Cemeteries: Bethlehem Cemetery Newsletter #6- Jun 1995, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Peggy Chandler Beaubouef, 2656 Hwy 1232, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** [These articles are taken from the Bethlehem Cemetery Newsletter published by the Bethlehem Baptist Church cemetery committee. They are posted here with the full knowledge and consent of the cemetery committee. Bethlehem Cemetery is located in Ward 8 of Winn Parish on Hwy. 1232. These articles were written by Peggy Beaubouef based upon information supplied by others. As with all secondary sources, the data shown should be used as clues to further research and verification.] Issue No. 6 June, 1995 [Photos of Calvin Curtis & Mary Francis (Machen) Carter] HISTORICAL NOTES: Pictured above are Calvin Curtis Carter and his wife, Mary Francis "Fannie" Machen Carter. Both are buried in Bethlehem Cemetery. Calvin was born 18 June 1844, the fifth child of William and Anne Carter. William was born ca. 1822 in Georgia, the eldest son of Shadrick Carter. Fannie was born 5 Oct 1856, the oldest of seven children born to James Lewis and Sarah Ann Cornell Machen. Calvin's father, William, had an active military career beginning in 1837 at the ripe old age of 15 as a private in the Creek and Seminole War under Capt. Littleberry Rogers of the Alabama Militia. During the Civil War he served as a private in Co. D of the 1st Louisiana Reserves. He and his wife are buried in the old Cockerham Cemetery. Calvin Carter and his family contributed much to this area of the parish, not the least of which was his name to the town of Calvin. The following is taken from a master's thesis written by W.E. Carpenter, Jr. in 1963 on the history of Calvin: "The town was first built on the hill one mile west of present day Calvin where the old Carter home now stands. Calvin and Bob Carter built one of the first cotton gins in Winn Parish at the old spring on William Carter's place. Level land and the coming of the railroad caused a complete shift from the original town to the present site of Calvin. W.S. Carter, Sr. and L.D. Carter, sons of Calvin Carter, ginned cotton for the farmers in the community. In peak years, as many as 600 bales were ginned. This gin ceased operation in 1935. The new location was given the name "Carter" for this very well-known family. In 1901 the Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad graded a road through this locality. In 1902 the steel was laid and the road completed . . . Castor, which was up the line, and Carter were so much alike that freight agents would get the freight mixed. Since the only difference was an "e" instead of an "o" [sic] the name was changed by request of the railroad to Calvin in honor of Calvin Carter." Descendants of the William Carter family are far too many to name in this article. I would like to mention Calvin's brothers and sisters, as they also have numerous descendants in this area. They were James (married 1-Lucy Phelps, 2-Sis Canerday, 3-Lou Wilson); Meredith C. (married Olivia Duplissey); Michael (married Minerva Shelfrey); Lucinda (married John Duplissey), Jeremiah "Bob" Robert (married 1-Sis Blake, 2-Penny Wilson); Rebecca (married Newton Blake); and Rachel. Roots of the James L. Machen family run deep in this parish also. Other members of Fannie's immediate family were William Martin (married Emily Jones); Martha (married John Rudd); James R. (married Ella Rudd); Callie (married Mack Postell); and Missouri (married Allen Cockerham). The children of Calvin and Fannie Carter are as follows: 1) Ollie Carter - married Lawrence Key. 2) William Silas Carter - married Della Mixon. Their children were: Weston Calvin (m. Virgie Weeks), Vadie, Alma (m. Evan Corbett Fletcher), Arvil Leon (m. Myrtle Long), Lois (m. Otis Dickerson), Edmund Wade (m. Rubye Carpenter), Annie Mae (m. W.A. Fowler), William Silas "Dub", Jr. (m. Delores Howard), Elsie (m. Jefford Willard Bonnette), Jepp Dayton (m. Maxine Simpson), Colleen (m. Calop Carpenter). 3) James E. "Jim" Carter - never married. 4) Wiseman Henry Carter - married Myrtle Smith 5) Minnie Carter - married Leon Daniel Lowe 6) Charles Monroe Carter - married Mamie Blake 7) Leon Calvin "Red" Carter - married Louella Miller 8) Mollie Magdline Carter - married Samuel Chester Jackson 9) Elvin Dayton "Buck" Carter - married Alma Carson 10) Lorena Carter - married Virgil Williams 11) Ellis Gamble Carter - married Hallie Bowman Mary Francis "Fannie" Machen Carter departed this life on 12 July 1910 with her husband following 14 years later on 24 June 1924. Many thanks to Ruth Latham, daughter of Alma and Evan Corbett Fletcher and great granddaughter of Calvin Carter, for furnishing the picture and much of the material for this article. Also thanks to Mr. Sam Carpenter for his "History of Calvin".