52 Ancestors #27 - Edward Mellen Carter

The Lewiston Daily Sun - July 24, 1923

CARTER INJURED HERE SUNDAY NIGHT DIES

Bethel Man Hit by Auto on State Road Succumbs From Internal Injuries

Well Known in Bethel Where He Was Engaged in Lumbering Business With Father

Edward Carter, aged 43, of Bethel died at Ste. Marie's hospital yesterday morning from injuries sustained when he jumped from a wagon on the Lisbon-Lewiston road about midnight Sunday directly into the path of an automobile owned and operated by Harry S. Morton of Brunswick. Mr. Carter was driving a four horse team when he jumped to the ground intending to fix something in the rear of the conveyance. He evidently was unaware that a machine was approaching. 

County Attorney James A. Pulsifer and Dr. Blinn Russell, county medical examiner, investigating the cause of death stated that they were were satisfied that the accident was in no sense the fault of the driver of the fatal car but largely attributable to fate and the victim's negligence in not ascertaining if the road was clear before jumping from his perch on the wagon. 

Mr. Carter who has for several years been identified with his father, Augustus Carter, of Bethel in the lumbering business in Maine, New Hampshire and Canada has recently been engaged in road construction work. He was so employed at the time of the accident driving one of two four horse teams over the State road on his way to Lewiston. 

He was born in Bethel March 26, 1875, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Carter. In early life he married Miss Fannie Capen, who, with five children, also his father, one sister, Miss Frances Carter, and an uncle Herbert Carter, all of Bethel, survive him. Mr. Carter's father gave up business about a year ago since which time the son had been employed in road work part of the time.

Edward Carter was my great-grandfather. His wife, Fannie, never remarried and raised her five children as a single mother. The children were Edward Augustus (Gus) age 12, Rebecca Williamson (Becky) age 10, Thomas Richard (Dick) age 8, Stanley Capen age 5, and Paul Albert age 1. 

Newspaper accessed at 

Google News Archive

The Homefront

Google News Archive can turn up interesting finds about your ancestors. I found this blurb about my great-grandmother, Annie (Gibbs) Cotton. I wish she was still alive so I could ask her what she actually did as a neighborhood group leader. I love the artwork of the war posters so I thought I would include a few that target the efforts of those on the homefront.

The Lewiston Daily Sun - Feb. 26, 1943

Neighborhood Group Leaders, Mechanic Falls

Mechanic Falls - Mrs. Herberta Mitchell, chairman of the neighborhood group, has issued the names of the group leaders and their territory. These leaders' aim is to assist those in their alloted territory with authentic knowledge pertaining to the war effort and to be of such assistance as may be needed. The public will cooperate and make this organization a success by calling on their leaders when assistance is wanted:..Mitchell Street, Annie Cotton;....

Google News Archive

Obituary Sunday - Augustus Mellen Carter

The Carter Farm - Middle Intervale, Bethel, Maine

On August 17, 1923, my 2nd great-grandfather, Augustus M. Carter, died at his home at the age of 83. His son, my great-grandfather, Edward M. Carter, had been hit by a car and killed just a few weeks before. It must have been hard for my great-grandmother, Fanny (Capen) Carter to lose her husband and then her father-in-law in such a short time. I found two entries from the Google News Archive in the summer of 1923. The first notes that Augustus had fallen and broken his arm and the second is his obituary.

The Lewiston Daily Sun - Jun. 13, 1923
EAST BETHEL
...Augustus Carter of Middle Intervale had the misfortune to fall and break his arm last Friday...


The Lewiston Daily Sun - Aug. 20, 1923
AUGUSTUS CARTER
Bethel, Aug. 19 - Augustus Carter passed away Friday afternoon at his home on the Middle Intervale road. He had been in ill health for some time. He was 83 years of age. He has been quite a prominent lumber man having had charge of the buying for the Berlin Mills Co., for nearly 40 years, and had also done some logging for himself. He married Mary F. Stanley and to them two children were born, Edward M., and Frances A. Carter. The son, Edward, was hit by an auto a few weeks ago and died from the injuries. The daughter Frances has cared for her father during his long period of ill health. He was a member of the Baptist church. He is survived by his daughter, Frances, one brother, Herbert Carter, a sister, Mrs. Mary Wiley, five grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. The funeral was held from his late home Sunday afternoon, interment in the Middle Intervale cemetery.

Our family is fortunate to have a number of items belonging to Augustus Mellen Carter. I have written about his surveying work before. He also served in the Civil War and my connection to him is that I used his saddle when I was first learning to ride a horse.

 

Augustus Mellen Carter married Mary Frances Stanley.
Edward Mellen Carter married Fanny May Capen.
Thomas Richard Carter - my grandfather