Casper Carter

CASPER CARTER, one of the prominent and successful farmers of Clarke County, residing in Osceola Township, was born in Decatur County, Indiana, in April, 1827, the only son of Dr. Abraham and Harriet Carter, of whom the mother is still living in her eighty-fifth year, having been a resident of Osceola since 1856.  Casper Carter was reared and educated in the schools of Greensburgh, in his native county, and on attaining his majority he married Miss Clara C. Spencer, of Sumner, Illinois. They have had eight children born to them – Harriet A., married Enoch Shawver, who is now deceased; Elizabeth P.; Adelia, wife of J. P. Cady; Sarah H., at home, and Loyd P. The others died several years since.  Mr. Carter came with his family to Clarke County, Iowa, in 1856, where he followed farming till the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in Company D., Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry. After serving eighteen months he was transferred to Company E, of the same regiment, and was then mustered as Captain of the company serving till the close of the war. He participated with his regiment in the battles of Parker’s Cross Roads, Town Creek, Snake Creek Gap, Resaca, siege of Atlanta, and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. He received an honorable discharge at Washington, District of Columbia, in June, 1865, and soon after returned to Clarke County, where he has since followed agricultural pursuits.  He is a thorough, practical farmer, and in all his undertakings has met with success, and is now the owner of 600 acres of valuable land, which is under good cultivation. His land is well fenced, and the greater part seeded down to grass. He has devoted considerable attention to the raising of cattle and hogs, which he fed and fattened on his own farm, and has lately turned his attention to raising high-grade short-horn cattle and Poland-China hogs, and is also raising horses and buying and shipping them to Dakota. He has a good residence, surrounded with shade and ornamental trees, and comfortable and commodious farm buildings for the accommodation of his stock.  For many years he has furnished the agricultural statistics and reports of his township to the Secretary of State. Previous to the war Mr. Carter was clerk of Osceola Township, and for many years has served his township as trustee, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents.

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 346-51