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Show • • • SAMUEL JOHN CARTER - NATIVE PIONEER If one statement could sum up a man' s life "He loved his family and loved to work," would surely say what the life of Samuel John Carter was all about. Samuel John, also known as Uncle Jack was born November 26, 1862, at Porterville, Utah. He was the son of Samuel Carter and Ellen Masser. He was a handsome man. He died January 16, 1937. He married Sarah Jane Adams on January 13, 1885 at Porterville, Utah. She was born September 15, 1867 at Porterville, the daughter of Thomas Adams and Jane Durrant Adams. Eleven children were born to them over a 23 year period. She died May 4, 1956. Their first home was a two room log cabin located at Woods Creek and measuring 28 feet long and 10 feet wide. It had two windows in the main room, with an outside entrance into each room. Under the chimney of the large coal, cooking stove was a connecting doorway for the two rooms, which you passed through by walking behind the stove. Emily Jane was born there followed by Thomas Samuel, Eliza and Horace. A large two room log home measuring 18 feet by 41 feet was built in 1892, with a high pitched roof and 8 foot ceilings. In the following years more rooms were added and the log area was covered to match and the house now measured 60 by 34 feet, complete with a large pantry and five chimneys. The large lovely home must have seemed like a palace after the confinement of the tiny cabin. There was also a path out back to the outhouse. Beatrice, Amanda, Myrtle Agnes, Orial, Faye and Nora were born here. ( three generations on Carters and 21 children have been blest to live and grow in this well built home.) The home has a base of large red rocks and timbers which were hauled from the head of Lake Canyon by team and wagon. The wide woodwork was hand planed and the marks are still visible. The home stays cool in the summer and wann in the winter because of the inner log walls. The parlor was once heated with a pot belly stove and still has a wood burning stove. The dry fanns were cleared, by hand with grubbing hoes, of the sage growing in abundance. The land was rocky and the older children helped haul the rocks off the land to prepare it for farming. The rocks which were to heavy to lift were rolled onto a rock boat, which consisted of logs with boards across them, with the logs acting as runners and then pulled away by a team of horses. John sheared sheep in the spring to help bring in extra income for his family. While he was away Sarah Jane would care for the cows. She would often bring their herd up Lake Canyon to feed during the day and return for them at night. One morning while she was taking the cows to pasture they shied away from a clump of bushes and when she approached there were two Indians lying there. .55 • • • On another occasion a buck Indian leading a horse with his squaw ridi.ng passed the home on their way up the holler. Late that afternoon they returned with a papoose in the mother's arms. About 20 years ago an Indian spear head was found under a small loose rock of the house foundation, near the original front door. The Indians would stop once or twice a year at the settlers homes to trade with them. John loved to whistle and would almost always be heard whistling "Red Wing" as he headed home in the evening. On many occasions he would hire young men to help him with work, and after giving them their days wages he would almost always add an extra nickel telling them that it was for doing such a good job. Ross Carter, Marvin Phillips, Wallace Carter and Roy Mortenson really liked working for "Uncle Jack". Wallace often said that he loved to work for Uncle Jack because he always fed you good and right at lunch time, Sarah Jane was a great cook, and when the job was done the wages were always there. They never had to wait to be paid. He enjoyed gardening and in addition to fresh vegetables there were gooseberries and raspberries. A large cellar with a storage room above provide excellent cold storage for potatoes and carrots, milk, cream and butter pans, and for bottled fruits and vegetables. The storage room was an great play house for the children. In addition to the family home John constructed a large barn, a granary, a machine shed, a garage, chicken coop and several other sheds, which were so well built that many are still in use. A fanning mill for cleaning grain was used at the Carter ranch by most of the early area settlers, and is still in working condition because of the excellent care he gave all his machinery. Also some of the farm equipment bas had the tongue cut down and is now being still being used behind a tractor occasionally. Most of his life was filled with work, satisfaction and happiness but sorrow also touched their life. The death of baby Amanda at 18 months, and another daughter Agnes who died as a young mother leaving two small children caused pain. As a young man John was excommunicated from the church. The story tells of an incident involving an argument over a neighbor using his irrigation water. He became angry and swung a shovel at the offender. In retrospect the minor indiscretion of a youth didn' t warrant such harsh action, by the bishop, his father, who felt the need to make an example of his oldest son. John was later shown to be innocent of any wrong doing. John did not let his pain show to his older children and even though he himself didn' t attend church he always encouraged his children to do so and would see that they had transportation. E very meal was begun with a blessing on the food and he lived a clean honest life. John was not a large man in stature but was always thought of as a man big in character. It was jokingly said that if he had been an inch taller he would have been • • • square. He grew a long moustache and his grandchildren would often quietly giggle as they watched him carefully wipe it to remove food particles. Christmas was important to him and his loved ones. He always made sure there were clear crystal candy animals as a special treat for the children and grandchildren. He always cut their own Christmas tree. In 1931 his oldest son Tom was facing death from blood poisoning and Christmas took on a special meaning for his family when Grandpa Carter arrived with a tree, encouragement and the crystal candy. One day a young granddaughter Dena arrived home to a cold house, because her parents had had to leave. She tore up most the Sears catalogue trying to start the fire and finally in exasperation exclaimed, "Damn It!" She turned to find her Grandpa Carter standing there. He said nothing to scold her, but proceeded to show her how to make a fire. Only after the room was warm did he say, "I don't ever want to hear you swear again." Then he told her that on one occasion in his life he had been out in the field trying unsuccessfully to do a job. He began to curse and the more he swore the madder he got. At that instant he looked up and his mother was standing there. His story made quite an impression on this young lady who knew that John's mother had been dead for many years when this incident happened to him. Samuel John Carter left a proud legacy and a good example . Submitted by Grandchildren ......... Dena Carter Rich and Vernal Carter |