Frederick Cassander Carter was born on December 22, 1839, in Champion, New York. He was the son of Asa Barnes Carter (b.1806-d.1864) and Sheloma (Thompson) Carter (b.1842-d.1932). He grew up in the town of Champion.148
During the U.S. Civil War, Carter joined the Union Army. He served from August 15, 1862, to June 23, 1865 and was a private in the 10th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment.149 After the War, he returned to Champion, New York, and became a farmer.
In 1866, he married Eliza E. (Graves) Carter (b.1842-d.1932). They had four sons: Asa B. Carter (b.1868-d.1891), Fred Lee Carter (b.1871-d1900), Milton Grover Carter (b.1873-d.1965), and Leon Thompson Carter (b.1878-d.1945).150
F.C. Carter had been involved with the Republican Party in the earlier part of his life, before joining the Prohibition Party in the 1880s.151 In 1886, he became the local chairman of the Prohibition Party in Champion and ran as a Prohibition Party candidate for inspector of elections.152 In 1887, he ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for Town Assessor. He went up against F.H. McNitt, who was nominated by both the Republican and Democratic Parties. He won with 257 votes against 248 for F.H. McNitt.153
Following 1887, F.C. Carter continued to move forward in his professional life and continued being an active member of his community. In 1890, Carter participated in a meeting of farmers in Jefferson County, looking to support the run of a pro-farmer candidate for state assembly in Jefferson County’s 1st Assembly District.154 Carter continued to make a living as a farmer.155
By 1903, he had also gotten into the business of selling automobiles. In that year, he was in charge of the display for the Conrad Motor Vehicle Company at an event in Buffalo, New York.156 By 1909, Carter was involved in running a cheese factory in Champion.157
By 1914, Carter was involved with the E.B. Steele G.A.R. Post in Carthage, New York.158 The G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) was a social organization for those who had served in the Union Army during the Civil War.159 He was listed as the chaplain of the E.B. Steele Post in 1914 and 1917.160
Carter was significantly involved as a member of the Grange. The Grange was an organization that sought to promote the interests of farmers through various means including providing social networks for farmers, providing education about farming practices, promoting the development of markets, campaigning to lower the cost of storing and transporting farmers’ products, and promoting the passage of pro-farmer legislation.161
Carter was involved with the Grange at least as early as 1893.162 He was significantly involved in both the local Grange in Champion and the Jefferson County Grange organization. He held a variety of leadership positions in the local and county Granges: such as inspector, fire director, steward, and chairman of the Champion Grange, and assistant steward and steward in the Jefferson County Grange.163 He participated in local Grange discussions about farming and economics related topics. For instance, in 1900, he participated in a Grange discussion on what system of taxation would be best for ensuring property owners pay their fair share of government expenses.164 He was a delegate to the annual meetings of the New York State Grange in 1894 and 1902. At the 1902 conference, he was selected to be on the state committee on assessment and taxation.165 In 1906, he gave a speech at the county Grange, where he talked about the issue of commercially sold bags of grass seeds being contaminated with the seeds of weeds and the need to take action against the matter. During which, he suggested the idea of enlisting help from state agricultural colleges. He was then appointed to be part of a committee to look into the matter.166 He remained involved with the Grange for the rest of his life.167
F.C. Carter had spent the last years of his life as an active member of his community. He died in 1917 and was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Champion, Jefferson County, New York.168
Sources:
148 “Frederick Cassander Carter (1839-1917) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave, Accessed June 13, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/96968291/frederick-cassander-carter;
“Frederick Cassander Carter”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 12, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KD3K-291 149 “Frederick Cassander Carter (1839-1917) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave
150 “Frederick Cassander Carter (1839-1917) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave; “Frederick Cassander Carter”, FamilySearch.org; “F C Carter: New York State Census, 1865”,
FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 12, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNV-4MHR; “F C Carter: United States Census, 1880”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 12, 2021,
151 “The Caucuses: Champion”, Watertown Daily Times, (Watertown, New York), February 9, 1886, Accessed, June 10, 2021,
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168 “Frederick Cassander Carter (1839-1917) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave
-- Contributed by Jonathan Makeley
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