Dominicus CARTER

                   SHORT HISTORY OF ERASTUS FRANCIS CARTER:
       Erastus was born to Dominicus Carter and Sylvia Ameret Meacham in Adams County, Illinois, near Quincy in 1843. Sylvia was the 3rd wife of Dominicus. Lydia, his 1nd wife died after 10 years of marriage during the expulsion of the "Mormons" from Missouri in 1838. Dominicus, in the same year, then married Sophronia, a 16 year old girl whose parents are believed also to have died in Missouri from persecution. A year later Dominicus and Sylvia became one of the first couples to embrace pologamy. Before leaving the Nauvoo area Dominicus took another wife, Mary Durfee, and another son, Isaac Morley, was born to Sylvia in 1845. Isaac died soon after birth. Little is known about just when they left Nauvoo or of their treck across Iowa, but in 1847, near Winter Quarters, Sophronia died of birth complications, leaving Sylvia as Dominicus's oldest living wife. Dominicus stayed in Winter Quarters until 1851 to help build wagons for the treck to Utah.
       By the time Dominicus and Sylvia reached Utah she was convinced pologamy was not for her and she stayed in Salt Lake City when Dominicus and Mary moved south to Provo. Dominicus must have been so upset he married another wife, Polly Minor, that fall. Erastus was about 8 years old and this is the last he would spend meaningful time with his biological father, as Sylvia would divorce Dominicus and marry John Snyder in 1854. John became a widower when his wife of 30 years, Mary Heron, died. John and Mary had 3 children but they were old enough to have left home. John was about 56 years old and Sylvia 35 at the time of their marriage. Their marriage was sealed in the EHOUS 13 years later so it must have been a relationship more to Sylvia's liking. Sylvia and John had 2 children, Martin Henry and John Hyrum, so Erastus had younger half-brothers to play with.
       John was a good man and father to Erastus. He was a brick mason by trade and taught Erastus much about carpentry. His association with the LDS Church went back to Kirtland, Ohio, days and he was a faithful member. Erastus helped build many homes in Salt Lake City. Erastus was well educated for his time and became a bodyguard to Brigham Young and Chief of Police. He was a good singer and enjoyed acting. Erastus was sealed to John Snyder by proxy in 1978.
       Erastus married Alice Elizabeth Green in 1870 in the EHOUS at the age of 27 - Alice was 18. The story is that Alice was living with the Neal family  and Erastus was interested in one of their daughters, but Alice also caught his eye. She was somewhat of an orphan from England and was doing domestic work. It is reported that Erastus in jest put a chicken's wishbone above the door and said that the first of the girls to come through the door would be his wife. Alice beat it out the kitchen door to come first through the door under the wishbone.
       Erastus and Alice first lived in Salt Lake City where Erastus continued his trades. William was born to them there in 1871. Before Sylvia's birth in 1874 they moved to Lake Town on the shores of Bear Lake for about 5 years where Sylvia, Alice and John were born. Erastus was Rich County Sheriff and captured one of the county bad guys. They then moved back to Salt Lake City for another 4-5 years and Erastus worked at the Davis and Howell foundry. Anne and Mary joined the family.
       Alice would move one more time, to Park Valley, Utah, (1884) where Erastus heard there was squatter's land available. They located on the upper string 1 mile north and 3/4 mile west of the store on 320 acres. Erastus had sent money ahead to buy cattle but on arrival there was no cattle or money. Their first home was a 1-room cabin with a dirt floor and the same on the roof. The flies were so thick that they would scorch their wings with a torch and sweep them up by the bucketfulls. Things were very difficult - the children went bare foot in the summer and wrapped sacks around their feet in the winter to keep warm. This was pioneering at its worst, but they were tough and hung together. Disease, now not experienced, was wild then. Erastus survived typhoid, but when diptheria struck and Alice became so very sick it was necessary for them to return temporarily to Salt Lake City. When they came back to Park Valley a merchant in Kelton, Henry Canote, gave Erastus credit for necessary food and clothing, saying he could trust him. Abe Chadwick, a partner in farming, helped some with a little milk for their bread. It was not crickets, but rabbits that ate their crops and it would be another 2 years before they would have a harvest. But, things did get better. Five more children came to live with them in Park Valley; Francis, Walter, Irwin, Clara and Raymond, bringing the total to 11. Raymond lived only about 3 years and Walter died at age 16.
       Erastus was community and civic minded and did much to bring education and culture to Park Valley. As a trustee he helped build the first school house, which also served as a church meeting house. He was justice of the peace and constable, doing business for the whole community. Marriages were performed in their home with Alice furnishing refreshments. She was a wonderful hostess. He not only built a better home for himself with sheds for his animals and equipment but helped others in the Valley improve their farms. He dug a well, planted shade trees and a fruit orchard. He helped the young, and not so young, people find entertainment with dances and ball games.
       About 1892 Sylvia came to live with Erastus and Alice, and two more rooms were added to the house. It was here that she died in 1894. Her brother, Erastus Darwin (1st bishop of PV), lived just 3/4 mile east, and her nephew, William Henry, was bishop. When Sylvia died she left Erastus a little money and he went into the sheep business. The rooms later were used as temporary quarters for newlyweds.
       It was downhill for Erastus beginning in 1910 when he got gangrene in one of his feet. A special train was sent from Ogden to take him to a docter. Even though they tried to save his leg it was necessary to amputate it above the knee. He recovered but it was necessary for him to walk on crutches. After about two years he died of a stroke at age 69. The leg was dug up from the family plot and buried with him. Alice lived another 10 years.
        Erastus was excommunicated from the church for petty reasons. This had a negative influence on his children, particularly his sons. It seems he had taken food and other goods to help a couple of widows in the Valley without consulting the bishop, who thought these should come through the Tithing Office or Bishop's Storehouse. Erastus felt it was none of his business. There may have been other personality and business problems such as water rights and animal trespass. Erastus's baptism and all blessings were restored 3 Dec 1935.      SCJ