterian minister. All three Carter brothers were very active in the Civil War in East Tennessee.
Samuel P. Carter was responsible for organizing United States troops in southeastern Kentucky during the summer and fall of 1861. In August he appointed his brother, James P. T. Carter, as Colonel and commanding officer of the 2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry regiment. An historical review of James Carter's service as Colonel of the regiment is dubious. The appointment was outright nepotism. He certainly had no military credentials.
James Carter also had a reputation of being both difficult and often absent from duty. H. Carlisle, an examiner for the U.S. Pension Board, wrote a report dated August 9, 1886 to the Commissioner of Pensions regarding an investigation of Chaplain William Lowery. Carlisle had this to say about Carter, "In the absence of Colonel Carter (who was declared by Military Governor Andrew Johnson to be a "damned fool") these officers permitted claimant to go when and where he pleased. It is declared by Major Carpenter, and it is well known to many now living, that Colonel Carter himself was constantly absent from his regiment, which, in battles and on marches, was commanded by Lieut-Col Melton. It is notorious that Col. Melton was in command at the battle of Murfreesboro where this regiment was engaged." It is true that Carter was not in command at either Stones River (Murfreesboro) or Rogersville, the regiment's two major engagements. Melton was also in command of the regiment due to Carter's absence during the pursuit of John Hunt Morgan in July, 1863, but we do not know why Carter was not there.
That is not to say that Carter's service with the 2nd Tennessee did not have upsides. During most of 1863 he was commanding at the brigade level, and during Carter's leave of absence on November 3, 1863 Burnside's office issued a field order assigning Carter to command the Second Division of the 23rd Army Corps. When Carter did have field command during military action, he seemed to give a good account of himself. In his report in The Official Records regarding the engagement with Pegram on June 9, 1863 at Monticello, Colonel August Katz had this to say, "Colonel Carter had, however, arrived with six companies of the Second Tennessee, and this timely arrival enabled us finally to repulse the enemy. My heartiest thanks are due to Colonel Carter for his aid and assistance. He generously waived his rank, and permitted me to control and direct the troops during the engagement." The following month Colonel W. P. Sanders also thanked Carter for his performance during Sanders' Raid on July 29, 1863. Colonel Carter again distinguished himself at the Battle of Blue Springs on October 10, 1863, an important Union victory.
After the war, Carter was impoverished and in poor health. He sought and obtained another political appointment. Although bitter for not being able to land something better, Carter accepted an appointment as Secretary of the Territory of Arizona. After a long and difficult trip, he arrived with his family at Prescott, Arizona on September 3, 1866. During the next several years they spent part of the time in Prescott and part of the time in Tucson. Carter's term as Secretary was also controversial, mainly because he commuted the death sentence of convicted murderess Dolores Moore to a sentence of life in prison. At that time, he was serving as the Acting Governor of Arizona. In retrospect, the decision to grant clemency was courageous and probably the right thing to do. Both the prosecuting attorney and sheriff involved in the case supported the commutation. However, the general public in Arizona was infuriated. Because of that unpopular decision, as well as other reasons, Carter was not able to secure the formal appointment as governor that he wanted. By April, 1869 he was no longer a public official and once again a citizen.
Instead of returning to Tennessee, James Carter stayed in the Arizona area and invested in a business. He bought two thirds interest in a flour mill at Altar in Sonora, Mexico. In July, 1869 he left Tucson to stay for awhile near his business in Mexico, but he never returned. Only 47 years old, he died September 29, 1869 of illness at Rancho San Francisco, Mexico between Cabroca and Puerto Libertad. It is difficult to name the exact cause of death. He probably died of malaria or some other chronic illness picked up while in Panama. Injuries sustained in a buggy accident shortly before his death may have been a contributing factor. However, referring to his premature death, the Tucson Weekly Arizonian on October 9, 1869 noted that service incurred illness had ended his life. After his death, the family of James Carter returned to the Carter County, Tennessee area where a few of his descendants still live.

James married Margaret M. Dunn on 5 Aug 1851 in Carter County, , , Tennessee. Margaret (daughter of Gen. Samuel Dunn and Jane Maclay) was born in Aug 1832. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Margaret Letcher about 1854. Margaret was born about 1832 in Kentucky, , , ; died about 1902. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alfred married Chassie L. King about 1864 in , Giles County, Tennessee, . Chassie was born about 1849; died about 1877 in Bristol, , Washington County, Virginia; was buried in Bristol City Cemetery, , Washington County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alfred married Nancy C. "Nannie" Zimmerman after 1877 in Sullivan County, , , Tennessee. Nancy was born about 1850; died about 1937 in Bristol, , Sullivan County, Tennessee; was buried in Bristol City Cemetery, , Washington County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

David married Cornelia Stanley Keith about 1887. Cornelia was born about 1862. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Frank married Annie Laird about 1872. Annie was born about 1852. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Gravestone inscription reads:
Alfred P. Carter
Born 20 May 1852
Fell asleep in Jesus
17 Aug 1969
Son of S.P. Carter, U.S.N.
and C.C. Carter

Date of interment taken from Register of Lot # 822, Oak Hill Cemetery

Notes:

Census records

1910 DC

Household 124
Samuel P. Carter45New York Tennessee DCRailroad Courier

1920 DC

Household 1
Samuel P. Carter57New York Tennesse DCGovernment Clerk


Gravestone inscription reads:
Samuel P. Carter
Son of S.P. Carter U.S.N.
and C.C. Carter
Born 6 Jul 1863
Died 1 May 1925

William married Cordelia (Carter) about 1875 in Carter County, , , Tennessee. Cordelia was born about 1850 in , Giles County, Tennessee, . [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]