Bartholomew County IN Archives Biographies.....Carter, Jonathan W. 1828 - before 1904 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 24, 2007, 12:01 pm Author: B. F. Bowen (1904) JONATHAN W. CARTER. Jonathan W. Carter, now deceased, was a man whom to know was to respect and honor, for he lived an upright life, was industrious, energetic and honorable, and his history is another proof of the fact that success can be achieved through persistent purpose, directed by sound judgment. Mr. Carter was born in Columbus township, Bartholomew county, on the 19th of March, 1828, and was a son of Elijah S. and Maria (Wilkinson) Carter. The father was a native of New Jersey and during his early boyhood accompanied his parents on their removal from that state to Indiana, the family home Being established in this county. Thus he was reared here amid the wild scenes of pioneer life, for the work of improvement and progress had scarcely been begun at that time. He assisted in the arduous task of developing a new farm and did much clearing in this county, thus aiding materially in its improvement. Throughout his entire life he carried on agricultural pursuits and met with success in his work, adding year by year to his savings, which he invested from time to time in real estate until he was the owner of three hundred acres of fine land. He led a very busy life and found that work is an excellent foundation upon which to rear the superstructure of success. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he took a very active part in its work, laboring earnestly for the moral development and progress of his community. His political support was. given the Whig party in early life and later he joined the ranks of the new Republican party, continuing to follow its banner until his death. Unto Elijah and Maria Carter were born seven children: Jonathan W., Nathan, Lucinda, Abigail, Catherine and Robert and William, twins. Mr. Carter of this review was a representative of one of the earliest families of Bartholomew county and pioneer conditions existed during the period of his boyhood. Many of the homes were built of logs, and there were great stretches of country which were not only unfenced, but were still in possession of the government, for the settlers were so few that there had not been a demand made for the lands. Crude farming implements were used in the cultivation of the fields, roads were in poor condition, as compared to those of the present, much of the forest stood in its native state, the streams were unbridged and the land un-drained. Mr. Carter shared with the family in the hardships and: trials of frontier life and performed his full share of the work on the old home place. At length, having; arrived at years of maturity, he desired to have a home of his own and a companion and helpmate for the journey of life. He then wooed and won Miss Charity Chambers and their marriage was celebrated on the 26th of July, 1855. The lady is a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Gibbs) Chambers, the former a native of Canada and the latter of New York. Mr. Chambers was a farmer by occupation and came to Bartholomew county at a very early day, casting in his lot with the first settlers. Wild game of various kinds abounded and he largely subsisted upon such meat while developing his farm. He cleared a tract of land and when it was prepared for the plow he planted his crops and made an excellent farm. His wife, a most estimable lady, greatly aided him by her careful management of the household affairs and the able manner in which she reared her children. She belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church, and although not a church member, Mr. Chambers was a good, moral man, devoted to honorable principles and right living. In politics he was first a Whig and on the dissolution of that party he joined the ranks of the new Republican party. In his business affairs he prospered, becoming one of the successful farmers of his neighborhood. His death occurred in 1852 and his wife passed away in 1873. They had a family of eight children: Sally A., the deceased wife of William Gibbs, a farmer; Daniel, who married Polly Lewis and followed farming as a life work, but is now deceased; John A., a farmer, who wedded Rachel Smith; Cyrenus, also deceased, who married Harriet Mullendoor and carried on farming; Amos, a farmer and. stock dealer of Texas, who married Susan Shoe; Benjamin, who married Harriet Patterson and is now a retired farmer; Mrs. Carter, and Martha, the deceased wife of John A. Williams, also an agriculturist. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Carter was blessed with six children: Elijah S., who married Miranda Jones, a daughter of Newton S. and Sarah (Hart) Jones; John W., who wedded Mary Redman and is engaged in the tilling of the soil; Sarah A., the wife of Willard Haislup, who follows agricultural pursuits; Stella M., the wife of George Heflen, a farmer: Hattie, the wife of Alonzo Smock, and one that died in infancy. Throughout his entire business career Mr. Carter carried on agricultural pursuits and was widely known as one of the leading, practical and progressive farmers of Columbus township. As the years passed by he prospered. He never indulged in speculation, but placed his dependence in the surer elements of success—diligence, perseverance and honest dealing. He did much clearing, especially during his early years, and thus aided in reclaiming the wild land for the uses of the white man. He became the owner of three hundred and eighty-three and a third acres of land, which he placed under a high state of cultivation, making it a very valuable property. Of this his widow still owns one hundred and ninety acres, upon which is a fine brick residence which was built by Mr. Carter at the time of the Civil war. It forms one of the pleasing features of the landscape, and few finer farms can be found in this section of the state than the one which was developed and improved by Mr. Carter. He gave his political allegiance to the Republican party and in early manhood served as supervisor, but in later years sought or held no public office. He belonged to the Methodist church and his Christian faith was the secret of his upright life and manly character. He won the respect of all because he lived worthy the regard of those with whom he came in contact, and his life record is an untarnished one, well worthy of emulation. Additional Comments: Extracted from BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY INDIANA INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA ILLUSTRATED 1904 B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/carter739gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 7.0 Kb