Biography - James C. Carter
JAMES C. CARTER. Among the most enterprising and energetic business men
of Cypress, Illinois, James C. Carter stands well to the forefront. Mr.
Carter has had a career that has led him into various lines of endeavor at
different periods and in every instance he has achieved conspicuous success.
His grandfather, Samuel Carter, a native of Virginia, was the first of the
family to become a settler in Southern Illinois, he having brought his
family to this section in 1861. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-one
years and died in 1870. One of his sons was Jonas C. Carter, who was born in
Tennessee, married Elizabeth Buford, also a native of that state, and they
became the parents of James C. Carter, whose life this sketch briefly
outlines. He was one member of a family of nine children, but only one
brother and one sister are now living, namely, Stephen and Mrs. Ethel
Wilkinson, whose husband is deceased. One of his brothers, William L., was
accidentally killed in October, 1902, another died of a congestive chill in
1884, and a sister, Ellen, succumbed to an attack of the measles when
thirteen years old. Jonas C. Carter, the father of this family, and his wife
lived on a farm in Cache township until 1881, when they removed to a home in
Union county and are now residing on a farm there.
The birth of James C. Carter occurred July 20, 1864, in Cache township,
Johnson county, Illinois. During his boyhood James attended the district
school of his neighborhood and worked on the farm when school was not in
session, continuing thus until twenty years old. He pursued his education
further at Anna, Illinois, studying under the direction of Professor John R.
"Dean. Securing a teacher's certificate, he engaged two terms as instructor
and then entered McKendree College, and finally completed a four-year
classical course there, teaching and studying alternately.
After acquiring his college diploma Mr. Carter devoted a number of years to
continuous pedagogical work, in 1890 returning to Johnson county and
teaching there. He was principal of schools at several points at different
times during his career as a teacher, filling that position at Grand Chain,
Pulaski county, Belknap, Johnson county, in 1893, 1894 and 1895; and was
also at one time principal of Wetaugh schools in Pulaski county, continuing
there two years.
In 1898 Mr. Carter made an unsuccessful race for the office of county
superintendent of schools, and the same year received the appointment of
Cypress postmaster, attending to the duties of that office and teaching a
country school at the same time.
In the summer of 1900 Mr. Carter purchased a stock of merchandise and turned
his attention to business and discontinued school teaching as a profession.
Ill health compelled him to resign his postmastership and dispose of his
store, which he sold to Wilhelm Brothers. In 1902 he was able, however, to
renew his activity as a merchant and he re-purchased his old business and
has ever since been engaged in merchandising and various other pursuits. He
has been at all times closely identified with the growth and development of
Cypress, and has done a prosperous business in his lines, increasing its
volume to -meet the demands of an increasing population in that thriving
town. He erected a fine brick business block here in 1910, a portion of the
space in which is devoted to his five thousand dollar stock of merchandise.
Previous to locating in the new building Mr. Carter suffered the loss by
fire of his entire store stock, valued at seven thousand dollars.
In addition to this business he is the owner of several other fine
properties, including a considerable acreage of real estate. He possesses a
fine residence in the west part of town, has a farm of one hundred and
sixty-three acres west of Cypress and another, containing one hundred acres,
east of town. He devotes a portion of his time to superintending the raising
of fine stock on his farms, including horses and hogs, and also owns a
valuable herd of Hereford cattle. His industrial holdings include a sawmill
for the manufacture of commercial lumber. Mr. Carter is an expert in timber
and lumber matters, it having been when teaching school that he first became
interested in timber and land, by trading in which he secured the funds that
went for the purchase of his first store.
While giving personal attention to his many business interests Mr. Carter
has yet found time to perform his full duty as a citizen and at times as a
public official. He was elected a member of the board of county
commissioners in 1904, and continued to serve in that capacity until
December, 1910. He was elected to that office on the Republican ticket, and
proved to be an exceedingly efficient man for the office.
The Methodist church counts Mr. Carter as among one of its most devoted and
influential members. He is also a lodge man of prominence, belonging to the
Modern Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
The marriage of Mr. Carter occurred in 1887, when he took as his wife Miss
Minnie Mowry, of Johnson county, daughter of John and Nancy Mowry. They have
a family of three children, the eldest, a son, being a young man of
twenty-two years; Ray C., nineteen years of age, and Fay, a daughter, aged
fifteen years.
Mr. Carter is a citizen of the highest type, the weight of whose influence
in all matters of moral and civic import is always found on the right side.
He is a man of superior attainments, true to every trust, public or private,
and enjoys the admiration and respect of friends and associates in every
walk in life.
Extracted 14 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 765-767.
