Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Walter Carter
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
WALTER F. CARTER, Justice of the Peace at Clay Center, has entered upon an hon�orable and worthy career, being a man still young in years, and one who has made many friends during his sojourn in Northern Kansas. He was born in Franklin, Tenn., Oct. 12, 1854, and lived there until the spring of 1870, being then in the sixteenth year of his age. His father, Moscow B. Carter, was horn at the same homestead as his son, and still owns and occupies the property which dur�ing war times was the battle-ground of Hood and Thomas, and a view of which appears in the illu�strations comprising Harpers' War Series.
The father of our subject was born Dec. 5, 1825 and reared to man's estate in his native place. There also he was married to Miss Callie D. Dob�bins. There were born to them four children, only three of whom are living, namely: Hugh E., a resi�dent of Clay Center; Lena, Mrs. Gillespie, of Franklin, Tenn., and Walter F., our subject. The mother departed this life at the old home in 1860. The father carried on farming there from his boy�hood up. After the battle above spoken of, the house was used as a hospital, when Walter F. was a boy of about ten years.
In the spring of 1870 young Carter repaired to Nashville, Tenn., and entered a publishing house to learn the printer's trade. He remained there four years, then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, to at�tend a commercial school six months. At the ex�piration of this time he was engaged as clerk in a hotel two years. Upon the 5th of March, 1877, the day of the inauguration of President Hayes, the 4tb being Sunday, he started for Kansas, and coming directly to Clay Center, established himself in the grocery business, which he followed for six years. In the meantime he became prominent in local affairs, and evinced such adaptability for legal business, that he was elected Clerk of the Dis�trict Court in November, 1882, qualifying in January following. He held this position two years, and then, being a Democrat in a Republican county, was defeated for the second term. In the spring of 1885, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and has been re-elected each term since. His well-equipped office is centrally located in the Dittmar Block, where he transacts an extensive and lucrative busi�ness.
Miss Maria T. Martin, of Cincinnati, became the wife of our subject on the 1st of September, 1876. Mrs. Carter was a native of New Hampshire, and was born in February, 1856. Her parents removed to Cincinnati when she was quite young, and there she was reared to an interesting womanhood. Mr. and Mrs. Carter are the parents of two children, Bert C. and Alma C. As a Knight Templar, Mr. Carter has held the office of Recorder of Coronado Com�mandery for the past seven years, having passed through all the subordinate orders of Masonry; he is also connected with the I. O. O. F. He is a man of unquestioned ability, and is highly spoken of by his townspeople.