Duncan Steuart Carter (1818 - 1881)

Born 10 Apr 1818 in Fauquier, Virginia

Ancestors

Died 30 May 1881 at age 63 in Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana

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Biography

Duncan Steuart Carter was born April 10, 1818 in Virginia. He was the son of Charles Carter and Ann Steuart.

Duncan, like his siblings, suffered the loss of their mother at a young age and his father seems to have had a number of difficulties following her death. His uncle, Adam Duncan Steuart, appears to have taken an active part in making sure that the Carter children were taken care of and, by 1834, Duncan is found working as a clerk for Steuart as Steuart served as the U.S. Army paymaster at the Jefferson Barracks near St. Louis, MO.

The proximity to the Mississippi river appears to have had its affect on young Duncan. The river at that time was the prime mode of transportation in the western United States and the allure of the river steamboats soon attracted Duncan. There were both adventure and money to be made by plying various trades on the river and by the 1840s, Duncan was trying his hand, first as a clerk on the riverboats and later as a pilot.

By the 1850 census, he is listed as commanding steamships and was living with other relatives in St. Louis, including the children of his brother-in-law, Lt. Hillary Hanson Rhodes who was serving in the U.S. Navy. When Rhodes's wife, Marion, died in 1844, he made D.S. Carter his children's guardian. All of them were apparently living with Duncan Carter's nephew, John F. Carter, in that city.

From 1850 on, Duncan Steuart is often in the public eye.

In May of 1851, his aunt Margaret Steuart Ashton went to court to contest the settlement of her mother's estate. Duncan was an heir to the estate in right of his mother and became a party in the suit.

In 1852 Duncan Carter teamed with William G. Bartle to form the company of Hayes, Carter & Co. upon the death of Bartles' partner, Christian Hays, of cholera. The business basically dealt in stock buying and butchering but also invested heavily in steamboat stock and had interests in some of the more important river enterprises. They also owned a large amount of the stock of the Atlantic and Mississippi Steamship line as well as held large contracts for supplying the government with cattle.

In 1852, Duncan, concerned about problem children in the neighborhood the family was living in, sent his nephew, William "Billy" Rhodes to school at a boarding school in St. Genevieve, Missouri. He detailed the decision in a letter to Billy's father, Hillary Rhodes, written on September 2, 1852.

"Billy and I started off yesterday to a very excellent school in the Mountains, forty five miles back off the Genevieve, a little town, 60 miles below this by the river. The boys in our neighborhood are very bad and I would not allow him to run out in the streets and I thought the want of exercise was doing him an injury, therefore I determined to send him to the country. The School is in a very healthy neighborhood, out of all temptation to bad habits and is patronized by many of our wealthiest citizens. The little fellow, when he first found out that he had to go, hid himself in his work shop (out in the back yard over the wood house) and when sister Judy found him, after a good hug, he was taking a hearty cry! I gave him a gold dollar for each month of the session (5 months) took him down and fitted him out with new coat, handsome boots, pantaloons, vests, etc and he had become reconciled to the trip."

In October 1853, yet another lawsuit was filed over the estate of Ann Orr Steuart, this one to force the sale of some of the land which Ann owned in the District of Columbia. Again, Duncan was a party to the lawsuit as guardian of the Rhodes children.

By the 1860 census, Duncan is living on his own.^[1]

In 1863, the firm of Hays, Carter & Co. sold out their butchering establishment but continued with large holdings in steamboat stock.^[2]

He passed away on May 30, 1881 in Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, at the home of his nephew, Shirley C. Ashby. His death was noted in an obituary in the Daily Independent in Helena on May 31, 1881.

Captain Duncan S. Carter died at 11 o'clock yesterday morning at the residence of his nephew Mr. Shirley C. Ashby, at the age of 63 years. Captain Carter for more than three years past has suffered from a second stroke of apoplexy. He came to Montana to be with his nephew, and in the hope that the change of climate would be beneficial to him. But kind attention, the best of medical skill, good nursing and everything that could be done for him were of no avail, and yesterday morning he passed peacefully away surrounded by old and highly respected citizens of St. Louis, Missouri, having resided in that city for more than thirty-five years. Since coming to Helena those who have become acquainted with him have become warmly attached to him.

The funeral will take place at 1 o'clock this afternoon from the residence4 of Mr. Ashby on Rodney street. All friends are invited to attend.^[3]

Timeline

10 April 1818 - Birth - In Virginia.

1834 - Employment - Working as a clerk for his uncle, Maj. Adam D. Steuart, U.S. Army paymaster's office at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO.

1850 - United States Federal Census - In the 1850 census Duncan is part of a household in St. Louis, Missouri, headed by John F. Carter, 29; and which also consisted of Cecelia Carter, 26; Ann O. Carter, 5; Theresa Carter, 2; Steward Carter, 27; Judith A. Carter, 40; Mary Rhodes, 16; Nancy Rhodes, 14; Catherine Rhodes, 12; William Rhodes, 9; Duncan S. Carter, 30; and Edwin L. Carter, 37.^[4]

March 5, 1851 - Lawsuit - Margaret Steuart Ashton vs. Heirs of Ann Orr Steuart - Lawsuit in Washington, D.C. over the ownership of several Washington lots held by the estate. Ashton alleged the lots had been hers and should be awarded solely to her.

October 24, 1853 - Lawsuit - Jeremiah Williams and his wife and others vs. Mary Rhodes, Nancy Rhodes, Catherine Rhodes and William Rhodes

1860 - United States Federal Census - In 1860, D. D. Carter, 45, is living in St. Louis Ward 6, St. Louis (Independent City), Missouri. He is living in a boarding house and is listed as a butcher.^[5]

May 30, 1881 - Death - at the home of his nephew, Shirley C. Ashby ins Helena, Lewis and Clark county, Montana.

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1860 United States Federal Census (jpeg image, (Online: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007), subscription database, [Digital scan of original records in te National Archives, Washington, D.C.], www.ancestry.com), Census Place: St. Louis Ward 6, St. Louis (Independent City), Missouri, Roll M653_655; Page: 0, Image: 311
2. ↑ L. U. Reavis, Saint Louis, 1876, C.L. Barnes, St. Louis
3. ↑ Daily Independent, Helena, Montana, Tuesday, 31 May 1881
4. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1850 United States Federal Census (jpeg image, (Online: The Generations Network, Inc. 2007), subscription database, [Digital scan of original records in the National Archives, Washington, D.C.], http://www.ancestry.com), Census Place: St. Louis Ward 3, St. Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: M432_416; Page: 332; Image: 112.
5. ↑ 1860 U.S. census, St. Louis (Independent City), Missouri, population schedule, Ward 4, p. 44, dwelling 107, family 164, D S Carter; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 655.