Thomas H. Carter, Ouachita County, AR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE: Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889. Contributed by Carol Smith. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ouachita County, Arkansas - from Goodspeed's History of Arkansas Thomas H. Carter, one of the substantial farmers of Lafayette Township, was born in Fulton County, Kentucky, July 6, 1823. His father, Henry Carter, was a native of Kentucky, and a son of John Carter and wife, nee Bishop, natives of South Carolina. John Carter died at the age of ninety four years, when the subject of this sketch was eighteen years old. The Carters were of English origin. Henry Cater was an old planter and stock-raiser and owned thirteen slaves. He was married to Miss Mary Givens, daughter of Elias Givens, a native of South Carolina, and has a family of eight children, seven of whom are still living, viz: William, Thomas H. (the subject of this sketch), Martha, John, Paulina, Hannah Ann and Ezekiel Columbus, all single, and living on the old homestead in Fulton County, Kentucky, comprising 600 acres of land, except the subject of this sketch. The father died in Kentucky and his wife died in 1834, at the age of forty years. They were both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Thomas H. Carter, the subject of this sketch, commended farming for himself at the age of twenty years on the old homestead. He came to Arkansas in January, 1853, locating in this county, buying a tract of land partially improved. He bought his present farm, then consisting of 200 acres, in 1862, and has since made this his home. He has since added to this purchase, and now owns 270 acres of land, with 140 acres under cultivation, on which his principal crop is cotton, corn and peas. In 1845 Mr. Carter was married to Miss Martha Seymour, a native of Virginia, born in 1820, daughter of George Washington Seymour, and by this union is the father of six children, five of whom are still living, viz: Mary Elizabeth (deceased), William H. (a farmer of this township), Sallie (married Mr. Bonds, a farmer owning 160 acres of land in this township), John P. (a farmer of this township owns 180 acres of land), and Paulina and Fannie at home. Mr. Carter enlisted in 8162 in Crawford's regiment, Slavin's Brigade, Company A., of Arkansas Cavalry, and served in this regiment until the close of the war. Among the principal battles in which he was engaged are: Mount Elby, Mark's Mill, Poison Springs, and was in Price's raid through Missouri. He was never wounded, but his horse was shot in one engagement. He arrived home in May, 1865, and found everything dilapidated. For five or six months after the war he was engaged in shipping cotton, and dealing in meat and produce; he purchased meat in Missouri, at 12 cents per pound, and sold it here for 40 cents per pound. Mr. Carter is a Mason, but has not attended lodge for several years, he is also a member of the County Wheel. In his political views he affiliates with the Democratic party. He is a quiet man, and never had a lawsuit in his life, and is one of the leading men of Lafayette Township. Both he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.