Mitzi,
I hope I didn't upset you. You are definitely not from left field and I
didn't mean to imply I thought you were. There were several John
CARTERs in this CARTER "clan" and it is very confusing. Several of them
were on Opeckon Cr. near the CHAMBERS at the same time in Frederick Co.,
VA. Mrs. LEDGERWOOD also has the transcription of Wm. CHAMBERS will in
her info. However, she also has documents from Bucks Co., PA, Frederick
Co., VA, and Laurens Co., SC, which show that the John CARTER who
married Rachel CHAMBERS was Richard CARTER's (brother to Benjamin,
cousin to John "Salt Spring" CARTER) son. Here is the info I have
which is from Mrs. CARTER LEDGERWOOD:
"Richard CARTER was b. abt. 1710 in Bucks Co., PA. As early as 1736 he
and some brothers were among the first settlers on Opeckon Cr. in what
was later known as Frederick Co., VA. Richard married Margaret BRUCE,
dau. of John BRUCE of Frederick Co., VA. About 30 years later Richard
moved his family down the Great Wagon Road to SC.
"Richard's parents were James CARTER & Susannah GRIFFITH CARTER. From
his father's will in Bucks Co., PA, we know Richard was born bef. 1714
and he was one of the five youngest children. Susannah GRIFFITH was b.
1681 in Wales--her family was Quaker. Apparently James CARTER was not
Quaker...and there is record of the Society being upset about Susannahs
taking up with one not of the Society. James & Susannah married
sometime after 6 June 1702. They had 7 children-6 sons and 1 daughter.
James CARTER's will was dated 1 Dec. 1714 and listed the following
children: eldest son Wm., son John, and "my 5 youngest children James,
Richard, Joseph, Benjamin, and dau. Ann." Although Richard CARTER's
(son of James & Susannah GRIFFITH CARTER) name is never found in Quaker
records, he seems always to have lived amongst them and moved their
migration patterns.
" Richard CARTER & several of his brothers moved to Frederick Co., VA.
Richd's. 188 acres on Opeckon Cr. was surveyed 12 Mar. 1736. Wm.
CHAMBERS was granted 213 a. on Opeckon Cr. in 1735. Richard's brother
Joseph CARTER was in Frederick Co. as early as 1739, though he later
returned to Bucks Co., PA. Another brother, James, had a grant on
Abraham's Cr., a branch of Opeckon. Another brother, Benjamin CARTER,
married Margaret HOLLINGSWORTH; he died before November 1748 in
Frederick Co., VA. [ As you can see there are several branches of
related CARTERs and the CHAMBERS on and around Opeckon Cr.] Richard
CARTER sold his land in Frederick Co., VA, to James LINDSEY on 30 Sept.
1765. He signed with his mark, a capital R, and his wife Margaret also
signed with her mark. This is the last record of Richard in Frederick
Co., VA.
"Richd. CARTER received 2 grants in SC-the first was for 200 a. 7 Oct.
1766, "situate in Berkley Co. [later Laurens Co.] on a Branch called
Cane Branch." He had another grant of 300a on waters of Cane Cr. 11
Feb. 1766. Based on the headright system, the 1st 150 a. would've been
for he and his wife, the remaining 350 acres would be 50 acres per each
of 7 children. Richd. signed his deeds with his mark-capital R just as
in Frederick Co., Va. Five of his childrens' names are known (the boys;
there probably were several daus. also):
1.James CARTER-apparently named for paternal grandfather, James.
Probably b. abt. 1740-50, Frederick Co., Va. Tory Refugee in E. FL.
after Rev. War-went to Nova Scotia Canada, Nov. 1783.
2.John CARTER-probably b. abt. 1740-50 Frederick Co., VA. He married
Rachel CHAMBERS, dau. of Wm. CHAMBERS of Frederick Co., VA. It is
supposed they married before Richard moved his family to SC. John
CARTER had a grant of 200a with Cane Cr. going through the middle of
it-dated 12 Apr 1768. A man with wife was allowed 150 a.; the other 50a
acres would have been for one child. There are many records which refer
to this John. 10 July 1788 John CARTER deeded 104a (states he received
this 104a from his father Richd. Aug. 1777). 14 Apr 1798, John CARTER
wrote his will in Laurens Co., SC. Legatees included his wife Rachel,
son Wm. CARTER, son-in-law Wm. McCREARY. His land went to his son and
son-in-law, with his son-in-laws land "running a straight course to
"Salt Spring" John CARTER's line." The will of John CARTER, son of
Richd., & other evidence point out the fact that a neighbor of this John
CARTER was another John CARTER who was designated as "Salt Spring" John
CARTER. Salt Spring John CARTER was probably a cousin, believed to be
the son of Benj. & Margt. HOLLINGSWORTH CARTER.
3.Joseph CARTER-b. abt. 1740, Frederick Co., VA. 200a on Cane Cr. by
1777 (=married and had 1 child). Joseph was also a Tory during the Rev.
War. He was in E. FL. by 1784. He went from St. Augustine FL to
Guysborough, Co., Nova Scotia and received a grant of 400a there. He m.
Rosa/Rhoda/Rosamond _____ and had 10 children (Richd., Susanna, Joseph,
George Bruce, Sarah, Lydia, Temperance, John, Robt., & Eliz. CARTER).
4.Robert- b. abt. 1750 Frederick Co., VA. Wife Betty ____. One hundred
a. grant Cane Cr., Laurens Co., SC, 1771. 1777 his father Richd.
conveyed 75 a. to him. Died Laurens Co., SC, 6 Dec. 1825. Seven known
children: Zimri, Richd., Robt., Martha "Patsy", Mary "Polly", Sarah,
Eliz.
5.George-b. abt. 1740-50 Frederick Co., Va. M. Naomi TURK in Laurens
Co., SC. He was also a Tory refugee ih E. FL. and died there abt.
1784. His son John Jr. throws another needle in the haystack!!! Known
children of George & Naomy: John (called John Jr. to distuinguish him
from John, son of Richd., and John "salt Spring", son of Benj. &
Margt.), Naomi, & Ann."
I have Mrs. LEDGERWOOD'S 200+ page manuscript of these CARTERs--all who
are known to have descended from James CARTER of Bucks Co., PA. Her
manuscript includes land plats, wills, deeds, Royalists Regiments,
everything to back her research. It is footnoted. She has traced the
land records of above John CARTER who married Rachel CHAMBERS. She
states in 1790 Laurens Co census there were 3 John CARTERs: John son of
Richd. had been there for more than 20 years. John "Salt Spring", son
of Benj., was on neighboring land, having come about 2-3 years prior to
the census. John Jr., son of George & grandson of Richd., had returned
from E. FL. to file deeds on his deceased father's land in 1789.
I would be very glad to share what I have with you or to check with Mrs.
LEDGERWOOD to see if she can send you a copy of the manuscript. Please
don't take additions to what you have in such a negative way. With so
many ancestors sharing the same name--which of course was an honor in
those days--it is very easy to confuse things. Luckily, we have Mrs.
LEDGERWOOD who has spent 40 years collecting our data for us and sorting
it out. I will be glad to help you with this family in any way I can.
And I would really like the info you have. I know Mrs. LEDGERWOOD would
like the Samuel CARTER info you have since she didn't have much on that
line. The James>Richd>George>John Jr. is her line. And I am sure that
is why she concentrated on sorting out all of the Johns. I correspond
with Mrs. L. frequently as she is helping me sort through my CARTERs
which may be hers & yours! I have info for Thomas & Mary CHAMBERS
CARTER in E. FL. that you may also want. Wm. CHAMBER's dau. Margaret
married Henry O'NEAL who was Thomas CARTER's neighbor in Laurens Co, SC,
and was also his neighbor in E. FL. as they were also Tory refugees. My
transcript of the CHAMBER's will states the various CHAMBERS sisters
were sisters and gives their names, however, it does not state that all
of the CARTER in-laws were brothers.
My apologies if I upset you, and I hope you will accept them.
Cordially, Cynthia