Archie L. Carter, postmaster of Medora, Macoupin County,
and one of the best known and most popular men in Chesterfield township, was
born in this township, in 1871, and is a son of John and Rhoda (Kelsey)
Carter.
John Carter was born in 1840, also in Chesterfield township,
Macoupin County, Illinois, and was a son of Robert and Mary (Whittaker)
Carter, both of whom were born in Yorkshire, England. John Carter, the
great-grandfather of our subject, was a ship carpenter by trade and lost his
life while at work on a vessel, falling from the dock into the water. After
the death of his mother also, Robert Carter, the grandfather of our subject,
came to America and settled at Cincinnati, where he lived until 1827, and
then came to Illinois. He lived one year at Shawneetown and then went back
to Cincinnati where he married Mary Whittaker. They returned to Illinois and
located in Chesterfield township, Macoupin County, and here Mr. Carter
engaged in farming and also followed his trade of house carpenter, which he
had learned in England. The grandmother of our subject was a daughter of
English people who came to Cincinnati and in that city John Whittaker built
up a large rendering business, the products of which were tallow, glue and
other like commodities. Mrs. Carter died in 1843, aged 27 years, leaving two
children, John being the eldest. Mr. Carter married Ann Thompson, a native
of England, but a resident of Chesterfield township, Macoupin County, for
his second wife, and she was the mother of two children.
The mother
of our subject is a daughter of Robert and Henrietta (Jennings) Kelsey, the
former of whom was born in Yorkshire, England, and the latter in the city of
London. In 1840 they came to America and located first in Madison County,
Illinois, but shortly after moved to Brighton township, Macoupin County,
where they took up government land. Mrs. Kelsey still resides on this
homestead farm, at the age of 83 years, but Robert Kelsey died in 1883, in
his 65th year. Mrs. Carter is the oldest of their seven children.
Archie L. Carter obtained his education in the schools of Chesterfield and
Brighton townships, and worked on a farm his father gave him, from 1892
until the spring of 1896, carrying on general farming and stock raising
operations. In addition to superintending his farm, he fills many
engagements as public auctioneer, a business for which he is admirably
adapted, possessing a genial presence and a fund of anecdote, combined with
much natural humor. It has been said on numerous occasions that his wit
attracts more audience than the goods on sale. Since April, 1903, he has
been postmaster at Medora and thus is one of the busiest as well as one of
the most popular men of the locality.
In 1892 Mr. Carter married Eva
J. Ketchum, who is a daughter of Leonard and Jane (Hayward) Ketchum. The
Ketchum family is a pioneer one in Illinois, Ira Ketchum, a native of
Vermont, having settled in Jersey County at a very early date and died while
his grandchildren were small. His son, Leonard Ketchum, father of Mrs.
Carter, was born in 1841 in Chesterfield township, Macoupin County. Two
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Carter: Verda Marie, born January 1,
1893, died June 23, 1899; and Carl Le Roy, born May 2, 1900.
In
politics Mr. Carter is a zealous Republican. Fraternally he belongs to the
Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias. In religious belief,
he is a Baptist.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 320-321.
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