James P. T. Carter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James P. T. Carter
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|---|---|
| 2nd Secretary of Arizona Territory | |
| In office September 3, 1866 – April 14, 1869 |
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| Nominated by | Andrew Johnson |
| Preceded by | Richard Cunningham McCormick |
| Succeeded by | Coles Bashford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 30, 1822 Carter County, Tennessee |
| Died | September 29, 1869 (aged 47) Rancho San Francisco, Sonora, Mexico |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Whig/Democratic |
| Spouses |
Margaretta M. Dunn
(m. 1851–1854)Margaret Letcher
(m. 1856) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United StatesUnion |
| Branch/service | Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Unit | 2nd Tennessee Infantry Regiment 24th Brigade, Army of the Ohio |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
James Patton Taylor Carter (born July 30, 1822 – died September 28 or 29, 1869) was an important figure in American history. He was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He also served as a politician, becoming the Secretary of Arizona Territory from 1866 to 1869.
Contents
Early Life and Family
James P. T. Carter was born on July 30, 1822. He was the youngest child of Alfred Moore and Evalina B. (Perry) Carter. His birthplace was near Elizabethton in Carter County, Tennessee.
His grandfather, Landon Carter, gave his name to Carter County. The county's main town, or county seat, is named after his grandmother, Elizabeth (Maclin) Carter. James's older brother was General Samuel P. Carter.
We don't know much about James Carter's schooling. However, his letters show he could read and write well. His family owned a business that made iron. After his father died in 1850, James took over the business.
Carter married Margaretta M. Dunn on August 5, 1851. They had one son, William A. Carter. After his first wife passed away, he married Margaret Letcher.
Serving in the Civil War
The Carter family were members of the Whig Party. As the American Civil War was about to begin, James Carter strongly supported the Union. In May 1861, he was one of five people from Carter County to attend a meeting in Knoxville. This meeting was against states leaving the Union.
The next month, Carter helped Andrew Johnson travel safely to Washington D.C.. They faced danger on their journey through the Cumberland Gap. Soon after arriving in Washington, Carter went on a secret mission. His goal was to help arm Union supporters in eastern Tennessee.
In August 1861, Carter became a colonel in the 2nd Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Infantry. He fought in important battles like Mill Springs and Murfreesboro. He also took part in chasing John Hunt Morgan.
On July 15, 1863, Carter became a brigade commander in the XXIII Corps. During the war, he was slightly hurt and was briefly held as a prisoner of war. Carter left the army on May 2, 1864. He felt he was no longer needed after many of his troops were captured.
After the war, Carter faced difficulties. Confederate forces had taken his property, leaving him with little money. He was also in poor health.
Life in the American West
After the war, Carter decided to move west. He hoped the change would improve his health and his financial situation. In January 1866, he asked President Johnson to make him Governor of Montana Territory. Many people, including politicians from Kentucky and Tennessee, supported his request.
Carter did not become governor of Montana. Instead, he was offered the job of Secretary of Arizona Territory. He accepted this offer on April 10, 1866.
Moving to Arizona
In June 1866, Carter, his wife, and son traveled to Panama. After crossing the land, they took a ship to California. They arrived in Prescott, Arizona Territory on September 3. Carter was sick when he arrived, but he quickly got better.
The 3rd Arizona Territorial Legislature met a month after he arrived. As Secretary, Carter was in charge of swearing in the members of the House of Representatives. After the meeting, the lawmakers thanked Carter for his excellent work.
Governor Richard Cunningham McCormick left for California on December 9, 1866. Carter went with him for part of the trip. He returned to Prescott in February 1867 to serve as acting governor. During this time, he explored northern Arizona. This included a long trip along the Colorado River in April 1867.
Carter had planned to take time off at the end of 1867. He wanted to handle his father-in-law's estate. However, his plans changed. The 4th Arizona Territorial Legislature decided to move the capital to Tucson. Carter became responsible for moving all the government offices. He sold old furniture and stoves, planning to buy new ones in Tucson. He even paid for the territorial library's shipping costs himself.
Challenges as Acting Governor
Carter visited San Francisco before going to Tucson. There, he met his wife, who had been traveling. When he arrived in Tucson in April 1868, he was recovering from injuries. He had been thrown from a buggy and was also suffering from rheumatic pains.
During the election for the territory's representative, Carter wanted a "good Democrat" to win. However, Governor McCormick won the position instead. Soon after, Carter wrote to President Johnson. He asked to be promoted to governor, but President Johnson did not act on his request. Carter became acting governor again when McCormick left the territory on December 13, 1868.
As acting governor, Carter faced a big problem. At that time, the legislature was supposed to decide how to divide itself into districts. But this job had been given to the governor. In January 1869, a judge ruled that this was against the law. This made the legality of the territorial government uncertain. Some people even refused to pay their taxes.
Carter asked the United States Congress to pass a law to fix this issue. The law was passed, but not until after Carter left office. Also, the acting governor did not call a meeting of the territorial legislature in 1869. This might have been because Carter was having more health problems. He did change the death sentence of a woman named Delore Moore. She had been found guilty of killing her husband.
Ulysses S. Grant became President of the United States on March 4, 1869. Since his friend Andrew Johnson was no longer president, Carter expected to be replaced. Carter had supported Johnson's ideas and spoken against the Republican party. Coles Bashford was appointed as the new Territorial Secretary on April 14, 1869.
Later Life and Passing
Carter stayed in the territory after leaving office. He had started some businesses in Tucson. He also owned a large part of a flour mill in Altar, Sonora, Mexico. In March 1869, he also won a government contract to provide 150,000 pounds of flour to the U.S. Army.
He left Tucson for Mexico in July 1869. He went there for health reasons and to check on his businesses. James P. T. Carter passed away on September 28 or 29, 1869. He died at Rancho San Francisco, located between Caborca and Puerto Libertad, Sonora.
Images for kids
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Rank insignia for a Union Army colonel
