Marty and Karla Grant

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Samuel Carter (1733-1804) and Mary Barnes of Chester and Delaware Co., PA, Orange and Chatham Co., NC.

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Samuel and Mary Carter are my 7 times Great Grandparents.

Reference the book Those Who Were and Would be Named Carter The First 300 Years in America (1682-1982), Charles Marcus Liddell, II. 1982; 2 Vols. This title is currently available from the Mars Hill University book store.

Also reference the book Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Volume I, North Carolina, William Wade Hinshaw, 1969.

Samuel Carter was born 26 Dec 1733 in Chester Co., PA (now Delaware Co., PA). This date, as well as much else about his family is recorded in the Quaker records, some of which are included in Hinshaw, mentioned above. He is a proven son of John Carter and Isabella Atkinson as named in Quaker records and John’s Will.

Samuel Carter married Mary Barnes sometime before 16 Apr 1757 in Chester Co., PA (now Delaware Co., PA). Apparently they married outside of the church, despite both being Quakers:

 

William Lewis to read Mary Carters acknowledgment for her disorderly proceeding in marriage and return it to next meeting. (Kennett Monthly Meeting 16^th day of 4^th month 1757 (16 Apr 1757)).

Mary returned to the church, but Samuel didn’t for quite a few years.

 

The friends of Chester brought a Complaint against Samuel the son of John Carter for marrying out of the unity of friends by a Priest. That the have dealt with him from time to time to have convinced him of his error but hat proved inefectual. Samuel Sharpless and Thomas Pilkington are appointed to deal further with him and to endeavor to bring him to a sense of his transgression and to make report thereof at next meeting. (Chester Monthly Meeting dated 27^th day of 6^th month 1757, (27 Jun 1757)).

Their oldest son (William) was supposedly born 6 Feb 1757, so if that is correct, it means Samuel and Mary likely married at least nine months before then, so early May 1756 or before.

Mary Barnes was born 17 Sep 1734 in Chester Co., PA, a child of Brinsley Barnes and Elizabeth Lindley. (Hinshaw, p. 347 and original Cane Creek Monthly Meeting records.)

Apparently the Carters left Pennsylvania a year or two after marriage and stopped in Rockingham Co., VA for about two years, then on to what was then Orange Co., NC by ca 1763.

Samuel Carter was named in his father’s Will dated 19 Jun 1760 in Chester Co., PA.

Samuel Carter was named in his brother Joseph’s Will dated 14 May 1765 in Chester Co., PA.

On 26 Aug 1766, Brinsley Barnes deeded 150 acres on Rocky River to Samuel Carter. I didn’t find the original of this, but it was referenced in a 1784 deed when Samuel sold the same land to his son John Carter. (Chatham Co., NC Deed Book C, pp. 136-137).

On 20 Oct 1770, George Hobson Junr, Wheel Right of Orange Co., NC, made a deed to Samuel Carter, Black Smith of same place, for fifty pounds proclamation money. The land was in a Fork of Rocky River, Stephen Hobson’s and William Henderson’s corner, being 150 acres. George Hobson Junr signed the deed. Witnesses were John Law, James Barnes, and Philip Siler. (Orange Co., NC Deed Book 3, pp. 586-587).

George and Stephen Hobson were also Quakers. Stephen was married to Anne Barnes, sister of Mary Barnes Carter. James Barnes was their brother.

The North Fork of Rocky River rises in eastern Randolph county and flows into Alamance, then turns south into Chatham County joining the Rocky River. The main Rocky River also rises in Randolph county, and flows eastward into Chatham, then south easterly traversing most of the county before joining the Deep River. I don’t know where his land was exactly, but he did have a Mill there on the river.

On the 12^th day of the 2^nd month of 1775, Samuel Carter was received by the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting upon his request. Took him nearly 20 years to get back in. Perhaps he didn’t want to until then.

Cane Creek Meeting is in present day Alamance Co., NC, but in the 1760s and 1770s was in Orange Co., NC. It is now near the present Orange and Chatham county lines, so members may have lived in any of those three counties, though all was Orange County until Chatham was formed in 1771, and Alamance in 1849.

On 3^rd day of 6^th month, 1780, John and Edward Carter were received by Cane Creek Monthly meeting, having a “one half” birth right. These were sons of Samuel and Mary. I’m not sure why it was “one half” unless one parent or the other was out of the church again. In 1784, Elizabeth and Samuel, children of Samuel and Mary were received. Both being named, suggests they were both back in the church. Later that same year, Samuel and Mary’s children Mary and Margaret were received. I didn’t find such records for the two youngest children, Robert and Mordecai, though both were years listed later when they were dismissed for marrying non Quakers.

Chatham County was formed from the southern part of Orange County in 1771. The Carters fell into the new county.

On 6 Feb 1784, Samuel Carter, Black Smith of Chatham County made a deed to “his son” John Carter, Farmer, for sixty five pounds. It was described as on Rocky River and part of a tract granted to Brinsley Barnes 6 Jun 1761 for 640 acres [that’s the original acreage]. The land being conveyed by Barnes to Samuel Carter by deed dated 26 Aug 1766 for 150 acres. It mentions John Barnes’ land. Samuel Carter signed. Witnesses were David Vestal, Stephen Hobson and Nathan Vestal. (Chatham Co., NC Deed Book C, pp. 136-137).

On 5 May 1785, Mathew Jones of Chatham made a deed to Samuel Carter for five pounds for land on the south side of the South Fork of the Rocky River, joining Samuel Carter, David Fox, Jonathan Esary and Robert Howell, being 29 acres. Mathew Jones signed. Witnesses were W. Vestal and Jonathan Esary. (Chatham Co., NC Deed Book C, p. 493.)

On 5 Aug 1785, Robert Howel, Wainright of Chatham, made a deed to Samuel Carter, Blacksmith, of the same place, for Four pounds for land on “The Fork of Rockey River.” The land joined Samuel Carter’s land, being two acres. Robert Howel signed. Witneses were T.? Hill, and Jonathan Esary. (Chatham Co., NC Deed Book D, pp. 12-13).

Samuel Carter is listed on the 1790 census in Chatham Co., NC. The census was alphabetical, but within communities. He is listed in the same group with John Carter (son), and Isaac Carter (nephew).

1790 Census - Chatham County, North Carolina

Page	Name	Males 16+	Males under 16	Females	Others	Slaves
12/210	Saml Carter	3	2	2	~	~

Enumerations                                         Who it might be

3m 16+ (before 1774)                           1. Samuel Carter (1733)

                                                                  2. Son?

                                                                  3. Samuel Carter (1772) son

2m under 16 (1774/1790)                    1. Robert Carter (1774) son

                                                                  2. Mordecai Carter (1777) son

2f (before 1790)                                     1. Mary Barnes Carter (1734) wife

                                                                  2. Elizabeth Carter (1769) daughter

There are two Samuel Carters listed on the 1800 census in Chatham Co., NC, but neither seems a great match for our Samuel. The second one is probably Samuel (Jr) 1772. The first one might be our Samuel (1733) if both he and Mary are enumerated in the wrong column.

1800 Census, Chatham Co., NC, p. 215/320, Samuel Carter, 22210-21010-0-0

They are next to John Carter (bef 1755) and two houses from Stephen Hobson, brother-in-law, and other known neighbors for our Samuel Carter (1733).

1800 Census, Chatham Co., NC, p. 218/323, Samuel Carter, 10010-10010-0-0

Seeing that our Samuel was about 66 or 67 at the time of the 1800 census, it’s certainly possible he and Mary were residing with one of their married children, and thus not listed as the head of household.

Samuel Carter made his Will on 3^rd day of the 11^th month 1802 (3 Nov 1802) in Chatham Co., NC. He named:

∙           my sons John and Samuel Carter as my executors

∙           my sons Samuel and Mordecai Carter

∙           my wife Mary

∙           my son Robert Carter

∙           my children:

∙           John Carter

∙           Edward Carter

∙           Mary Butler

∙           Margaret Stubbs

∙           Elizabeth Vestal

Samuel Carter signed the Will. Witnesses were Nathan Dixon, Thomas Hadley and Benjamin Vestal.

It was proven in Nov 1804 court, meaning he had died by then. I have 6 Sep 1804 as his death date, but I don’t know the original source for it.

Mary Barnes Carter lived to be 88, dying on 6 Sep 1823 (what is the source for this?) I didn’t find her listed on the 1810 or 1820 census as a head of household. She was probably residing with one of her children.

I couldn’t help but note that a Mary Carter is listed in the Quaker records as having been dismissed from the church (Cane Creek Monthly Meeting) on 6 Sep 1823. This is the same date our Mary allegedly died. Could some earlier researcher have misread this as her death date? Or is the transcription of the record wrong, and it is her death date instead? Deaths weren’t normally recorded in that particular set of records. I haven’t seen the original record, only Hinshaw’s published version, so I don’t know if something was misread.

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Children

Samuel and Mary have eight proven children as named in the Quaker records and his Will. Another child, a son William, appears to have died young, but I don’t know the proof that he is their son.

This family record is given on page 347 in Hinshaw (Cane Creek Monthly Meeting):

Samuel Carter, s. John & Isabell, b. 12-26-1733, Ashtown Tp. Pa.

             Mary Carter, dt. Brinsley & Elizabeth Barns, b. 9-17-1734.

             Ch: John b. 4-6-1759. (D. 9-25-1844, p. 3-D)

             Elizabeth b. 6-17-1769.

             Samuel b. 1-24-1772.

             Robert b. 9-29-1774.

             Mordeca b. 5-27-1777.

The original record shows the same, though not quite verbatim, but includes a several line gap between children John and Elizabeth, probably indicating there were other children left out, which indeed there were three missing. Two were probably left out because they had been dismissed from the Quaker church for having married outside the church. The third, Margaret, was left out for some other reason. All three of those were listed in other Quaker records.

 

1.         William Carter (1757-?). Liddell includes this son, but offers no proof for him. There is a full birth date of 6 Feb 1757 and that he died in infancy (no date). Where does that come from? I didn’t find him in the Quaker records, but I could have easily missed it.

 

2.         John Carter (1759-1844) married Jane Brown, daughter of Daniel Brown, in 1781. John is a proven child of Samuel by his 1802 Will and by Quaker records.

 

3.         Edward Carter (1761-1838) married 1) Mary Brown, daughter of Joseph Brown, in 1781, and 2) Isabella Gross in 1835. Edward is proven by both Quaker records and Samuel’s 1802 Will. Edward and Mary are my ancestors. See their own page for more information.

 

4.         Mary Carter (1763-aft 1810) married Bales Butler. She is a proven child of Samuel by his 1802 Will as well as Quaker records.

 

5.         Margaret Carter (1766-aft 1805) married Isaac Stubbs in 1784. She is a proven child of Samuel by his 1802 Will as well as Quaker records.

 

6.         Elizabeth Carter (1769-aft 1810) married 1) — Madon, 2) John Vestal in 1795, and 3) Peter Dicks in 1810. She is a proven child of Samuel by his 1802 Will as well as Quaker records.

 

7.         Samuel Carter (1772-1844) married 1) Rachel Kemp in 1795, and 2) Edith Newlin in 1805. He is a proven child of Samuel by his 1802 Will as well as Quaker records.

 

8.         Robert Carter (1774-1834). He is a proven child of Samuel by his 1802 Will as well as Quaker records.

 

9.         Mordecai Carter (1777-aft 1815) married 1) Anne Coxe and 2) Sarah —. He is a proven child of Samuel by his 1802 Will as well as Quaker records.

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For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for Samuel Carter.

Revised: January 21, 2025

Copyright © 1996-2025 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

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