First...my apologies for laughing. A "William Carter" has also been my brick wall. I have found all of his descendants, but can't seem to find who his parents were. Hang in there...I and cousins have resorted to DNA testing to sort this out. Perhaps that will be the route for you as well. -----Original Message----- >From: RAGANJE@aol.com >Sent: May 11, 2006 3:31 PM >To: CARTER-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [CARTER-L] WILLIAM CARTER > >I rue the day I discovered that my great grandfather's name was WILLIAM >CARTER because there are virtually no Carter lines that don't have several >William Carter's in them. I know almost nothing about mine and that makes >searching nearly impossible for such a common name. Perhaps someone can help. > >WILLIAM CARTER married MARY ELIZABETH (LIZZIE) CARTER on Aug. 3, 1886, in >Shelby City, Boyle Co., KY. Mary is shown in the 1880 census at age 14 yrs >living with her parents, James and Mary Duncan in Boyle Co., KY. In the 1900 >census she is listed as a widow living with her own children in Boyle Co., KY., >and living next door to her father, James T. Duncan, also a widower. > >The marriage certificate states that William Carter and J. T. Duncan were >listed as the principal and surety for the marriage of William and Lizzie. I >am assuming that the principal, William Carter, would be Lizzie's husband's >father as J. T. Duncan is Lizzie's father. Unfortunately we have another >William. No middle names are known although my grandmother is known to have said >she thought her father's name might have been Edward. Perhaps she is >remembering his middle name. She stated that he died when she was very young and >she couldn't remember. I have no knowledge of WILLIAM CARTER's parents, where >he was from, when he was born, or when he died although it appears he died >prior to the 1900 census. > >I have personally searched the library in Frankfort, KY, where all >genealogical records for that state seem to be filed, I have visited Boyle County and >the surrounding territory, and I have attempted to search known grave sites >of family members (found at the Frankfort library) for WILLIAM's gravesite. >All I have found is that the cemeteries are completely overgrown and >inaccessible, the records either burned or are not available. WILLIAM is my brick >wall as several distant cousins who I have found via this message board have not >been able to find him either. If anyone out there could link me up to this >particular WILLIAM CARTER I would be grateful. > >I enjoy reading about all the Carters in surrounding states but only once >have I found any family in Kentucky. This state doesn't seem to have attracted >as many Carters as the southern and midwest states. How did William's >family get to Kentucky? What branch did they descend from? How do you search for >someone with such a common name when you have nothing to go on? If only >there was an 1890 census to place William on an actual census record I might be >able to learn more about his parents and their birthplaces or even William's >birthplace! > >Thanks for your help, Judy Ragan, Simi Valley, CA >