Elizabeth (Williams) Carter (abt. 1821 - abt. 1890)

Born about 1821 in Virginia, United States

Wife of Tobias Carter — married 16 Dec 1865 in Pike County, Alabama, United States

Descendants

Died about 1890 at about age 69 in Pike County, Alabama, United States

Biography

Elizabeth (Williams) Carter is a part of US Black heritage.

Elizabeth was born about 1821 in Virginia. She was later a slave allegedly owned by Joel Carter of Pike County, Alabama.^[1] A few days after being released from slavery, she married Tobias Carter on 16 December 1865 in Pike County, Alabama.^[2] Tobe and Betsy had several children together before they could officially get married.

In 1870 Betsy and Tobias were living in Tanyard, Pike County, Alabama with the following children:

1. Mary, 20
2. Emmett, 18
3. Ella, 17
4. Amanda, 15
5. Thomas, 14
6. Louiza, 12
7. Anna, 11
8. Alexander, 10
9. Franklin, 8
10. Georgia, 7
11. Floyd, 5
12. Sallie, 2.^[3]

In 1880 Betsy and Tobias were living in Tanyard, Pike County, Alabama with the following children in their household:

1. Louisa, 21
2. Alex, 19
3. Frank, 17
4. Georgia, 14
5. Floyd, 13
6. Sallie, 11.^[4]

In addition, two grandchildren were living with them:

1. Fanny Curtis, presumably a daughter of Amanda (Carter) Curtis
2. Puss Miller, , probably a child of Anna, who had married William Miller in January 1877.^[4]

Research notes

The elder children (from Mary to Louiza) are listed as born in Georgia. This roughly matches with slave owner Joel Carter's timeline, as he moved from Georgia to Alabama in the 1850s, probably around 1854 or 1855.

If the information (given by census) that Bets was born in Virginia is correct, it would confirm that Bets was not born a property of the Carters', but rather, that she was bought at an unknown date. This is confirmed by her name being given as Williams on at least one source. It is unclear when she was bought and if she had any children before meeting Tobe Carter (and if so, whether she was separated from them).

Sources

1. ↑ "John Lewis and Cory Booker." Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Season 1, Episode 2). PBS. 25 Mar 2012.
2. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZ9-5WJP : 4 November 2017), Tobias Carter and Betty Carter, 25 Dec 1865; citing Pike, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,033,197.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-656S-T33?cc=1438024&wc=92KN-VZQ%3A518661001%2C519267201%2C519689501 : 6 June 2019), Alabama > Pike > Tanyard, beat 6 > image 20 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4VZ-P4F : 26 August 2017), Elizabeth Carter in household of Tobias Carter, Tanyard, Pike, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district ED 147, sheet 101C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,029.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213870944/elizabeth-carter : accessed 06 October 2021), memorial page for Elizabeth “Betsy” Williams Carter (1821–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial ID 213870944, ; Maintained by Josh Richard (contributor 48962907) Burial Details Unknown.