Carter Family Genealogy

The Carter Family CD is the most comprehensive one-stop source for Carter family information. Featured is Corrections to the Ancestry of Joseph Carter of Spotsylvania Virginia which is based upon Elby Bowman's work The Ancestors of Joseph Carter of Buckingham County and Bath and Morgan Counties Kentucky.

I desire to advance Carter family genealogy, and specifically, to correct the ancestry record of Joseph Carter of Spotsylvania who died 1751/1752. His descendants form a large portion of Carters. Dr. Joseph Lyons Miller in his monumental 1912 book on CPT Thomas Carter claimed Joseph Carter as a descendant of CPT Thomas Carter. Sixty or so years later, Elby Bowman argued that this wasn't the case, that Dr. Miller was wrong, and Joseph Carter descended from William Carter of Middlesex County Virginia.

I layed out both arguments in the mid-1990's, borrowing heavily from Mr. Bowman and hesitatingly came to the conclusion that Dr. Miller was right. However, with the advent of DNA testing, it appears evident Elby Bowman was correct. I issued the argument and conclusion in the Corrections to the Ancestry of Joseph Carter of Spotsylvania County Virginia in 2010, but I examine the argument in its entirety and let the reader decide. This new work is added to the Carter CD as well as the Prologue to the Carter Family of Monroe County Kentucky, although not mentioned below.

The Carter Family CD©

This massive work contains some of the most important genealogy, historical, and cultural work ever compiled on the Carter family. This CD contains:

The Descendants of Captain Thomas Carter 1652-1912

This rare, monumental, and massive genealogical work, published in 1912, details tens of thousands of Carter & allied family descendants. The most detailed and extensive Carter genealogy work ever published. It is the source book for Carter research. To see a Carter Coat-of-Arms and discussion click here.

New Origins: The Thomas and John Carter Families of Corotoman

Contains Carter family English history and their migration to America. Also, new evidence suggests CPT Thomas Carter and COL John Carter (father of Robert 'King' Carter) are of the same family. This work synopsizes and analyzes for the first time the theories of Virginia Carter origins as written and studied by Christine Jones, Charles Warner, Virginia Kaufman, Currer-Briggs, Dr. Miller, and other historians and genealogists, along with original research, and offers conclusions. Click for reselected excerpt.

The Ancestors of Joseph Carter of Buckingham County Virginia and Bath and Morgan Counties Kentucky

A controversial book casting doubt on previously accepted genealogical origins of one of Virginia's important 18th century Carter families, the Joseph (died 1751) and Catherine Carter family of Spotsylvania. According to Elby Bowman, Joseph Carter was the son of William Carter of Middlesex County Virginia, rather than CPT Thomas Carter Jr. of Lancaster County Virginia. A convincing, sophisticated argument and counter argument offered. If he is correct, thousands of Carter descendants in America have a different ancestry than previously believed. You read and be the judge.

Buckingham and Bedford County Virginia Tax Lists, Carter Surname

Buckingham land and personal property tax lists and analysis (identifying the Carters) from 1782 to 1826. The Bedford County personal property tax list, Carter surname, is from 1806-1824, without any additional analysis. These lists contain Carters only.

Carter Family of North Carolina

This rare 1914 tract details the descendants of Robert Carter (born 12 August 1735 in Virginia) of Bertie County North Carolina. The author argues and offers strong evidence that Robert is the son of Joseph Carter of Spotsylvania County Virginia. Primarily details the descendants of Robert's first son, Isaac Carter, a Revolutionary War Captain who left many descendants in North Carolina and points west.

Virginia Taxpayer Index (Carter) 1782-1787, and 1782-1789

showing head of household, number of slaves, and Virginia county.

Southwest Virginia 1815 Tax Assessments

(Carter) for Grayson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Washington, Wythe Counties, and miscellaneous Southwest Virginia Carter records. The Kentucky Land Grants, by Jilson. Index showing the Carter lands, with name, watercourse and/or county, acres, book and page, survey and/or entry date. The actual full grant and survey can be ordered from the Ky Archives. Contains Old Kentucky Entries and Deeds (prior to statehood); Old Kentucky Grants (from statehood till roughly 1812); Grants South of the Green River (Military grants issued till mid-1820's); Grants South of Walker's line (1820's up to 1880's as a result of the disputed boundary resolution between Tennessee and Kentucky); Kentucky Land Warrants (early-mid 1800's); Tellico Grants (early 1800's); Grants West of the Tennessee River; Grants in County Court Orders; three maps showing the boundaries of Ky counties from statehood up until 1837.

The Cherokee Carters

Index of Carters on the 15 Cherokee rolls and explanation of the rolls, to include the 13 Carters on the "Trail of Tears." Of the 15 rolls, Carters were found on all of the rolls with the exception of 3. Roll number included.

Early Southern Ky Land, Circuit, Tax, and Census records for Cumberland, Barren, and Monroe County Carters

Contains map showing Carter Island (in Cumberland River) and detailed Barren and Monroe County Carter tax records.

Carter Bible Records

Index of the Carter Family Bible records found in the Virginia Archives; also Charles and Catharine Carter records (VA to Ky, late 1700's to mid-1800's); Charles Hiram Carter Bible (Cumberland Co. Ky); late 1800's John L. Carter Bible records; Carter/Turner/Randolph Bible records (found in VA Historical Society) of the Plains, Fauquier Co. VA, beginning in late 1700's).

1830 Middle Tennessee Census Index

(Carter) for Bedford, Lincoln, Jackson, Davidson, Maury, Wilson, White, Williamson, Rutherford, Warren, Sumner, Smith, Franklin Counties.

The book "Early Carters in Scott County Virginia."

An important debarkation point for Carters traveling west, as the Clinch and Holston Rivers, two main arteries for westward travel, bisect the county. Deed, tax, genealogy, and historical records of Carters, to include the genealogy of the famous Carter family musicians and June Carter Cash. 246 pages.

Carter Family of Monroe County Kentucky

Authored by Paul Carter, this detailed work navigates the history and genealogy of the Monroe County Carters, their Virginia ancestors, descendants, political history, land settlements, family stories, and much more.

Important Carter links and Info

Amon Carter - Amon Carter was the long-time publisher of the Ft. Worth Telegram Star, and a noted Ft. Worth TX Philanthropist and leading citizen. The famous art works he collected are on exhibit in Ft. Worth at the Carter museum, and there is a freeway, a lake, and High School, and probably many other things in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area named for him, including the TCU football stadium. His lineage is from TN, and it is possible further back to the Joseph Carter/Catherine Ammons marriage. Texas Christian University has a link that provides complete information on Amon Carter and his life.

William Giles Harding Carter - William Carter was a general in the U.S. Army and Medal of Honor recipient. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in the Indian wars, earning the medal at Cibique AZ, 1881. Under heavy fire as a 1LT in the U.S. 6th Cavalry, he voluntarily rescued wounded soldiers. He was born in Nashville TN, and he published a genealogy of the Carter family which will soon be available here. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and here is info about his burial site with pictures.

• Carter DNA Project!

Perhaps the most fascinating story you will read about a Carter are contained in links below. Edmund J. Carter was born in TN on the Landon Carter plantation, a half-breed. A fascinating story, but if that weren't enough, later his descendants were captured by Indians and found in later years. Two motion pictures (of which I no longer have the name) were made about the story.

• Abilene Texas History
• This family and other notables
• The gravesite