My father, Arthur Eugene Carter, Jr, born 1929, in York, Pennsylvania, never really spent a lot of time with his father, Arthur "Pete" Eugene Carter, Sr. Dad's parents split up when dad was five, he and his brother Donnie were put in the Children's Home in York for five years. Pete lived in Baltimore, remarried, and had three children with his second wife. Pete would visit his mother, Effa Minerva Frank Messersmith in York, PA during the summer and Dad would see him sometimes. When dad turned 19 he met my mother and she insisted that he try to spend some time with his father. So he defied his mother and developed a relationship with him. But Pete didn't talk about his past. His youngest daughter, who lived with him, agreed, grandpa never talked about his childhood and young adulthood. Below is my favorite photo of him, taken in Baltimore. We do not know who the woman is with him not either of his wives).
So the first death certificate I ever ordered was Pete's. I'll never forget the day it came in the mail from the Maryland Archives. I immediately drove to my father's house and we poured over it together. After seeing his mother's name, Dad said, 'Yes, I remember, Effie Frank." It was so sad to be holding this certificate in our hands, bringing back memories of his death and funeral, but at the same time I felt closer to my grandfather, and was now bitten by the genealogy bug (a disease I have never recovered from).
Next, I ordered his Social Security Application (they were only $7 then):
Now I have his father's middle name. By luck, the Maryland Archives had indexed several years of death records and there was an Arthur John Carter, died 1943 in the index. Feeling lucky I ordered the record.
So now I had a potential grandfather for my father. Note that it was stated that Arthur John's parents, Richard Carter and Emma Bowen were both born in Maryland and that Arthur John was born in Harford County. Also, remember, the informant was his third wife.
In 1880 there are only a few Richard Carter's in the census in Baltimore.
Below is one;
4th Election District, Baltimore, Maryland, page 8, Supervisor's District 1, enumeration District 231
But he was born in Virginia. Next to find Arthur John with his mother and father. No 1890 census and there is no Arthur or John with a Richard and Emma in 1900.
In 1910 Arthur J Carter is a grandson in the home of Margaret M Bowen, widowed, married 7 years, 3 children, three living. In the same home is Emma F Gleason, boarder, 44, wd -2, married 2 years, 4 children, 4 living. They are at 290 Roland Avenue, in Baltimore. Hmm, widowed? If this is my Arthur John his wife is alive and well and living in York, Pennsylvania, USA with her first cousin, John Wesley Messersmith (having more babies, too).
Back to 1900 to see if I can find anything. Yes, he's there, but as Arthur J Sentz! (There is another Arthur J Sentz of the era that numerous family trees at ancestry.com have this record attached to incorrectly but errors in Family Trees at ancestry.com deserves, and probably has, it's own blog)
No Richard in the above entry but notice that Emma F Sentz has a boarder, Joseph A Gleason, and in 1910 she is Emma F Gleason. Arthur's birth date matches. Also, note that she is a widow.
I have researched at the Maryland Archives for a marriage of Richard Carter and Emma Bowen, a divorce, a claim for support and have paid a professional to research all with no results.
Below is Emma F Carter's marriage to James Sentz (this was included in her dirvorce):
While at the archives I found the index for this marriage which states that Emma Carter is single. When Emma marries Joseph Gleason she states she has been married two times previously.
Emma divorced James Sentz in 1907 even though she states was widowed in 1900. Of course, being deserted could make her believe he was dead. In the divorce proceedings she states that she saw him pack his belongings in a wagon and drive away. Guess she thought he died on his way back to Carroll County, Maryland, maybe the cart overturned?. (I have their entire divorce record from the archives and will be glad to share it with anyone who is interested.)
Back to 1880 to find Emma with her parents. According to her death certificate her parents are William Bowen and Margaret Tase. In 1880 there are two families with William, Margaret and Emma. With further research, based on where William and Margaret were married, where Margaret's parents lived and matching children to headstones and death certificates I was able to determine that this was my Emma:
4th Election District, Baltimore, Maryland, page 4, Supervisor's District 1, enumeration District 231 (4 pages from Ezekiel, Malinda and Richard Carter). Spending many hours pouring over the 1878 land ownership maps, obituaries and newspaper articles I have determined this is the current Oregon Ridge Nature Center in Baltimore County.
Below is one of the tenant homes currently being renovated at Oregon Ridge, photo taken in August of 2014:
Final few pieces tying this Emma Bowen Carter Sentz Gleason to my Arthur John Carter:
Funeral record transcription from William J Tickner & Sons Funeral Home (note that Leonard Sentz used one of the limos):
Burial Records at St Mary's:
Someone at findagrave.com transcribed records and do have Arthur buried in the Gleason plot. I have visited the cemetery on two separate occasions and do not find a headstone.
Arthur John Carter 1882-1944
(photo was owned by his daughter, Oda Carter Sowers, given to my by her niece, Kay Effa Grim)
Love you Kay!
Arthur J Carter's Baptism
Arthur John Carter's SS APP
Arthur John married three times and divorced twice. I also have copies of both of his divorces and will be glad to share with anyone who may be interested.
I do believe that Arthur John's father is a Richard Carter - agree? But which Richard. We'll go back to the one from Virginia, even though nothing in Arthur John's records ever states he was from Virginia. Just call it a vibe on my part.
In 2003 I had my father's Y-DNA done and, naively just knew that he would match the other Carters and I would find out who Arthur John's father was, No matches - what no matches? Out of all these Carters. Still working on the vibe I researched Richard's father, Ezekiel, to Fauquier County, Virginia and started corresponding with other researchers. No others had really followed Ezekiel, he had gone to Baltimore, while his siblings and cousins and children who left Fauquier went to Montgomery County, Maryland. Lots of information on those groups of Carters.
Then I found some church records in Baltimore County, in the area where Ezekiel lived in 1870 and 1880.
First, Ezekiel and Malinda in 1860 in Fauquier, Virginia:
Children: Albert, Mary, Silas, Frank, Martha, Mildred, Caroline, Richard, Robilla and Jennie.
Next, Ezekiel and Malinda in 1870 Baltimore County, Maryland:
Children: only Richard
At St John's Church, Reisterstown Parish in Worthington Valley, Baltimore County, Maryland I found a marriage record for John Bendermier and Revilla Carter, also Samuel J Bell and Caroline Carter. Through further research I have determined that Caroline is Ezekiel's daughter. This is a transcription of the original records that was done in 1906 and I would love to see if the marriages really took place at Alex Carter's or if perhaps it was at Ezekiel's.
From same register; John Bendemeyer, Richard Henry Carter and Sarah A Sullivan are sponsors at a baptism:
So I filed all this away, wondering if Richard married Sarah Sullivan (remember this is a transcripton. Sarah was a Melvin). There was a Sarah Carter in the 1880 census living in the home of Benjamin Worthington, with two children and she stated she was divorced.
So I worked on these daughters of Ezekiel, and also his daughter Martha, who remarried at the same church.
Patti, whose father descended from Nathaniel Gilmore Carter of Fauquier, Virginia had his Y-DNA tested and we were just certain that he would match my father. He didn't. Patti put me in touch with Bonnie Moyer who has been researching Ezekiel's father, Isaac, for years. We had her mother's cousin's Y-DNA tested and he did match my father. Also, later I had a known descendant of Ezekiel tested and he also matched my father. So Y-DNA has proven that Richard, the son of Ezekiel, is most likely Arthur John Carter's father. If not Richard, one of his brother's or cousins.
But I wasn't finished. I had no marriage record for Richard and Emma, not one piece of paper that connected them to each other, just their son's records.
Time to schedule another trip to Annapolis, Maryland. On a previous visit I had noticed a divorce for a Richard Henry Carter and I really don't know why I didn't ask for it to be pulled. So I ordered it on CD.
Starts out with papers to be served on Richard Henry Carter, 10 Sep 1878 at Chestnut Ridge which is the same area as Oregon Ridge. Returned as Richard not found.
Next is the posting in the newspaper:
Sarah E Carter vs. Richard Henry Carter for a decree of divorce date 12th October 1878:
"That they were married on about the 15th day of March 1874, that respondent was very poor and that she took her own money and purchased a small farm and did everything to make him happy and contented. The he a short time after marriage commenced to annoy her and trying to vex her in every way; That he refused to support her: That he frequently beat her and threatened to shoot her, and had it not been for others he would have shot her. That he threatened to cut her throat with a razor; and that said Richard Henry Carter resides out of the State of Maryland, but where, she does not know."
Thank goodness, this can't be my ancestor; my Richard fathered a child in the early part of 1882 in Baltimore County, and he couldn't have done that if he was out of state.
But I kept reading - it was an interesting document and after analyzing the list of witnesses I had to rethink. One witness, Howard Adams, is enumerated on the same page as Ezekiel, Malinda and Richard in 1880, while another witness, Lewis Shroyer lives next door to Ezekiel, Coincidence?
Deposition of Lewis Shroyer, 28th Jan 1881:
"1st Question: Name, residence and occupation.
Answer: Lewis Shroyer, Baltimore County, near Reisterstown, Farmer.
2nd Question: Whether of not you know Sarah E Carter and Richard Henry Carter and how long you have known them or either of them.
Answer: I know Richard Carter, have known him for 11 or 12 years. That is him there (indicating a party present) I have saw his wife, pointed out to me. Said to be his wife, but would not know her if I were to see her.
3rd Question: Did Mr Carter leave you?
Answer: Yes sir
4th Question: Why did he leave you?
Answer: Well I don't know pretty much on his own accord. The whole difficulty was on account of a girl we had living with us. Her name was Emma Bowen.
5th Question: Had you any reason to believe that here was any carnel (sic) intercourse between them?Answer: Yes, Sir
6th Question: Initially what you have seen?
Answer: I never saw anything. He's (?) young girl keeping late hours and very regular.
7th Question: Did Carter ever make any admission of any unproper conduct with her.
Answer: Not in my presence. What he done in other places I know nothing about.
8th Question: Have you any other reason to disrespect them?
Answer, Well, what I heard. My wife told me that she saw him in her room one morning, had his had on her bre*st (don't want to be flagged) and she was in bed. That's about all, I guess.
9th question: Did you ever visit houses of ill repute with Carter since his marriage; if so when and where and what occurred.
Answer: Yes sir. On North St, Baltimore City to the best of my knowledge. It has been between three and four years ago, not less than three. The best of my knowledge near four years ago. Well, we went in there and he took a girl and went out. Asked me to wait until he came down. Said he was going upstairs with the Girl. I don't know how long he stayed up stairs and with her. I didn't time him.
10th Question: Whether or not he said anything afterwards of what he done up stairs.
Answer: I don't recollect what he said.
11th Question: Did you ever visit any other houses of that kind in company with Carter?
Answer: Yes Sir, was in one. I don't recollect whether Carter was inside the door or outside. I was inside.
12th Question: You have spoken of Carter having left your house. Tell when it was and where Carter went if you know and how long he was absent.
Answer: He left my place to the best of my knowledge in November sometime 1880.
13th Question: Do you know whether or not Carter and his wife lived together as man and wife prior to June 1878?
Answer: No sir, I don't know.
14th Question: Do you know where Carter lived prior to that time.
Answer: no sir.
15th Question: Do you know anything of his Carter being married?
Answer: Yes Sir. I was in Balto with him and he asked me to go with him. He wanted to get a wedding suit. He told me afterward he was married.
16th Question: How long ago was that?
Answer: To the best of my recollection it has been between 7 and 8 years ago,"
Another witness talks about another visit to a house of ill repute. I now know more about my potential second great-grandfather than I wanted to.
The file alludes to the presence of Richard at the court but none of his responses, if there were any, are in the file.
Sarah E Melvin and (possibly) Richard Henry Carter had the following children:
Bertie Mae Carter, born about 1876 in Maryland
Addie Earl Carter, born 13 Jan 1879 in Maryland
Minnie Melvin Carter, born about 1881 in Maryland.
Sarah owned a piece of property on 9 Fremont Street but hard times befell her. In 1890 looses her three daughters temporarily for neglect, She is sent to jail for stealing a raincoat.
I have never found Sarah, nor her daughters in a family tree at any genealogy site. I would love to find a descendant of any or all of her daughters. I would pay for their autosomal DNA test. If they were to share DNA with my father, then I would be 100% that the above Richard Henry Carter is my 2nd great-grandfather.
Several years ago I received this photo from a descendant of Emma. They know it is not James Sentz so it may be Richard and they are certain it is Emma.
