CARTER, Anthony

CARTER, BOVEN, BOWEN

Posted By: Larry Shoger (email)
Date: 12/26/2008 at 17:25:02

Anthony Carter, one of the pioneers of of Mitchell county, settled in Cedar township in 1855. He bought land on sections 20 and 21, township 98, range 17. The Cedar river passes through his farm. He has improved the land and built a comfortable frame house in which he now lives.

He was born in the town of Methwald, England, Aug. 23, 1809, and was there raised to agricultural pursuits. He was joined in marriage to Emmer Boven (Bowen), who was also a native of Norfolk county, born Jan. 1, 1810. They continued to live in Norfolk county, where he was employed herding and farming until 1851, when they left their native land and came to America and settled in Dane Co., Wis., where they were early settlers. They remained there until 1855, when they came to Mitchell county, as before stated. They have six children living - Nathaniel, James, Anthony K. (R.)., Joseph R. Philip P. (B.) and George H. Their only daughter, Sarah, who was born June 4, 1844, died May 1854.

Mr. and Mrs. Carter celebrated their golden wedding Oct. 20, 1882. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Oliver, of Mitchell, assisted by Rev. Ingham, of Osage. Their friends turned out to a large number. Mr. Carter was presented with a large easy chair. Mrs. Carter with a rocking chair. There were many other presents which would amount in value to $100. In 1849 Mrs. Carter met with a singular accident by which she nearly lost her life. As was the custom in England, they used peat for fuel, and whenever they left the fire, they would cover it with ashes to keep it alive.

On returning one day she raked the embers from the ashes, and took the powder canister and poured powder on the dying embers. The powder quickly took fire and the canister exploded, tearing the flesh from her arm and severing her thumb from her right hand. She however, recovered from the shock, and is today a hale and hearty woman at the age of seventy-three years, does her own house work and reads and writes without glasses. Previous to the accident a film was growing over her eyes, and it was thought that she would become blind, but the film was removed and it is possible that she would have been blind today but for that accident.

[Taken from the Histories of Mitchell and Worth Counties Iowa, 1883, pages 299 thru 300. Corrections to the text are in parenthesis.]