Monroe County Mississippi Biographies and Biographical Sketches

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CARTER, R. A. Biography

Hon. R. A. Carter, merchant and postmaster at Rees’ store, was born in Aberdeen, Miss., in 1847, the fifth child of Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Carter. His father was born at Snow hill, N. C., and came with his parents at the age of three to Monroe county in 1819. The family located on a farm near Columbus, in what is now Lowndes county. Mr. Cartel received his education at the La Grange university. Ho prepared to enter the law department, but, not liking his teacher, relinquished the idea of engaging in the legal profession, and became a merchant, lirst at Hamilton, then at Aberdoen, where he was postmaster for four years, during the administration of President Buchanan, He was married to Lucy C. Hutchinson, of Monroe county, in 1837. His wife was the eighth child born to Capt. Richard Hutchinson, a veteran of the war of 1812. Mr. Carter turned his attention to farming in 1859. lie was appointed and held the office of assessor for several years, and during the late war served for a short time in a militia organization. His wife died in 1870 and after that event ho became one of the family of his son. It. A. Carter, at whose house he died in 1875. Politically, he was an old Andrew Jackson democrat. He was a man of the highest morality and intelligence, popular among his friends and neighbors. His wife’s father, the grand father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Georgia in 1775. He was a man of considerable wealth and prominence, who entered a large tract of land in this county, which he purchased through the influence of General Price, at twenty-five cents an acre. He died in Monroe county, October 27, 1859. It. A. Carter received his education in the common schools of this county and later attended some of the Aberdeen schools. Although very young at the outbreak of the Civil war, he became a soldier in 1804, at sixteen years of age, and was in active duty about twelve months, remaining with his company until the close of the struggle, and returning home in May, 1805. He served in company A of the Second Mississippi regiment, under Colonel Morphis. After the war he was engaged in farming till 1809, when he embarked in the mercantile business at Rees’ store, which he has since continued in connection with his agricultural operations. He has served one term as justice of the peace, and in 1S80 and 1881 represented his county in the Mississippi legislature. This latter honor was conferred upon him by the voluntary act of the people at large, for he was never an officesoeker, as was proven by the fact that he declined a second nomination. In 1870 he married Miss Martha L. Golightly of Monroe county, who was born in Alabama. They have had five children: Frank D., Mary A., Katie L., Lena, and one who died in infancy. The eldest, Frank D., is in Memphis, Tenn., finishing his education, and all are bright and intelligent young people, who promise in time to take a high position in social and business circles. Mary A. is especially noted as a fine musician, who, if she lives, will graduate in music before the close of the present year. Mr. Carter is a member of the Masonic order, having for some years been connected with the Masonic lodge at Caledonia. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. [Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891.]