William James Carter was born on November 27, 1857 to John Henry Carter and Louisa Jane Croslin. No obit was located for James but he was almost certainly born in Williamson County on the east side. The first census record he was located on was in what was then called Saline Precinct that we today call Stonefort Township in the SE corner of the county. In the 1880 census, his 47 year old father John H. and 46 year old mother Louiza were farming and had five children in the home at the time, Samuel 25, W.J. 19, Martha 13, Enola 11 and Rufus aged 7.
On October 21, 1878, James married Barbara Ellen Groves in Crab Orchard, Ellen was born in 1861, the daughter of Richard Harris Groves and Almyra D. Cutrell. The marriage was captured in the 1900 federal census when the couple were located living in Marion with James working as a coal miner. At the time of the census, James was 42 and Ella was 39. Ella reported that the couple had birthed six children and that 4 of them were still living. Three children were living in the home at the time of the census, they were Cecil 16, Bertie 14 and Vinnie aged 11.
In June 1906, Ella left the marriage and applied for a divorce in 1907. At the time of the divorce, Ella stated that she had birthed seven children and still had two left living at home, Bertie aged 20 and Leonial aged 4. A divorce was granted in May 1907 and Ella was left with custody of the remaining children, particularly, Leonial, the youngest. She indicated that she made ends meet by letting roomers in their home.
On February 12, 1910, James once again married to Anna Amelia Davis and they were reflected in the federal census of that year. In the 1910 census, James was reported as 50 years old and Annie as 39. They were living in a home they owned free of mortgage at 624 E. Main Street. James was working as a coal miner and indicated that he had been out of work for 4 weeks out of the year so far. The couple had a 41 year old female boarder in the home who was working as a dress maker.
In 1911, James was elected as city alderman under Mayor J.H. Burnett and was re-elected again in 1912 under Burnett. As an alderman in 1912, the city council passed Ordinance 40 which allowed for the establishment of a city library board, one of the first steps for securing a city library.
When the 1920 census was taken, James 59 and Ann 48 were still living in their home at 624 E. Main Street and James was still occupied as a coal miner.
An article in the local paper in 1923 indicated that James was one of several Marion citizens who had formed the Law Enforcement League, an organization resolved to enforce prohibition laws. This would have put them in alignment with the goals of the K.K.K. Oddly enough, another article in the paper in 1925 indicated that James Carter was being held and tried for possession of wine (this is during prohibition).
Another article in the Marion Evening Post in January 1927 reported that James Carter was one of the members of the coroner’s jury investigating the deaths of four potential bodies found in the ruins of the blown up and burned down gangster hide out known as the Shady Rest.
The 1930 census found James 71 and Annie 59 still living in their home at 624 E. Main Street which they valued at $1,500. No occupations are listed so it is presumed that he was in retirement.
In the 1940 census, James 81 and Annie 68 were retired and showed an income of $240 for the year. Both James and Annie reported that their education level stopped at the 4th grade.
No obit was located for James but he passed away at Herrin Hospital on March 18, 1950 and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery. His wife, Annie, born in 1870, also passed away in 1950 and is buried beside James at Rose Hill.
Notes on Children:
James Lewis Carter, born November 12, 1880, married Ida Mae Norman in November 1898, died August 14, 1968 in Phoenix, Az. Buried at New Zion Cemtery, Pope County, Il
William Earl Carter, born March 4, 1884, married Rivia Taylor, died October 30, 1908, buried at Davis Prairie
Bertie Dialtha Carter, born February 16, 1886, died south of W. Frankfort, Il on December 23, 1918, buried at Boner Cemetery
Almira “Allie” Carter, born October 17, 1888 and died January 17, 1889, buried at Davis Prairie
Venda Maggie Carter, born April 22, 1889, married Joseph Henry Russell in August 1905, died in Kansas City, Mo on Auust 23, 1977
Arvil Harris Carter, born June 22, 1897, married Thomas Ham Stucker, died March 22, 1898
William Leonial Carter, born November 4, 1902, married Violet Pearl Brown in November 1939, died on October 26, 1987 at the Marion Memorial Hospital in Marion, Il, buried at Davis Prairie
(Sources: Federal Census records, Marion city cemetery records, Marion city street directories, The Leader, the Marion Weekly Leader, the Marion Evening Post, and the Southern Illinoisan newspapers, FindaGrave.com and Geanet.com. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 10/25/2024)