The Women in Balaams Life

There were several women involved in the life of Balaam A. Carter, and I believe I've touched on most of them, however, I wanted to document them and investigate them a little more, somewhat for my own benefit. Sometimes, to lay things down and take a closer look, helps to clear a foggy situation.

The first woman in Balaam's life, was of course, his mother Mary, otherwise seen as Polly, which was a common nickname for Mary, as Mary's abound in 19th century Stanly County.

Balaam and Polly escaped the census taker in 1850, however, they show up in the 1860 census, in the Harris Community. Balaam has married Alley, his first wife and her younger brother is staying with them as well, as their parents died in 1850 and 1858.

ame:	Balem Carter
Age in 1860:	28
Birth Year:	abt 1832
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Balem Carter 28 Alley Carter 29 Benjanan Holt 10 Polly Carter 49 Susan Carter 20

Polly is 49, giving her an estimated birth year of 1811. Polly is not listed with Balaam in 1870, although I feel like she was probably still in residence, or either staying with his yet unidentified sibling.

She returns to the household of her son Balaam in the 1880 census, this time being identified as his mother. 

Name:	Polly Carter
Age:	60
Birth Year:	abt 1820
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Mother
Marital Status:	Widowed
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Neighbors:	View others on page
Occupation:	At Home
Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and Dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age S. A. Carter 51 Tellie Carter 30 Lonna O. Carter 14 Polly Carter 60

By this time, Balaam has remarried to his second wife, Bettie Rummage. The transcriber made several errors on this one, but looking at the original document, "S. A." is clearly "B. A." and "Tellie" is "Bettie". Stepson "Lonna O.", was not given a surname in the census, leading the transcribers to assume his surname was Carter, when in actuality, his surname was Rummage. 

There is a mention in the early court records of a Polly Carter being the mother of two young boys who were orphans and bound out, Jackson and Lawson Carter. This Polly is given as being deceased in the 1840's, which our Polly Carter was not, so Jackson and Lawson were not Balaam's brothers. 

Mary "Polly" also appears in a land record with her son Balaam:

Balam A Cater to Julius A. Kendall

"This Indenture made this 12th May 1857 between Balaam A. Carter &  Mary Carter of the first part and Julius A. Kendall of the second part all of the County of Stanly and State of North Carolina......Balaam A. Carter and Mary Carter hath bargained and sold........unto Julius A Kendall.....for one dollar paid in hand one bay mare one cow three head of hogs and all our growing crop of wheat after the rent is first paid all of our growing crop of corn after the rent is first paid.....to be held in a special trust made payable to Peter E. Foutz for 55 dollars principal....date not recollected...whereon there is a note wherein J. A. Kendall is security and B. A. Cater is principal....also a note date May 12 1857 payable to Julius A Kendall for $18.87 cents....B. A Carter and M. Carter...

And that is all we know about Mary. Her maiden name and parentage is unknown. It can only be assumed that she passed away between the 1880 census and the 1900 census, as she does not show up in that one. Her burial location is also unknown.

The second woman in Balaam's life was his sister Susan.

As seen above, Susan, born about 1840, was living with Balaam in 1860. Unmarried, she passed away the same year, as seen in the mortality schedules, of thyphoid fever.

Surname:	Susan Carter
Year:	1860
County:	Stanly CO.
State:	NC
Age:	20
Gender:	F (Female)
Month of Death:	Jul
State of Birth:	NC
ID#:	293_1019
Occupation:	NONE LISTED
Cause of Death:	TYPHOID FEV

The third woman in Balaam's life was his first wife, Alvina "Allie" Holt Carter.  Allie's name is seen alternately as Alvina, Almena, Elvina or Alley, in census and land records. In the 1850 census, at the correct age, she is even seen as "Emmaline", but Emmaline, born in 1837, would have to be Alvina, in the realm of the daughters of Allen Holt. 

Name:	Emaline Holt
Age:	17
Birth Year:	abt 1833
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Gender:	Female
Family Number:	828
Household Members:	Name Age Allen Holt 38 Phebe Holt 35 Emaline Holt 17 Robert Holt 15 James Holt 10 Nancy Holt 8 Eliza Holt 6 Sarah Holt 4 Benjamin Holt 0

By 1860, Balaam and Alley were married and her parents had passed away. Her younger brother Benjamin was living with them. Holt researchers give the date of Balaam and Alley's marriage as 1854. Allen's estate was settled in 1850 and Phoebes in 1858.

Alley shows up in a variety of land records with her husband Balaam.

An interesting land record involving Balaam is one dated March 10, 1875 involving a mortgage between Jerry Snuggs and Balaam A Carter, wherein "Jerry Snuggs, colored am justly indebited to Balaam A Carter". Mr. Snuggs mortgaged his crops of corn and cotton to Balaam for a loan and T. A. Simpson, who seems to have been a good friend of Balaam, witnesses transactions with him, etc. So was John B. Simpson, who did the same.

Looking at the 1870 Stanly County census, to see who Jerry Snuggs was, and if he lived near B. A. Carter,
I found this record:

Name:	Jerre Snuggs
Age in 1870:	36
Birth Year:	abt 1834
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1870:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	Black
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Jerre Snuggs 36 Jemima Snuggs 30 Charles Snuggs 15

And while the Snuggs family were not counted that near B. A. Carter, it was interesting to see who their neighbors actually were. They lived near Nancy Cranford, her daughter Elizabeth and Mary Rummage, who come into play later on. And also the older Margarite Rummage, living with her sister Elizabeth Rummage and neice Elizabeth Rummage. All characters whom I will touch on later in this post or in this series of posts. 

In 1880, Mr. Snuggs and wife Jemima are living with a grandson and near Martha Rummage, of whom the post:   The Bird in the Branches  was concerning. 

Name:	Jerre Snuggs
Age:	52
Birth Year:	abt 1828
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	Black
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Self (Head)
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Mima Snuggs
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Neighbors:	View others on page
Occupation:	Farming
Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and Dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Jerre Snuggs 52 Mima Snuggs 44 W. H. Kendow 10

On April 5, 1870  Balaam Carter and wife 'Elvina' mortgaged property on Jacob's Creek adjoining John Kelley and others, to Daniel Freeman, a storekeeper and businessman. The second time Alley's name is shown in the document, it is as "Balaam Carter and wife Alvina" and it the postscript of the document, wherein she is interviewed separately from her husband to assure she has not been coerced into selling property that she is not willing to, her name is shown as "Alvainia". This mortgage was satisfied in full on January 15, 1885.

In 1875, she is shown as "Alvina" in a mortgage from Balaam to James M. Redwine for $10, 'these articles of personal property," including a 2-horse wagon, a 10 year old mare, and a blind. (Or it could have read that the mare was blind).

On January 9, 1875 another record of a transaction between Balaam Carter and wife Alvina Carter and John A. Lilly, on the waters of Jacobs Creek, adjoining the lands of George Rummage, deceased, Carolina Frye and others.

Looking at the 1870 Stanly County census, I did see the family of a household led by a female, Sarah Rummage, living nearby,  and also the following Fry family:

Name:	J C Fry
Age in 1870:	47
Birth Year:	abt 1823
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1870:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age J C Fry 47 Angeline Fry 30 Postell Fry 9 Julia Fry 6 Evan Fry 4 Martha Fry 2

Also in 1875 was a transaction between B. A. Carter to "Mauney & Company" on January 26th. In it "B. A. Carter and wife 'Aviry' Carter" are indebited to E. A. Forrest, Ephraim Mauney and son, and Mauney Trading Company for $30.00. Later in the document is named "B. A. Carter and wife Alley" and later when Alley is examined separatley, she is again referred to as Alley Carter."

Alley died sometime before the November, 1879 marriage of B. A. Carter to Bettie Rummage.

In the book "These Hallowed Grounds" published by the Stanly County Genealogical Society in 2012, under the heading of  The Isaac Mabry Cemetery, it is mentioned that Richard Ingold, owner of the property the cemetery is on, remembers a stone for Alley Carter being there. It makes sense as the cemetery is in an accurate location and there was involvent between B. A. Carter and the Mabry family.

Alley showed up in 2 censuses with Balaam. They were married roughly 20 years, with no children.

Name:	Balem Carter
Age in 1860:	28
Birth Year:	abt 1832
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Balem Carter 28 Alley Carter 29 Benjanan Holt 10 Polly Carter 49 Susan Carter 20

1860, with her younger brother, Ben Holt, mother-in-law Polly and sister-in-law Susan. And then, alone with Balaam in 1870.

Name:	B A Carter
Age in 1870:	38
Birth Year:	abt 1832
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1870:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age B A Carter 38 Almena Carter 50

The "50" is a typo. It looks more like 30 or even, 38.

The next woman in Balaam's life was Catherine Simpson Mabry. "Kate", as she was known, was the daughter of Isaac and Lucy Simpson. 

Name:	Catherine Simpson
Age in 1860:	17
Birth Year:	abt 1843
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Gender:	Female
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Isaac Simpson 47 Lucy Simpson 47 Thomas Simpson 19 Catherine Simpson 17 Margaret Simpson 15 Nathan Simpson 13 John W Simpson 9 Mary J Simpson 1

Name:	Catharine Simpson
Age in 1870:	23
Birth Year:	abt 1847
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1870:	Center, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Lucy Simpson 40 Catharine Simpson 23 Margaret Simpson 21 Nathaniel Simpson 20 John Simpson 18 Mary J Simpson 12

On November 15, 1878, she became the mother of Balaam A. Carter's only child, Ann Eliza Carter. 

Catherine and Balaam were not married. Apparently, at some point, Catherine married a Mabry. It may have been to Frank Mabry. There were at least 3 Frank Mabry's in the area at the time. Perhaps Mr. Mabry thought the child was his. At any rate, the following bastardy bond was filed with Catherine naming Balaam as the father. T. A. Simpson, again signed in for his friend and another document this same year ordering Balaam to court to answer for this was signed and co-bonded with John B. Simpson. Notice that Catherine's name was written as Simpson, then a line was made through it and Mabry written above it. She may have been a recent bride.

I have not been able to locate Cartherine Simpson Mabery or her daughter in the 1880 census. On Ann Eliza's marriage license to John F. Russell, however, she lists her father as B. A. Carter and her mother as Kate Simpson.

Name: John F. Russell Birth Date: 1875 Birthplace: Age: 22 Spouse's Name: Ann Eliza Carter Spouse's Birth Date: 1877 Spouse's Birthplace: Spouse's Age: 20 Event Date: 08 Nov 1897 Event Place: Center, Stanly, North Carolina Father's Name: William I. Russell Mother's Name: Mary J. Russell Spouse's Father's Name: B.A. Carter Spouse's Mother's Name: Kate Simpson

The fifth woman in Balaam Carter's life was his second wife, Elizabeth "Bettie" Rummage.   They were married on November 3, 1879, just a year or so after his daughter with Kate Simpson was born. They show up together in the 1880 census, along with Bettie's son Lonnie O. Rummage, shown incorrectly as a Carter. It is unknown where Balaam' s daughter was living at the time or  Kate Simpson Mabry. Elizabeth, also known as Bettie, is shown with Balaam in the 1880 census, along with his mother, Polly and Bettie's son Lonnie. Either Polly was living with him in the 1870 census, and they missed counting her, or she was living with another of her children. Name: S. A. Carter Age: 51 Birth Year: abt 1829 Birthplace: North Carolina Home in 1880: Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Tellie Carter Father's Birthplace: North Carolina Mother's name: Polly Carter Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina Neighbors: View others on page Occupation: Farmer Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and Dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane: View image Household Members: Name Age S. A. Carter 51 Tellie Carter 30 Lonna O. Carter 14 Polly Carter 60 There were several land transactions involving Balaam and Bettie, although the last of them seem to indicate that they were separated and Bettie went back to using her maiden name, Rummage. She is buried at Anderson Grove Baptist Church in Albemare, North Carolina, however, under the name Bettie Carter. This was covered in my post: Balaam and Bettie Name: Balaam A Carter [Balaam Carter]  Age: 68 Birth Date: May 1832 Birthplace: North Carolina Home in 1900: Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Head Marital Status: Widowed Father's Birthplace: North Carolina Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina Occupation: View on Image Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Balaam A Carter 68 John F Russell 22 Anna L Russell 22 Geo C Russell 4/12 Nancy Crawford 65 This would be the last census record that Balaam appears in, although he lived until 1910. In it, he is shown as the head of household, with his son-in-law, John F Russell, daughter Anna and 4 month old grandson George C. Russell living with him. The sixth woman in Balaam's life was his daughter Anna Eliza and I've already touched on the documents in which she appears. First, there is the bastardy bond between Catherine Simpson Mabry and Balaam in the year she is born, her marriage license to John F. Russell, and the 1900 census.  John Frank Russell and two of his young sons, John Frank Russell, Jr. and William Allen Russell are buried in the old Laton Cemetery. Tombstone of John Frank Russell. The cemetery is located off of Stony Gap Road south of Albemarle. It's not too far from the area where Marcus P. Carter lived. The last two women in Balaam Carter's life of note are both a bit of a mystery. One is his 'step' daughter-in-law, Mary Ann Talbert (Tolbert) Rummage. She was the first wife of Lonnie O. Rummage, son of his second wife , Bettie. According to several Family Trees on Ancestry.com, Molly or Mary was married to Balaam A. Carter prior to marrying Lonnie O Rummage. I have not found any information to substantiate or to disprove this information. Molly deserves a post of her own. And with that, so does the last lady in Balaam's life, Nancy Cranford. Miss Cranford is seen living with the family in Balaam's last census, the one of 1900. She is involved in two land records involving Carters, buying land from Richard Carter in March of 1866 given to her and "the heirs of her body". And then again in 1898, when she sells her property to Balaam Carter for "$25 and support for the remainder of my life." Nancy Cranford and her family definately deserved a closer look. The mother of Bettie Rummage, Balaam's second wife, was a Cranford, Bedie Fanny Cranford Rummage. Could there have been a connection or relation? And what about the lawsuit previously mentioned between Balaam and Richard? What was that all about? Waiting on information from the state archives to arrive. I hope it answers more questions than it creates.

Love Cranford

Name:	Elzora Cranford
Age:	4
Birth Year:	abt 1846
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Montgomery, North Carolina
Gender:	Female
Family Number:	850
Household Members:	Name Age Marvel Cranford 63 Sarah Cranford 50 Mary Cranford 25 Susan Cranford 23 Wilson Cranford 19 Beersheba Cranford 18 Elizabeth Cranford 15 Loveliss Cranford 31 Elzora Cranford 4 William J Cranford 3

The Beginnings: Balaam Absalom Carter.

Balaam A. Carter was not included in usual list of the descendants of the Revolutionary patriot, Samuel Carter, but I've discovered that he was in fact the Great Grandson of Samuel. Balaam's parents are listed on the license of his second marriage in 1879 to Bettie Rummage as James and Mary Carter.


There is a James Carter who shows up in the 1830 and 1840 census of Montgomery County, West Side, which became Stanly in 1841. Neither James nor Balaam show up in the 1850 census, but I believe they were probably just missed. James was at least alive in 1842,  when on Tuesday, May 10, in the Pleas and Quarters a deed from James Carter to Mathias Moose was proved.


He was dead at least by May of 1857, when Balaam A. Carter and his mother, Mary Carter became indebited to Julius A. Kendall, 'for one dollar in hand, one bay mare, one cow, 3 head of hogs and all our growing crop of wheat, after the rent is paid, all our crop of corn and fodder, payment of one note made payable to Peter E. Fouts for $55.'

There are a few mentions of James in the early land records of Montgomery County, which included present day Stanly County, in conjunction with activities of other Carters. The landmarks are on the Stanly County side of the river, in the exact area the Carter's were known to habitate. He also appears to have perhaps been a friend of Isaac Burleson.

"Isaac Cooper, 100 acres, West side of Yadkin River, both sides of Little 'Bar' Creek. James Carter and Isaac Burleson, chain carriers."

"Isaac Burleson 10 acres, west side of Yadkin River, joins Isaac Burelson, James Carter and Isaac Burleson, chain carriers".



By the 1860 census, Balaam has married wife, Alvina Holt, daughter of Allen and Phoebe Holt. Allen passed away in 1850 and Phoebe in 1858. Also living with them is her little brother, Benjamin Holt, his motber, Mary, 'Polly', and 20 year old Susan Carter, whom I believe to be his sister, but her realtionship is never given anywhere, so it is indefinate.

I found in the Holt research of other persons, a Joe Holt in particular, that Balaam and Almira married in 1854, but I have not found a marriage document for them. That may be forth coming. I have the estate records of her parents on order from the Archives. Perhaps they will reveal a little more information.
What I do know is that several land records identify Alley as his wife.

9 Jan. 1875 Balaam Carter to John A. Lilly
Balaam Carter and wife Alvina Carter.....adjoining lands of George Rummage.

26 Jan. 1876 Mortgage to Mauney and Co.
B.A. Carter and wife Alley Carter.

5 April 1873 Balaam Carter to Daniel Freeman
Balaam Carter and wife Elvina, 50 acres adjoining John Kelly. Satisfied in 1875, B.A. Carter and wife Alvina.

Alley's name is seen interchangibly as Alvina, Almena, Elvina or Alley. Her tombstone apparently reads 'Alley Carter.' In the book, ' These Hallowed Ground's', published by The Stanly County Genealogical Society 2012, a survey of the Isaac Marbry Cemetery, located south of Albemarle, notes that "Richard Ingold remembered a stone for Alley Carter" being there. The cemetery is very old.

Alley died between the 1876 deed in which she was named and Balaam's 1879 marriage to Elizabeth "Bettie" Ann Rummage.

A much earlier deed reveals how Balaam fits into the Carter puzzle, however.

On the 12th of September, 1844, the year that Labon Carter passed away, B.A. Carter sold 'a certain interest or parcel of land known as the land of Labon Carter, deceased....viz, one third of one tenth parts of the said land being the full share of said Balaam Carter.

What this implies is that Labon Carter had at least 10 heirs that were either alive in 1844, or had living heirs themselves. Balaam's one third of one tenth means that child predeceased the father, Labon, and left 3 heirs his or herself. Knowing that James Carter was the father of Balaam and that his mother was living until at least 1880, we can now surmise that James Carter was the son of Labon Carter and the missing tenth heir of Labon Carter.

Balaam cements the fact in a 1860 indenture between himself and his uncle, Green Carter, by 'bargain grant and sell the said Green Carter all my right interest & claims in and to all of the claims lands owned by my grandfather Laban Carter. This was witnessed by Tillman Carter, another Uncle, and July A. Howell.,  who was an unusual choice.

This last one was not registered until 1906.

Since James Carter was alive in May of 1842, and dead before his father in 1844, I can narrow his date of death to that 2 year span.
Assuming 20 year old Susan Carter in the 1860 census was his sister, that leaves one unidentified heir of James Carter.

There are also two interesting relationships in the life of Balaam Carter, besides the ladies in his life, and that is the triangle of himself, Richard Carter and Nancy Cranford.

A case between Richard Carter and Balaam Carter bounced through the courts, first showing up in the Spring of 1864. In 1867, it was referred to Supreme Court and in 1869, it was eventually dismissed and never came to fruition.
This is it's 3 mentions:

Spring Term 1864: Richard Carter vs. Balaam Carter   Time until next term to answer

September 1867: Richard Carter vs. Balaam Carter   Transfered to Supreme Court

No. 25 Richard Carter vs. Balaam Carter   Dismissed (see papers).

That is another document I would love to order from the Archives.

I wonder what that was about. Knowing who Balaam is now, I wondered who Richard was, in relation to him, exactly. It was not difficult to find, although there were several Richards, and several Doctor Richard A. Carter's as well. The first one, at least, must have been named for Dr. Richard Anderson, as it seems he was a popular and well-like physcian. He was known to have made the speech in Albemarle that enticed many a Stanly County boy to join up for the Conferate Army, and several of those to loose their lives. The following is a link to the memoirs of Mrs. Carter-Hoffman, submitted by Jodie Gee, which tells the tale of this event:

Dr. Richard Anderson's Speech

The following is the link to the story of the Freeman-Marks house and how is served as an office to Dr. Anderson and also to a Dr. William Lilly.

Freeman-Marks House office of Dr. Richard Anderson

Dr. Anderson was first mentioned in my post on Martha Jane Rummage, sister-in-law of Balaam Carter. Dr. Anderson owned property adjoining the Rummages, and Martha Jane named one of her sons in honor of him, as did a couple of Carters.

Richard Carter, who was the most likely one involved in the lawsuit, was the one born in 1803, and the son of Henry Carter and Mary Frances Stoker Carter. He also had a son, Richard Jr., who, being born in 1847, would have still been in his teens when the lawsuit ensued, so I feel that it was more apt to have been Richard, the father, than Richard the son.

Henry Carter and Balaam's grandfather, Labon Carter, were brothers, according to the research I've found. I've not looked into this link in depth on my own, but judging from online information and other family trees.
If so, that would have made Richard and James, Balaam's father, first cousins and Balaam and Richard first cousins once removed. Not an extremely close relation in those days, as most neighbors were relatives in some manner.

Nancy Cranford first shows up in an indenture dated March 10, 1866 between herself and Richard Carter and 'the heirs of her body' for 11 1/4 acres adjoining E.B. Nash. This is during the time of the lawsuit between Richard and Balaam. It is also in the years just after the Civil War.

The Cranfords were a Montgomery County, east side of the river family. There were few in Stanly County at that time and none at an earlier date.
Later, an agreement is made between Nancy Cranford and Balaam Carter.
Then in the 1900 census, Nancy Cranford is shown as a boarder in the home of Balaam Simpson, along with his daughter, her husband and baby.

So who was Nancy Cranford? Her presence just seems to add more questions to the equation.

Next I will explore identity of Nancy Cranford, along with that of the other women in Balaam's life.

Balaam and Bettie

Balaam A. Carter was the 'other Carter' I was looking into in my previous post Marcus P Carter and the Estate of Joshua Carter.

While he mentions the names of his parents in his marriage certificate and appears in a number of consecutive census records, B. A. Carter was still a bit of a mystery.

He does not show up in the 1850 census of Stanly County. Actually, I've not been able to find him anywhere, yet. It may be that his household was simply missed. That was not uncommon.

He first shows up in the 1860 census. He was living within the area of "Albemarle Post Office" and was listed as a Shoemaker and 28 years old. Neighbors included Miller Easley and Henry Easley, Betsy Hill and Harriett Hill and Henry Marshall. Living with him were Alley Carter, 29, a young boy Benjamin Holt, 49 year old Polly Carter and 20 year old Susan Carter.

This census appears like Alley Carter may have been his wife. I would find out later through land records that she was. I would also find out from the 1880 census and other land records, that Polly Carter was his mother. I have no proof, but am pretty confident from the placing of the person in the household that Susan Carter was most likely his sister. I did, however, discover from research that Benjamin Holt was the son of Allen and Phoebe Holt. His father had died shortly after the 1850 census. At this juncture, I don't know if there was a relationship between the Holts and the Carters. There were several Holt/Carter intermarriages.  As I don't know Alley's maiden name yet, or Phoebe's maiden name, it's possible that there was an unknown kinship.

ame:	Balem Carter
Age in 1860:	28
Birth Year:	abt 1832
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Balem Carter 28 Alley Carter 29 Benjanan Holt 10 Polly Carter 49 Susan Carter 20

From the ages of Balaam and Alley in 1860, it's likely they were married after the 1850 census, so I might be able to find Alley's identity by finding her in that year. Research is always ongoing.

ame:	B A Carter
Age in 1870:	38
Birth Year:	abt 1832
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1870:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age B A Carter 38 Almena Carter 50

Ten years later, Balaam and Almena are on their own. At first glance, this would appear to be an entirely different woman than Alley, due to the age difference. However, land records float easily back and forth between Alley and Almira and Almena as being the wife of B. A. Carter. Same woman. The transcription of this age is incorrect. The '5' looks like it could be a '3' and the '0' could as easily be an 8, so I believe the actual age recorded here would be 38.

B. A. Carter, like most men of his generation, served in the Civil War, and luckily for him, he survived.

Name:	B A Carter
Residence:	North Carolina
Rank at enlistment:	Private
State Served:	North Carolina
Service Record:	Enlisted in Company K, North Carolina 42nd Infantry Regiment on 26 May 1862.
Sources:	North Carolina Troops 1861-65, A Roster

The late 'Seventies' was a busy time for Balaam Carter. The last year his wife Alley (or Alvina, Alvira, Elvira, Almena as she is variously noted) appears in a deed with him is in January 1876.

In June of 1877 B. A. Simpson was brought to court on the the word of Catherine Simpson Mabry on charges of bastardy.

In the document after Catherine's first name, you can see the "Simpson" marked over and Mabry written in it's place. This page was witnessed by T. A. , or Thomas Alexander Simpson. Catherine was the daughter of Isaac and Lucy Simpson. I've never discovered Lucy Simpson's maiden name, however, another researchers notes, her maiden name was given as "Dee" and it was noted that she was Native American. I've not seen proof or disproof of this claim either way.

T. A. Simpson was a cousin of Catherine Simpson, who must have been married to a Mabry at some point. There is no marriage record for her in Stanly County. The child born was Ann Eliza Carter, whom B. A. Carter fully embraced, as she was his only child. On her marriage license, she lists her father as B. A. Carter and her mother as Kate Simpson.

The second page of this document involves another Simpson, J. B., or John Brantley Simpson, of whom I featured in :The Intriguing John Brantley Simpson.

John Brantley Simpson had an out-of-wedlock child himself, with Martha Jane Rummage, whose sister, Bettie,  Balaam Absalom Carter would marry two years after the birth of his daughter Ann Eliza with Catherine Simpson Mabry.

This second page reads "Know all men by these presents that we B A Carter + J. B. Simpson are held and firmly bound unto the said State in the sum of $200 to the payment of which we  bind ourselves, our heirs + assigns jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed this 7th day of June 1877, .......charging him with the  the maintenances of a certain bastard child begotten on the body of Catharine Mabry and shall indemnity the said county from any + all charges for the maintenance of said child. "

It is signed by B. A. Carter and J. B. Simpson, who were obviously close friends. J. B. Simpson would also be a first cousin of Catherine Simpson as his father Thomas, and her father Isaac were brothers.

On November 23, 1879, B. A. Carter, son of James (d) and Mary Carter,  age 50,  married Bettie Rummage, 35, daughter of David Rummage. No mother's name was given for Bettie, but it was noted that she was deceased. The official was Joseph S. Dunn and the event took place in Stanly County.

Name:	B A Carter
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Age:
Spouse's Name:	Bettie Rumage
Spouse's Birth Date:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Spouse's Age:
Event Date:	23 Nov 1879
Event Place:	Stanly, North Carolina
Father's Name:	James Carter
Mother's Name:	Mary
Spouse's Father's Name:	David Rumage

In 1880, we have a bit of transcription error problems, but in looking at the actual handwritten census, we have the right family.

Name:	S. A. Carter
Age:	51
Birth Year:	abt 1829
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Self (Head)
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Tellie Carter
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's name:	Polly Carter
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Neighbors:	View others on page
Occupation:	Farmer
Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and Dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age S. A. Carter 51 Tellie Carter 30 Lonna O. Carter 14 Polly Carter 60

S. A. was actually B. A. , of course and "Tellie" was actually written "Bettie". 14 year old male, Lonna O. Carter was not a Carter. His correct surname was omitted, so he comes up as a Carter, when he was actually Bettie's son Lonnie or Lonna Oscar Rummage. Polly Carter is confirmed as Balaam's mother "Mary" and also appeared within his household in 1860.

A series of land records involving the Rummage family tells a tale that involves Balaam Carter.

Book 10 Page 79 - Sept. 25, 1875 Eli Rummage to Richard Anderson 'for which he holds my note to be due.'

Book 10 Page 531 - Sept. 15, 1876 David Rummage to Richard Anderson, trustee, adjoining Thomas Rummage, Balaam Carter and John Cox.  Note: Balaam Carter was a neighbor already of David Rummage. Davids' daughter Martha Jane Rummage had a son named Richard Anderson Rummage, father unknown, possibly named for neighbor Richard Anderson, whom I believe was a physician and had several boys named "Richard Anderson" insert surname, in honor of him.

Book 11 Page 56 David Rummage to Bettie S Rummage and Martha J Rummage June 25th, 1875.
...as follows "On the north side of Jacobs Creek where the said David Rummage now lives 170 acres part of a large survey granted to Thomas Capson (?) and William Mabges (sp?, maybe Mabry?), by the State of North Carolina adjoining Thomas Rummage, Balaam Carter, John Cox, R. Anderson + others.
signed
Bettie A. Rummage
Martha J. Rummage
In the presence of J. B. Simpson

Book 14 page 255 Martha J Rummage et al to Benjamin Gurley  Nov. 12, 1880
          Martha J. Rummage, B. A. Carter and wife Bettie A. Carter to Benjamin Gurley of Mecklenburg County for $250.00 on the waters of the North Branch of Jacobs Creek adjoining B. A. Carter, Sarah Mauldin, and John Cox. Registered 22 Sept. 1885.

Book 17 Page 436 B. A. Carter and wife to Martha J Rummage  Feb. 18, 1888
B. A and Bettie Carter to M. J Rummage for $50, land on Jacob's Creek adjoining R. Anderson, B. A. Carter, B. F. Gurley and others.

And then in the course of 4 years, a major rift and change occured

Book 24 Page 600  23 May 1892
Between Bettie S. Rummage, Mattie J Rummage and B. A. Carter for $150 to L. O. Rummage (son of Bettie Rummage Carter).  'North fork of Jacob's Creek, beginning at Martha Rummage's corner east with Ben Gurley's line, John Cox's corner, R. Anderson's line, 45 acres more or less, known as part of David Rummage's line.'

Bettie has dropped the Carter from the end of her name and returned to being a Rummage, and apparently, or possibly, moved back in with her sister Martha Jane or "Mattie". L. O. Rummage was Bettie's son.

Name:	Balaam A Carter [Balaam Carter]
Age:	68
Birth Date:	May 1832
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1900:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital Status:	Widowed
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	View on Image
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Balaam A Carter 68 John F Russell 22 Anna L Russell 22 Geo C Russell 4/12 Nancy Crawford 65

In 1900, Balaam's daughter Anna and her husband John F. Russell are living with her father along with George C. Russell, their infant son. The person of Nancy Cranford is another mystery as is her relationship to the Carter family.


Book 30 Page 262 B. A. Carter to L. O. Rummage   Nov. 19, 1903
W. E. Whitleys line, Jacob's Creek  35 4/10 acres, adjoinin Tom Cole's line.

Book 31 Page 480 B A Carter to W. B. Talbert    April 18, 1905
...from a stake in Jacob's creek, W. E. Whitley's line, Justice Efirds corner, 82 1/2 acres.
(William Brantley Talbert was the son of William H. H. Talbert who married Martha J. Rummage. He and B. A. Carter would have been brother-in-laws at one point).

Book 37 Page 63,  Dec 3 1906 B. A. Carter to William Parker, Albemarle Township.

Book 37 Page 280 Indenture  7 Dec 1909 Will and Lucy Ann Parker + Hampton Talbert
located in South Albemarle known as part of the B. A. Carter home tract place, formerly W. H. Talberts adjoining lands of W. H. Talbert, B. A. Carter and others. See deed  B. A. Carter to Will Parker dated 6 Dec. 1906 signed by B. A. Carter.

Neither B. A. Carter, Ann Eliza or John F. Russell appear in the 1910 census.

And another mystery involving B. A. Carter involves his stepson. Lonnie Oscar Rummage.

Lonnie Oscar Rummage was married twice, first to Mary Ann "Molly" Talbert on September 13, 1885. She was the daughter of Josiah Pinkney Talbert and Sarah C. Melchor Talbert. Secondly to Talitha Cumi Whitley, daugther of  Lloyd Hathcock Whitley and Sarah Susanna Hinson Whitley, on January 7, 1906.
She would also marry Hosea Alexander Simpson prior to the death of Lonnie O. Rummage and have another son, in addition to the four she had with Lonnie, including one who died as an infant.

Another researcher logged a marriage between Mary Ann "Molly" Talbert and a "Balium Carter". Who could "Balium" be, but Balaam A. Carter. No other local Carter came close to sharing his name. The closest being the well-documented Rev. Baldwin Henderson "Baldy" Carter who married Minty Holt.

The case of Balaam Absalom Carter is far from solved. His marriage to Elizabeth "Bettie" A. Rummage was intact from 1879 to at least 1888. By 1892, she had returned to using the name "Rummage". Bettie was buried under the name "Bettie Ann Carter", however. She died on December 2, 1899 and is buried at Anderson Grove Church right outside of Albemarle, North Carolina, her final resting place marked with a slab rock. Balaam Carter's obituary also noted that he was buried at Anderson Grove, but his marker is not to be found.

Balaam Carter died in 1910, but did not appear in the census for that year. His obituary is below.



The Enterprise
(Albemarle, North Carolina)17 February 1910 • Page 3