WHOOPS -- that last one should have gone to Fountain Co - not Parke -- SORRY
GANG -- maybe someone enjoyed it anyway :) KZ
Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain Counties,
Indiana. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1893, p. 498. 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 int he battles 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 int he war 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 int he
consciousness 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.