Duval-Escambia County FlArchives Biographies.....Carter, William Ringwood 1861 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 11, 2008, 7:42 pm Author: B. F. Johnson (1909) William Ringwood Carter The general public has no conception of the enormous expense involved in the issuing of a daily newspaper. It is frequently the case that a paper which makes its inaugural under the most auspicious circumstances, well equipped with a modern plant and adequately financed, experiences a more or less brief career on troubled waters and finds its finish in the Sheriff's hands. This being true, when a newspaper has its start in a small room, without a plant, and barely sufficient capital to meet a few weeks meager pay roll, for that paper to win its way to public favor and prosper until it occupies its own building and the latest improved machinery, speaks volumes for the ability and energy and management of its founders, especially when they were twice the victims of fire in addition to the usual difficulties that were to be expected. William Ringwood Carter, editor and part owner, is one of the founders of The Metropolis, of Jacksonville, and to his abilities the remarkable success and popularity of that journal is unquestionably due. Before his entry into the journalistic field Mr. Carter had an interesting career. He was the son of William Henry Carter, a sea captain who before the war engaged in slave trading and had many thrilling adventures bringing over and safely landing his cargoes of "black ivory." During the war Captain Carter engaged in the no less adventuresome business of blockade running and made large profits bringing supplies into and taking cotton out of Southern ports. William Ringwood Carter was born on the merchant ship Helen R. Cooper, in the waters of Pensacola Bay, February 28, 1861. His mother was Jane E. (Moore) Carter. During the war the family lived in New York City. After the war closed Captain Carter again engaged in the merchant marine and took his family on a voyage that was intended to extend around the world. While in India, however, in 1869, both parents and an infant brother died leaving William Ringwood Carter an orphan. He was cared for by friends of his father, however, and finally taken to Calcutta where he attended La Martiniere College which was modeled after such famous English schools as Eton, Rugby, etc., and was the best educational institution in the East. In 1878 he left college and went to sea on the Ice King, of Boston, one of the famous Tudor line of clipper ships which carried ice out to the East Indies. After a year on the sea he returned to the United States and undertook to recover some property left by his father in Iowa. Expensive litigation exhausted his means and when the case was decided against him he was compelled to seek a means of livelihood and for a while engaged in selling books. Finding his way to Pensacola, he secured a position as school teacher and followed that calling for two years. After this experience he sold sewing machines for a while traveling overland. Finally locating in Jacksonville, he became a reporter on The Evening Herald, which at the time was edited by John Temple Graves. He continued in this capacity until the paper was consolidated with The Morning News under the name of the News-Herald. Mr. Carter and Rufus A. Russell, the foreman of the Herald, founded The Metropolis, issuing the first paper July 2, 1887. They began business with only about $1200, one-half of which was borrowed. The first issue was necessarily of limited scope as they had no plant and foresaw the difficulties to be overcome if their venture was to live. In the beginning Mr. Carter constituted the editorial staff while Mr. Russell was the business office. They met with a degree of encouragement, however, which nerved them up to their best efforts. Business grew, the editorial and business forces were enlarged along with the paper and increased facilities and more room were demanded and acquired. They grew and prospered, meeting with no reverse until 1891 when fire did extensive damage to the building and plant, necessitating a removal to other quarters. They had, of course, met with opposition and made enemies, but were supported by the public generally and every effort to invade the afternoon field with an opposition journal has been uniformly disastrous. The great fire of 1901 wiped out the tangible property of The Metropolis, but its spirit survived, and brought out a paper as usual the day after the fire. Purchasing a site, the paper erected a suitable home which it now occupies and which is splendidly equipped with the most modern paraphernalia for the rapid work necessary in the issue of a present day newspaper. The paper has a wide influence and a strong following because it is a legitimate newspaper enterprise, publishing the news and steering clear of all entangling alliances. Mr. Carter is devoted to his profession. He is a Democrat but no office seeker. He is an active member of the Jacksonville Board of Trade and belongs to the Seminole Club. He is a student of history and predicates his estimate of coming events upon the experience of the past. He believes that the best interests of the people as a whole would be served by a closer observance of the law by the public generally. Mr. Carter was married November 19, 1902, to Mrs. Annie L. Hosmer, a daughter of Mrs. Annie L. Tibbetts. Additional Comments: Extracted from: FLORIDA EDITION MAKERS OF AMERICA AN HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WORK BY AN ABLE CORPS OF WRITERS VOL. III. Published under the patronage of The Florida Historical Society, Jacksonville, Florida ADVISORY BOARD: HON. W. D. BLOXHAM COL. FRANK HARRIS HON. R. W. DAVIS SEN. H. H. McCREARY HON. F. P. FLEMING W. F. STOVALL C. A. CHOATE, SECRETARY 1909 A. B. CALDWELL ATLANTA, GA. COPYRIGHT 1909 B. F. JOHNSON Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/duval/photos/bios/carter65gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/duval/bios/carter65gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/flfiles/ File size: 6.4 Kb