Erastus Francis CARTER

                   Historical: Erastus William Carter was excommunicated from the LDS Church in 1901 because of some trivial misunderstandings.  He was reinstated with all blessings restored.  He acquired a cattle ranch near the highway entering Park Valley from the east (south-east from the PV Store) where he raised cattle and some sheep.  His son, Ray, worked with his father on the ranch and lived there until he died.  His son Darrel now (1998) owns and operates the ranch.
                  

                   Line 474 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long:
    BAPL  7 AUG 1884 REB 9 AUG 1891
                  

                   Alice Elizabeth Carter died of childbirth with her third child.  Her husband, Abraham Rose, then married her younger sister Mary Almena who raised her two living children.
                  

                   SHORT HISTORY OF JOHN M. CARTER:
       John was born, 10 Aug 1878, near the shores of the Bear Lake in Lake Town, UT.  He was the 4th child in a family of 11, 6 boys and 5 girls. His father, Erastus, moved there from Salt Lake City and became the County Sheriff. When John was about 2 years old his father moved back to Salt Lake City.  But squatter's land was available in Park Valley, UT and at age 7 John moved with his family to live there the rest of his life. Erastus and his wife Alice settled on the upper string, 1 mile north and 3/4 mile west of the present store.  Abe Chadwick was a partner but Erastus later bought his share of the property. John grew strong herding sheep and cattle and helping his family grub out a farm. He sometimes traveled with his father on freighting trips. He attended grade school and enjoyed LDS Church activities. John was a stocky built man standing about 6'9" tall and weighing about 170#. There often was a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on broad lips. He could tell a good story and liked to sing funny little songs. He wrote some poetry.
       When John was 18 a new girl, the daughter of Elizabeth Goodliffe, moved into town. Her mother was a merchant and pologamist wife of Arnold Goodliffe, the Bishop of the Snowville Ward. When John saw Roxcy he said she was the prittest girl he had ever seen, and vowed to marry her. This happened 3 Nov 1897 when Arnold Goodliffe, Roxcy's adopted father, performed the ceremony - John was 19 and Roxcy 16. To assure this was a lasting relationship they had their vows sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, 20 Apr 1898. Arnold also gave John a patriarchal blessing, saying he was of Israel through the loins of Ephrium and promised John health, protection and wisdom, not only for his own family but for the benefit of others.
       John and Roxcy eventually settled on land just south of Erastus's farm. There was a spring nearby which was piped to a water box near their home, and irrigation water mostly came from Fisher Canyon. Life was difficult and John worked hard. Throughout his life he knew success and failure. He farmed, had many cattle and a large herd of sheep. One of his employees, Antonio Olague, a Basque from Spain hired to herd the sheep and who later integrated into the community, said at John's funeral, "In 1919 I was working for John Carter and we got snowed-in in the middle of December and I came to Board Ranch (7 mi. S of PV). Frank Iverson's wife got sick and he left. Every day John Carter came up and brought two loads of hay. In my estimation there was no man ever came to this Valley more physically and mentally strong. There was the time of the bad blizzard when it actually blew the cows over the fence and down the country. The next morning John walked (not on horseback) 'til he found the cows, walked on to Chicken Ridge and then came home and helped dig sheep out of the snow and came back with two loads of hay. ... I saw John Carter when he was well-to-do and on the verge of bankruptcy. He worked just as hard either time." About the time John was quitting the sheep business he went into Mink raising - then it was chickens and hogs. There were pigs everyplace. He liked to shoot rabbits for his pigs, and an infected rabbit gave him tularemia which made him very sick. He was an excellent marksman.
       It is true that many received council from John. Lots of people, including dignitaries, came to their home and were always asked to stay. He was generous to others and tried to find work for those in need. He served as constable and deputy sheriff during his younger years. He cared for the sick and helped his father build caskets. He was organizer and president of the
Park Valley Livestock Association and the Fisher Creek Irrigation Company.
John was a good business man who kept financial ledgers and organized notes.
       John and Roxcy raised 5 boys and 1 girl who went on to have good families of their own. All of them started their married lives in Park Valley and most of them stayed. They were a close family that got together for Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays and reunions. They enjoyed each other and loved to be together. They liked to tease and play pranks on one another, a family trait. Further, the grand-children played together and were the best of friends. All liked to go see Pa and Ma, as they were fondly called.
       John was baptized in a mill pond in Fisher Canyon at the age of 9 and ordained an elder by Bishop James Palmer at age 20. He participated in church activities more in his early life than in later years. Social events caught his interest more than organized religion. His observations of those in charge left him disappointed. His father was excommunicated for petty reasons and this didn't help. He probably liked to read Zane Grey books more than the Bible. His habit of chewing tobacco (Beechnut) probably kept him away from some events. But John never spoke against the Church and supported his family in church attendance and activities. All his children were active with 3 sons going on missions, 3 serving as bishops, 1 a bishops counselor and the other a ward clerk for many years. Vera worked in the young women's program and on the Stake Sunday School Board. John was held in high esteem by all who knew him, and there were many. He died at home at age 80, just before his 61st wedding anniversary, of heart complications.     SCJ
                  

                   Ann Eliza Carter, a brother to John M., married Charles W. Goodliffe, a brother to E. Roxcy Goodliffe, John's wife.  Initially they lived in Park Valley, UT but later moved to Brigham City, UT.  Their large family, for the most part, married locally and lived nearby.
                  

                   Mary A. Rose became the second wife of Abraham Rose after her sister, Alice, his first wife, died.  She raise her sister's two children plus three of her own.  Abraham was a cattle man and established the Rose Ranch at the Sinks, about 5 miles west of Snowville.  This is where she lived until after Abraham died, when she moved to Brigham City.
                  

                   Francis E. Carter married Mary E. (Mame) Yates.  Mary's mother, Hattie, was a sister to David James who established his ranch less than a mile south-east. Both lived about 1 mile south of the Park Valley Store. Aunt Mame continued to live in Park Valley for many years after Francis died.  Harvey, a son, still (1998) lives on the home property in the same house.
                  

                   J. Irwin Carter lived on the property where his father lived, just north of John, his brother, on the upper string in Park Valley where he ranched.  He was active in the LDS Church and operated sort of a horse-drawn bus for all who wished to go to any of the activities. He died when the fly-wheel on the wood saw flew apart at Albert Hirsci's, where Curtis, Albert's son also was killed.  The property was later sold to Lawrence Carter who operated it for many years before selling it out of the family.