CARTER - COLONIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATE - Virginia CARTER, JOHN SR., was the first of the well known Virginia family of that name to come from England. He settled in Upper Norfolk which he represented in the house of burgesses in March 1642-43. He was a burgess for Nansemond in Oct., 1649 and for Lancaster from 1654 to 1660. He was justice in Lancaster in 1653 and, at the division of the county on Dec. 13, 1656, he was appointed presiding justice and colonel commandant of Lancaster. In Nov., 1654, the assembly directed that an attack be made upon the Rappahanock Indians and that Maj. John Carter be appointed commander-in-chief. He was elected to the council on March 13, 1657-58, but was not sworn until the assembly adjourned. On March 8, 1659, Gov. Matthews issued an order to the sheriff of Lancaster to arrest col. John Carter "for contempt of the late commission of Government sent out by his Highness (Cromwell) and the lords of the Council, to appear before the Governor and Council at Jamestown." He was one of the commissioners appointed in 1663, by the govenor of Virginia to confer with the commisioners from Maryland as to a restriction of tobacco planting. He was a vestryman of Christ Church Parish in Lancster and the original church there was built under his direction. the present edifice, one of the finest specimens of colonial architecture standing, was built by the councillor's son, Robert Carter. He died on the 10 of June 1669, as stated on his tomb in Christ Church. CARTER, EDWARD, Lieut. Col. Edward Carter was a burgess for Upper Norfolk in March 1657-58, and again in the following year. He was a councillor in 1659 and seems to have held his seat in the council until 1667, when his name appears as present at a session. He returned, however, to his home "Edmondton," Middlesex county, England, where he died in 1682. CARTER, ROBERT, president of the council and acting govenor from the death of Drysdale, July 22, 1726, till the arrival of William Gooch about October, 1727, was born in Virginia in 1663, son of Colonel John and Sarah (Ludlow) Carter. His father had been prominent in the colony as lieutenant- colonel, burgess and councillor. His mother was a daughter of Gabriel Ludlow, a newphew of General Edmund Ludlow, one of Gromwell's generals. Robert Carter was for many years the agent of Lord Fairfax, the proprietor of the Northern Neck grant. He was treasurer of the colony, speaker of the house of burgesses 1694-99, and member of the council for twenty-seven years (1699-1726). He became president of the council, and as such succeeded as acting govenor. His great possessions earned him the name of "King" Carter. His residence was in Lancaster county, at Corotoman, on the Rapahannock river, and there is still standing nearby a church that he built shortly before his death, which occurred August 4, 1732. His splendid tomb in a rather shattered condition is still to be seen in the yard of the church. He was twice married, first to Judith, eldest daughter of John Armistead, Esq., a member of the council, and (second) to Elizabeth Willlis, daughter of Thomas Landon, of an ancient family in Hereford county, England. By these wives he had numerous children, who have many influential descendants in Virginia and the south. CARTER, ROBERT JR., son of Robert Carter of "Nomini Hall," Westmoreland county, Virginia, and grandson of Col. Robert Carter, of "Corotoman," Lancaster county, Virginia was born in 1728, and inherited large possessions of lands and houses in Virginia and Maryland. He removed in 1761 from Westmoreland to Williamsburg, where he had a fine residence. In 1764 he was made a member of the council, and in 1772 returned to his country seat at "Nomini Hall." Like a few of the other wealthy men of Virginia, he did not approve of separating from England, but when independence was declared he threw in his future with his native land. After the revolution, he freed many of his slaves, and changed his religion several times. On this account he has been referred to as the "Eccentric Robert Carter, of "Nomini Hall." but he was a man of great culture, possessed one of the finest libraries in America, and was the author of many noble deeds of kindness. He married Frances anne Tasker, youngest daughter of Hon. Benjamin Tasker, of Maryland, and left issue. CARTER, JOHN, was the eldest son of Robert Carter of "Corotoman," Lancaster county. He was a student at the Middle Temple and, in 1722, was a barrister at law at the Inns of Court. On June 23, 1722, Spotswood wrote to the lords of trade recommending "Mr. John Carter, eldest son of one of the council, and barrister at law in the Middle Temple, and a native of Virginia" for the position of solicitor of Virgnia affairs in England. This position was obtained by Mr. Carter and held by him until the next year, when being appointed to the office of secretary of state of Virginia, he returned there. On Nov. 1, 1723, Gov. Drysdale recommends the then secretary to fill a vacancy in the council. His father was already a councillor and if the affinity of father and son was too close to be allowed, he then recommended John Grymes, the King's receiver general, though his own inclinations were for Mr. Carter. On Jan. 17, 1723-24 Lord Orkney, governor of Virginia, recommended to the lords of trade that John Carter Esq. be appointed to the council to succeed Wm. Bassett, deceased. On Jan. 23, the King made the appointment and on april 25, 1724, Carter took his seat. Not long after this Carter obtained the position of secretary, for which , as was frequently done, he is said to have paid a large price. The great power attaching to this office came under discussion during Carter's incumbency and Gov. Drysdale laid before the lords of trade the fact that the secretary had the appointment of the several county clerks and, in virture of their membership in the house of burgesses, the virtual appointment of one half of that body which would be thus largely devoted to his interests. He expressly stipulated that he was not reflecting upon the actions of the present secretary, but merely deired to lay before then this great change from the ancient constitution. In a letter dated Jan. 22, 1726-27, to the Duke of Newcastle, Carter defends his own actions in the matter. Carter seems to have been a regular attendant a the meetings of the council until 1741. His death occurred April 30, 1743. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY, Vol. l Colonial Councillors of State