A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 1023-1025
Alfred W. Carter, an old soldier and retired farmer of Liberty Township, but now residing in Plainfield, Guilford Township, Hendricks County, Ind., descends from a very old American family. Edward Carter, his grandfather, was a native of Virginia, but emigrated to Kentucky, when a small boy, in company with his father, and settled in Lincoln County. He there spent many years of useful life and then emigrated to Missouri, where he ended his days. John Carter, father of Alfred W., was born in Lincoln County, Ky., in 1802, was always a farmer, but also a shoemaker, and in fact a good mechanic with all tools. He married Martha Alford, born in 1808, daughter of John and Nancy (Hunter) Alford, who came from Virginia. By this married John Carter became the father of the following children: Gabriel A., Aflred W., Martha A., John E., Nancy C., Emeline, James E., and William N. Mr. and Mrs. John Carter were married in Lincoln County, Ky., where they spent the remainder of their lives, having from almost nothing accumulated a 100-acre farm. In politics Mr. Carter was a Whig; the mother was a member of the Christian Church, which the other always aided. The death of the father took place in February, 1864, and that of the mother, in October, 1876.
Alfred W. Carter, our subject, was born in Lincoln County, Ky., April 18, 1833, and was reared a farmer. He attended the rude, uncouth old log school-house of the pioneer fathers, and was first married, November 6, 1856, to Mary J. Short, daughter of Young and Elizabeth (Stephenson) Short, of Virginia. This union was made happy by the birth of the following children, in the order named: Elizabeth A., Warren Y., Lucy A., Dora F. and Lawrence E. Mrs. Carter died May 12, 1867, a worthy member of the Christian Church. Mr. Carter was next married, May 5, 1868, to Margaret J. Hamilton, widow of Peter S. Hamilton, daughter of Peter and Indiana (Drury) De Mott, and there was born to this union one child, Nellie G. The second Mrs. Carter was called away November 20, 1878. She was also a member of the Christian Church. The third marriage of Mr. Carter was with Nancy J. Lewallen, widow of Charles R. Lewallen and daughter of William and Susanna (Williams) Hammonds, of North Carolina. Her grandfather, George Hammonds, married Mary Guinn, and they settled and entered land in Morgan County, Ind. Her father, son of the above George Hammonds, was only eighteen years of age when he married, in Hendricks County, Miss Williams, and there were born to him the following children: Sarah M., Nancy J., Jessie G., Mary E., Margaret P., Hannah M., Elzine E., Martha B., Henry W., Irena and Ida. One child, Mabel, now at school, has been born to A.W. Carter and his third wife. A.W. Carter commenced his career in this county a young man of determination, with a capital of one dollar and thirty-five cents, but now owns a farm of 175 acres, improved with a brick farm residence and a good barn, and the soil in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Carter is a stanch Republican in politics, and has been assessor of Liberty Township five years, and also land appraiser. He has also been appointed administrator of a large number of estates, his business ability being fully recognized. All his family belong to the Christian Church except his youngest daughter, and when he moved from Liberty Township had been elder twenty-five years.
The war experience of Mr. Carter was long and varied. He enlisted, August 12, 1862, in Company C, Seventieth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, under Gen. Benjamin Harrison, and took part in the campaigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. He fought at Russellville, Ky., and at Resaca was on the main line of action. Here this regiment made an assault and captured a rebel battery, losing ten men, killed and wounded, out of forty-one in his company, and he, also, was slightly wounded by a spent ball, and likewise found that a bayonet had punctured his pants and stocking; he fought at Cassville, and at New Hope Church, and was on the skirmish line on the Marrietta Road. Later his regiment was sent to investigate a rebel skirmish line, and found twelve masked cannon; here fifty-one men were soon killed and wounded. That night Mr. Carter was sent out with six men on picket (our subject being corporal), and took up a position, and had to remain all next day and part of the night, as he could not escape nor be relieved, and was all this time without food; he was also at Lost Mountain, and at Kenesaw Mountain, where his regiment was on the right wing; at Marietta he was taken sick and confined in hospital for a time; on recovery he rejoined his regiment, near Wilmington, N.C., but, not being able to march, by order of the regimental surgeon, was sent back to Washington and joined a regiment near by, in Maryland. He was honorably discharged, June 5, 1865, and is now a member of Jesse Ogden Post, G.A.R., at Danville. He is also a dormant member of the Odd Fellows, and holds a position in the esteem of his fellow-citizens that is enviable in the extreme. Mr. Carter has recently erected a handsome, modern frame dwelling on one of the principal residence streets of Plainfield, and here enjoys the society of his numerous friends, to whom he dispenses a liberal hospitality.