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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ouachita County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Thomas H. Carter, one of the substantial farmers of Lafayette Township, was born in Fulton County, Ky., July 6, 1823. His father, Henry Carter, was a native of Kentucky, and a son of John Carter and wife, nee Bishop, natives of South Carolina. John Carter died at the age of ninety-four years, when the subject of this sketch was eighteen years old. The Carters were of English origin. Henry Carter was an old planter and stock-raiser, and owned thirteen slaves. He was married to Miss Mary Givens, daughter of Elias Givens, a native of South Carolina, and has a family of eight children, seven of whom are still living, viz.: William, Thomas H. (the subject of this sketch), Martha, John, Paulina, Hannah Ann and Ezekiel Columbus, all single, and living on the old homestead in Fulton County, Ky., comprising 600 acres of land, except the subject of this sketch. The father died in Kentucky and his wife died in 1834, at the age of forty years. They were both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Thomas H. Carter, the subject of this sketch, commenced farming for himself at the age of twenty years on the old homestead. He came to Arkansas in January, 1853, locating in this county, buying a tract of land partially improved. He bought his present farm, then consisting of 200 acres, in 1862, and has since made this his home. He has since added to this purchase, and now owns 270 acres of land, with 140 acres under cultivation, on which his principal crop is cotton, corn and peas. In 1845 Mr. Carter was married to Miss Martha Seymour, a native of Virginia, born in 1820, daughter of George Washington Seymour, and by this union is the father of six children, five of whom are still living, viz.: Mary Elizabeth (deceased), William H. (a farmer of this township), Sallie (married Mr. Bonds, a farmer owning 160 acres of land in this township), John P. (a farmer of this township owns 180 acres of land), and Paulina and Fannie at home. Mr. Carter enlisted in 1862, in Crawford’s regiment, Slavin’s Brigade, Company A, of Arkansas Cavalry, and served in this regiment until the close of the war. Among the principal battles in which he was engaged are: Mount Elby, Mark’s Mill, Poison Springs, and was in Price’s raid through Missouri. He was never wounded, but his horse was shot in one engagement. He arrived home in May, 1865, and found everything dilapidated. For five or six months after the war he was engaged in shipping cotton, and dealing in meat and produce; he purchased meat in Missouri, at 12 cents per pound, and sold it here for 40 cents per pound. Mr. Carter is a Mason, but has not attended lodge for several years, he is also a member of the County Wheel. In his political views he affiliates with the Democratic party. He is a quiet man, and never had a lawsuit in his life, and is one of the leading men of Lafayette Township. Both he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

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This family biography is one of 91 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ouachita County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Ouachita County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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