p 8 - [from the old Carter Prayer Book]
" ... 'Thomas Carter son of Thomas was Born on the 4th day of June 1672 betw'n
3 & 4 aclock in ye Morn g and was Baptz d att ye new Church Aug t 5th. Capt n
John Lee, M r Th: Hayne, ye Lady Ann Skipworth & Eliz h Dale godpar ts.' ... "
p 100 -
" ... "Tho : Carter Jun r & Arabella William son was Mar d ye 22 d Aug t, 1695." (Prayer Book).
His wife probably was a daughter of William Williamson, son of James Williamson, of Rappahannock county, and a niece of Margaret Williamson, who married Capt. William Ball, Jr., prior to 1673. The descendants of Capt. Thomas Carter, Jr., and Capt. Wm. Ball, Jr., have handed down the baptismal names of Jesse, Jeduthan, Williamson, Margaret and Arabella, which doubtless all came originally from the Williamsons. ...
p 103 -
... And at a court held in Rappahannock County, June 4, 1684, "Mr. Henry Williamson exhibited an account as Guardian of Marg t & Arabella Williamson orphan Daughters of Mr. Wm. Williamson dec'd which was Exam d and made oathe to by him & Ordered recorded & vouchers filed."
This Arabella Williamson I take to be the one who married Thomas Carter, Jr., in 1692. Her mother may have been a Miss White of Rappahannock County, as Arabella was a baptismal name in that family. ...
p 104-105 -
... April 24, 1728, "Thomas Carter of the County of Lancaster Gent." made his will, probated Oct. 10, 1733. He left all estate to wife Arabella during her widowhood, after which it was to be divided among his eight sons as follows:
- Thomas to have the home place ("Barford," the old home of the first Thomas) ;
- Peter to have the half of the King George plantation next the river - 250 acres ;
- Edward the other half ;
- Dale to have negroes Harry and Winny, and he failing heirs to go to son Thomas Carter's son Jesse ;
- Joseph to have negro Robin ;
- Daniel to have negro Nanny;
- Charles, negroes Sarah and Mary, and he failing heirs to go to son Thomas Carter's son Thomas ;
- James to have the "great bed and furniture above stairs" (Nov. 13, 1728, his father deeded him a negro man) ;
- Peter to have best bed and furniture below stairs ;
- Edward another bed and furniture upstairs.
- Thomas to have the great Bible.
All children to share alike in the remainder of his land and personal property.
Peter to have the management of son Charles until he arrives at the age of twenty years, which was prior to the death of his father in 1733.
Wife Arabella to be executrix, but in case of her death or remarriage then son Peter to be executor.
The original will shows a fine signature and the mark of a large seal, but the wax has crumbled away. The inventory of personal estate amounted to £415. and besides the usual furniture of a planter of that class, included twelve negroes, twenty and a half ounces of silver plate, portrait of Edward Dale, and picture called Hale's New Year's Gift. He had in the book line, a large old Bible, another large Bible worth three shillings more than the the first, a Common Prayer Book, History of the Bible, a small History of the Bible, The Whole Duty of Man, a Serman Book, Practice of Piety, Nelson's Justice of the Peace, and twelve other old books, and another small Bible, making a total of twenty-two volumes. He had a seal worth six shillings, which doubtless bore the family arms, and probably was the seal used by his son Joseph in 1739, as that one bore the crest and the initials "T. C."
The family record of Thomas and Arabella Carter was evidently kept in one of the Bibles, as the Carter Prayer Book gives no record of births, etc., of their children.
The will shows that they had eight sons as follows :
1. Thomas, III., died in 1735
2. Joseph, died in 1751.
3. Daniel, died in 1759.
4. Edward, died in 1760.
5. James, died in 1747.
6. Peter, died in 1789.
7. Dale, died in 1776.
8. Charles, died in 1766.
Mrs. Arabella Williamson Carter did not marry again, and after the death of her son, Thomas, in 1735, and his wife in 1737, she took care of his two sons, Jesse and Thomas, both of whom in after years settled in Pittsylvania county and were the ancestors of that branch of the family.
... "
[further record of descendants follows]
