CARTER-Samuel - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Samuel CARTER, widely known and highly respected as one of the most energetic, self-reliant and enterprising citizens of Davis Twp, Fountain County, Indiana has for the past 60 years been intimately associated with the best interests and upward progress of his neighborhood, and to his personal efforts are mainly due many of the early and most valuable and permanent improvements of the locality. A pioneer settler of 1833, he has not only been an eye-witness of the wonderful growth and developments of his adopted state, but has actively participated in the changing scenes of 3-score years and 10 and has accumulated a valuable store of historical reminiscence. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Robert Carter was a native of England but migrated to this country in time to become deeply imbued with the spirit of the early colonists and was an ardent defender of our national liberty and served as a soldier in thebattles of the Revolutionary War. His son, James the father of our subject, inherited the bravery and patriotism of the veteran of the Revolution and fought for his country in thewar of 1812. Previous to this epoch in our Nation's history, James Carter married Margaret Pickens, a lady of intelligence and ability. The husband and wife were both natives of the south, one having been born in VA the other in SC. The name of Pickens is an illustrious one in the annals of our Republic and was long since given to an immense district of SC which district with its capital Pickens Court House claims many valuable enterprises of the state, a specially fertile soil and an extended area of 1100 square miles. Andrew Pickens, the eminent American statesman and general who at the outbreak of the Revolution was made a captain of militia from which position he rose by regular promotion to the rank of Brigadier-General was undoubtedly a near relative of the immediate family of our subject's mother. Ceratin it is Gen. Pickens' family removed to SC in his early boyhood and there settle din a frontier region. The parents of our subject locate din Oho shortly after it was admitted into the union. Samuel Carter was born in Ross Co that state grew to mature years. From earliest youth inured to all the trials and vicissitudes of pioneer experience he came to Indiana, full of hope, energy and ambition and here began the struggle of life, in which he has been mainly victorious. Successes, disappointment and various vicissitudes have alternately crossed his path; successes he received as the just reward of his hard toil and honest labor; disappointments he bore with patient cheerfulness and serene philosophy, and lost no time in vain regret but, calmly resuming his efforts, sought to take his fortune good once more. Enterprising and more than ordinarily energetic, our subject won and lost fortune but in the evening of his days is prosperous and blessed in theconsciousness of a useful life. Some of the early experiences of Mr. Carter are both amusing and instructive. For some time after his arrival in the county he worked by the month, engaged in laying out the subdivision of the townships of the county and laying off roads and other similar work. In the meantime he had loaned the money thus earned to a man who afterward refused to repay it, and as it could not be collected by law our subject took his payment of the debt out in administering a severe thrashing to the contemptible offender. If Mr. Carter carried the resolute energy into this transcation which he ever displayed in the other busines of life, doubtless the debt was paid in full by the cowardly debtor. About the same time, as if to illustrate the old proverb, "it never rainsb ut pours," the horse of our subject, his sole property, died and left him penniless but, full of hope and courage he was not dismayed. At one time Mr. Carter owned 1000 acres of valuable land upon a portion of which he erected a handsome and substantial brick residence, now as for the past many years, his home. In 1836 he married Anna Mills, the daughter of an old pioneer of the county. S ix children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Carter, 3 of whom are living. Our subject and his wife are both members of the Missionary Baptist Church and have ever been known asm ost generous givers and active workers in all benevolent enterprises within and outside the church organizaiton. Mr. Carter has been a sturdy Democrat all his life, but has never been troubled with any political aspirations and never cared to hold an office. In fact, the days of our subject have been so full of business he has had time for little else. 56 years ago he began buying and shipping stock and was the real pioneer of that busines in his portion of the state.

Samuel Carter, farmer and stock buyer, Odell, Tippecanoe county, was born in Ross county, Ohio, October 18, 1809. He was reared a farmer, and has always followed that occupation, but for a number of recent years has also dealt in stock. In 1833 he came to Indiana, and made his home about Redwood Point in Warren county, for a year; then he came into the Shawnee neighborhood. In 1835 he bought where he now lives, and the succeeding year, May 27, was married to Anna, daughter of James F. Mills, an original pioneer settler in Davis township. They have six children: Margaret E., born March 27, 1837 (married Stephen Beach; died November 3, 1868); Amanda, August 4, 1838 ( died next day); Elizabeth, October 18, 1840 (wife of Alexander Bever, of Hillsboro); James F., September 18, 1842; Caroline, November 3, 1844 (wife of A. T. Sayers); and Robert, December 6, 1847. Mr. Carter and his wife are prominent members of the Baptist church. He has filled the office of trustee of the township, and is one of the leading and substantial men of the community. In politics he is a democrat.