I am looking for any additional information on this Carter clan. My research takes me to
a William H. Carter, born about 1856 in New York (possibly Syracuse). He was married to a
Mary A., born 1861 in Arkansas (possibly in Missouri). They had the following children:
1. James C., b. 1880, New York
2. May L, b. Mar 1881, Indiana
3. Minnie A., b. Nov 1883, Indiana
3. Ruth Melissa, b. 16 Dec 1886, Vincennes, Indiana, d. 04 Dec 1958, San Francisco, CA
(our Grandmother)
m. Frank Alfred Thude, b. 13 Aug 1882, Magdebury, Germany, d. 15 Apr 1950 San Francisco,
CA
4. Charles A., b. Jul 1894, Kansas
5. Floyd W., b. 1903, California
I have the following research on these Carters:
The 1870 Census for the Syracuse Ward 5, Onondaga, New York it shows George (37), Mary
(39), William (14), Frank (9), Charles (8), and Lillie (4). It shows George's
birthplace as New York and Mary's as Canada. It also shows all the children's
birthplace as New York. This matches the William's information for his age,
birthplace, Father's birthplace and Mother's birthplace given in 1880 Census.
The 1880 Census for Syracuse, Onondaga, New York it shows a William (24, birthplace New
York), Mary (19, birthplace Missouri) and James Carter (2M, birthplace New York). It also
shows William's Father's birthplace, New York and his Mother in Canada. It show
Mary's Father's birthplace, Missouri and her Mother also in Missouri. It can be
assumed that these Carters are our Carters because it matches 1900 and 1910 which we have
family stories and documentation of those Carters.
Hand checked the 1880 Census, Onondaga Co., Syracuse, Ward 5 for George and Mary Carter
and found no match.
The 1900 Census shows William H. (44), Mary A. (38), May L. (19), Minnie A. (16), Ruth M.
(13), and Charles A. (5) Carter living in Colorado (Colorado City Town, El Paso,
Colorado). It shows William H. and Mary A. Carter being married in 1879. It also shows
William's Father's birthplace, New York and his Mother in Canada. It shows
Mary's Father and Mother's birthplace as Missouri. However it shows Mary being
born in Arkansas and not Missouri. It also shows May L., Minnie A., and Ruth M. being
born in Indiana and Charles A. in Kansas. James would have been about 20 years old and
does not appear living with the family.
The 1910 Census shows Mary A. (46), James C. (30), Charles (15), and Floyd W. (7) Carter
living in San Francisco, Assembly District 37, San Francisco, California. It also shows
Mary's Father and Mother's birthplace, Missouri. It shows Mary's birthplace
Arkansas, James E., New York, Charles A., Kansas and Floyd W. California. In the same
household it shows Minnie A. (26, birthplace as Indiana) and George W. (24) Matthai. It
shows Minnie and George being married for two years with it being Minnie's second
marriage and George's first. It also shows Mary and James being widowers and Mary
having 5 out of 6 children living. There are four children listed in this Census. Ruth,
our grandmother was alive so we can assume that May is the one child that died.
In 1918, the World War I draft registration shows a Charles G. Carter, born 02 Jul 1894 in
Kansas City, Kansas. His Father's birthplace is Syracuse, New York and his nearest
relative is Mary Adeline Zro (Mother). Looking at some old family pictures it appears
that Mary A. remarried after her first husband passed away, a man named Carl. Could our
Mary A. be remarried with the last name of Zro? See below with the research done with the
1920 Census and this Zro name. This Charles is born the same month, year and state as our
Charles and show a Father born in the same state and a Mother named Mary A(deline).
However, the 1900 and 1910 Censuses show our Charles with the middle initial of
"A" and not "G".
A search of the 1920 Census shows a James (39) and Floyd (17) Carter as lodgers living in
San Francisco Assembly District 30, San Francisco, California. It shows James'
birthplace as New York with his Father's birthplace as England and Mother's as
Arkansas. It shows Floyd's birthplace as California with his Father's birthplace
as New York and Mother's as Arkansas. It also shows James married with it would
appear to be his wife, Adeline Carter (27) born in Connecticut listed below him. This
census shows everyone being a lodger so there relation is not really known.
It is also interesting in this 1920 Census in the same house that James and Floyd are
lodging; there is an Earl and Adaline (born abt. 1863 in Arkansas) Zerrell. Both Earl and
Adaline parent's birthplace are shown as Germany. Could the Zro name in the draft
registration above really be Zerrell? Could this Adaline Zerrell be using her middle
name? This would add to the theory above that the Charles G. Carter who registered for
World War I draft is our Charles with a Mother's name Mary Adeline Zro. And, could
the parent's birthplace of this Adaline be a mistake and the census taker just used
the parents' birthplace of Earl into Adaline? Also it is interesting that this Earl
and Adaline are listed right above our Floyd Carter who is 17 at this census taking. It
could appear that our Floyd Carter has some relationship with this Adaline Zerrell. This
Adaline was born in Arkansas in 1863 and our Mary A. was born in Arkansas in about 1861.
And, photos on-hand indicates that Mary A.'s second marriage husband's name was
Carl. Again, could this be an error by the census taker? Could this Earl name be really
Carl?
Also, the 1920 Census shows Minnie A Matthai (36) being divorced, a boarder in Oakland,
Alameda, California living in the household of Jake and Clara DeRuig. It shows her
birthplace as Indiana with her Father's birthplace as New York and Mother's
Arkansas.