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Birth:          21 Jun 1806 Scarborough, Cumberland Co., Maine
Death:          2 Feb 1884 Provo, Utah Co., Utah
Burial:         6 Feb 1884 Provo, Utah Co., Utah

Notes
familysearch.org
1850 in District 21, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa blacksmith
per 1870 census, apparently married a second time, with a bunch of children. None of 
the children from the first marriage are with him. He is a farmer
photo in files and at
Per 
http://www.forfamilies.com/images/genealogy/familyhistories/c/carter/domincus/inde
x.html he had a LOT of wives
http://www.forfamilies.com/images/genealogy/familyhistories/c/carter/domincus/domi
ncsl.jpg
Became a Mormon. 
per 
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~marlaprice/Histories/Hannahcarter.htm
Mother Hannah Knight Libby Carter

(A Memorial prepared in 1941 by a group of her descendants)

Hannah Knight Libby Carter was born October 9, 1786, at Scarborough on the coast 
of Maine. She was the daughter of Captain Zebulon Libby and Lydia Andrews. Her 
father, born about 1757, as a young man served three years in the Revolution and 
was afterwards a captain in the militia. He married Lydia Andrews, daughter of Deacon 
Amos and Ann (Seavey) Andrews on 19 October 1780. He died 6 December 1836, and 
his widow on 9 December 1838. They had 11 children, Hannah being the fourth child. 

Her brother, Amos, married, but his wife died a few years later. He then enlisted in the 
American army for one year and lost his life at the battle of Plattsburgh in Canada, 26 
October 1813 during the war then being waged between Canada and the United 
States. 

Practically all the ancestors of Hannah Knight Libby Carter on both her father's and 
mother's lines have been traced back to the immigrant ancestor in America. The Libby 
genealogy was traced many years ago by a young man of 18, naturally inclined to 
genealogy who conceived the idea of tracing all his ancestors back to the immigrant 
to America. The first of the Libby family in Maine he found was John Libby, who came 
from Boradstairs, near Canterbury, Kent England. He, with others, settled at an early 
day in what later became known as Scarborough. There they suffered many attacks 
from the Indians, had many stirring adventures, and a number of their families were 
killed or carried into captivity. 

Lydia Andrews, her mother, was a granddaughter of Hannah Knight and for her she 
named her daughter, the subject of this sketch. Another maternal ancestor was Mary 
Ingersol, who was also the progenitor of Laura (Ingersoll) Secord, the famous 
Canadian heroine of the war of 1812. 

On March 2, 1805, Hannah Knight Libby was married to John Carter. He was born in 
Scarborough, Maine, the son of Richard Carter and Jane McKenney the 17th of May, 
1782. To them 11 children were born, the first three in Scarborough, and the rest in 
Newry: Dominicus, born 21 June 1806; Almira, born 3 January 1808; Hannah, born 28 
June 1809; William Furlsbury, born 1 May 1811; Philip Libby, born 17 January 1813; 
John Harrison, born 6 October 1816; Eliza Ann, born 28 September 1818; Richard, 
born 8 August 1820; Mary Jane, born 13 March 1823; Rufus, born 9 October 1825. 

Nine of these children grew to maturity and had large families, whose descendants 
now are numbered by thousands and may be found throughout the West and in 
practically all parts of the nation. 

Hannah Carter was a refined, cultured woman. The family belonged to the Methodist 
Church. In 1834 Mormon elders brought to them in their home in Maine the Gospel. 
The following account is written by Eliza Ann (Carter) Snow, daughter of Hannah: 

"I first embraced Mormonism in 1834 in the town of Newty, Oxford County, State of 
Maine. The fast Mormon elders I ever heard preach were John F. Boynton and Daniel 
Bean. They came to my fathers house, and my mother lay very sick. The doctors had 
given her up. The elders told her they were preaching a new doctrine and they told 
her that she could be healed if she could have faith, that they would hold hands on 
her. They did lay hands on her and said, "In the name of the Lord Jesus be thou made 
whole."- And she was made whole and arose and called for her clothes and said I 
must go to the water. she walked one-half mile and was baptized in the river called 
Bear River and confirmed. And there was a Large branch raised up in that place." 

John Carter did not join the Church. When his wife was healed, he said, "That beats 
doctor bills" But he never joined the Church. 

Of the nine children, Dominicus, Hannah, who had married Aaron York, William F., 
John, Eliza Ann, and Richard, were all baptized most of them in June 1834. Two 
daughters and one son never became members. 

Responding to the spirit of gathering which rested upon them, those who had 
embraced Mormonism left Maine in 1836 and traveled all the long way to Kirtland, 
Ohio, then the headquarters of the Church. They attended the temple, took part in the 
wonderful meetings, and joined the Saints in singing the songs of Zion. 

The next year an apostate movement arose, and John F. Boynton, the missionary who 
had brought the Gospel to them in Maine and had since become one of the first 
quorum of apostles, became one of the bitterest and most violent leaders against the 
Prophet. So intense was the persecution that those who remained staunch and faithful 
were forced to leave for Far West, Missouri. 

Early in 1838 William F. Carter and Eliza Ann, who had recently married James C. 
Snow, set out together for Missouri, driving an ox team. The graphic story of that 
trying journey is thus told by Eliza Ann. 

"It was cold weather and we suffered much with the cold, but we traveled until we 
came to Terra Haute, Indiana, and one of our oxen died, leaving us with one ox, so 
we were obliged to stop. We had no money, no house to go in and we got the 
privilege of going into a horse stable and I cleaned it out and was glad to get into a 
place out of the storms. After stopping in Indiana a few weeks Hyrum Smith's company 
came along and he being acquainted with me said to me, "If you will ride in my 
baggage wagon I will take you along and you can drive the team and the men can 
walk." I said I will do so. We traveled until we came to Jacksonville, Illinois; there one 
of Hyrum Smith's horses died and he had to leave us. There was a branch of the 
church near by but he did not leave us penniless amongst strangers, without home or 
friends but he called for the President of the branch and told him to let Brother Snow 
preside over the branch as a missionary and to feed and cloth us until the Kirtland 
Camp Company came along in the fall, and he did so. The Presidents name was 
Merrick, the brother that was killed at the Haun's Mill massacre in Missouri. While we 
were there in the branch I looked out, and behold: there came my brother William with 
the one ox that we left behind. He had made a harness and tackled him up and the 
one ox carried his wife and three children to Missouri and when I saw him I rejoiced to 
see him have so much faith, but the Gentiles made all manner of fun of him. They said 
"There goes a D--- Mormon with one ox." But he got there just the same; and Father 
Joseph Smith said it should be in the annals of his history. After that the Kirtland Camp 
came along and we went to Missouri with them. We went into an old log house that we 
could poke a cat out between the logs and there my first child was born; it was the 
6th day of October in the year 1838. Sarah Jane who became the wife of Marshall 
Kindsman and afterwards wife of President Joseph Young. It was cold and snowed 
everyday and the mob came into Far West the very day of her birth, and we were 
much excited. I could not keep the midwife long enough to dress my child, Sister 
Diantha Billings was her name, well known among our people. The mob was blowing 
horns and firing guns all night long. We were without bread or anything to make bread 
of, but by the help of the Lord we were preserved by the brethren giving up their arms 
and promising to leave Far West. We left for Illinois in the month of February of the 
following year. There were three families to one wagon and one span of old horses, 
we took turns in walking. There was Brother Winslow Farr and wife, Gardener Snow 
and wife and James Snow and wife. We traveled all day and at night lay down at a 
camp fire as we had no tent." 

In the famous Kirtland camp which traveled from Kirtland to Far West were Dominicus 
Carter with six m his family, Aaron York with four in his family, and John Carter with 
two. Dominicus, on July 18 was appointed commissary of the camp. Once when three 
of the camp members were unjustly thrown into prison, Dominicus Carter voluntary 
returned and stayed with them in prison until their release was obtained. 

On August 11 in the fore part of the night Sarah Emily, daughter of Dominicus Carter, 
aged about two years and three months, died. Hers was the fourth death of the 
journey. Her funeral was held at two o'clock the next day. 

But still further sorrows awaited him as the camp neared Far West. Everyday they saw 
numerous men of the community take up arms and go to join the mob militia to drive 
the Mormons from the state of Missouri or exterminate them. Someone suggested that 
members of the camp turn back and not run into certain danger, but this proposal was 
unanimously rejected. The Camp arrived at their destination July 4. Persecution and 
massacres were a frequent occurrence, and mobs preyed upon the community. 

During this time, Lydia, the wife of Dominicus Carter was confined. When the baby 
was but five days old she was ordered by a mob with blackened faces to vacate her 
home by midnight as they were going to burn it. She went into a nearby woods with 
her children and remained there throughout the night. There was a cold heavy rainfall 
and, as a result of this exposure so soon after the birth of her baby, she took cold and 
passed away shortly afterward, October 23. Her surviving children were scattered 
among the relatives. 

In February 1839, the saints were driven from Missouri. The leader of one group was 
Isaac Morley. He found a suitable spot for settlement near Lima, Illinois, where four 
walls of a log cabin had been set up. He moved into it while it had neither roof, floor, 
nor windows. Other families joined him and soon a prosperous community had arisen 
known as Morley's Settlement. It was also called Yelrone. 

In the space of five years fertile farms had been developed and the community was a 
veritable hive of industry. On June 15, 1844 a mob of two-thousand men headed by 
bitter anti- Mormon Col. Levi Williams, came upon the Saints at Morley's Settlement 
and ordered them to make a choice of one of three alternatives. First they were to 
take up arms, join the mob and go with them to Nauvoo and help them to arrest the 
Prophet Joseph Smith and 17 other leaders. They must abandon their homes and go to 
Nauvoo, or third gave up their arms and remain neutral. They were given until eight 
o'clock to decide and told that if they did not join the mob they would "smell thunder." 

These brave and devoted Church members did not join the mob nor remain neutral, so 
they were compelled to leave their homes and flee to Nauvoo for safety. The Prophet 
heard their story and sent messengers to report this outrage to Governor Ford. Before 
any action was taken, however, the martyrdom of the Prophet and Hyrum occurred on 
June 27 at Carthage jail. 

In the months that followed the situation became more peaceful and the group 
returned to their homes in Morley's Settlement, and peace reigned until September 10, 
1845, when another mob bent on destruction came upon the settlement and for eight 
days and nights fired upon the settlers, burned between 70 and 80 homes, all their 
stacks of grain, shops, and other buildings. The inhabitants were forced out into the 
cold night during a drenching rain, and the aged, sick and little ones suffered 
intensely, and many deaths occurred. 

Edmond Durfee, one of the leaders of the community was shot by the mob. Then 
Brigham Young and the leaders advised them to abandon their homes and possessions 
to the mob, but to save as many of their families as they could and come to Nauvoo. 
Teams were sent from Nauvoo to assist in bringing them in. 

In February 1846 the exodus from Nauvoo began. Hannah Libby Carter and her 
husband John had moved to Nauvoo as early as 1842 when they signed a deed in 
Hancock County purchasing land at Morley's Settlement. She had received a 
patriarchal blessing from Isaac Morley in 1844. 

At last the day of separation came. John Carter persistently refused to join the Church. 
Hannah, his wife, elected to come west with her people and her children who had 
embraced Mormonism. Before leaving Nauvoo she was sealed for time and eternity to 
Isaac Morley. 

They traveled westward with the body of the Saints as far as Council Bluffs. When the 
call for the Mormon Battalion came, Richard Carter, her youngest son, enrolled and 
was mustered into service July 16, 1846 at Council Bluffs. He served as a private in 
company "'B" of the Mormon Battalion, commanded by Captain Higgins. On November 
19, 1846 he died in service on the march to California, and was buried by his 
comrades at Pueblo, for miles south of Socow, New Mexico on the Rio Grande, 
leaving a wife and two children. On April 12, 1852 at Council Bluffs, Iowa, his wife 
died of smallpox, and the children were brought across the plains by their aunt Eliza 
Ann Carter Snow. 

It is said that Dominicus Carter would have been one of the first company of 1847 
pioneers, but being an expert blacksmith, he was requested by the leaders to remain 
at Council Bluffs and help prepare the emigrant trains for the long journey. 

He crossed the plains in 1851, accompanied by his aged mother, and they arrived in 
Salt Lake City June 20, 1851. Shortly afterward he went to Provo, and in 1852 was 
selected as counselor to George A. Smith, who was called to preside over the 
settlement. This position he occupied for years. The first president of Utah Stake was 
James C. Snow, son-in-law of Hannah Carter. In 1852, William F. Carter, another son 
was appointed to a mission in India. He bore a letter of recommendation signed by the 
first presidency which read as follows: 

"This, certifies that the bearer, William F. Carter is in full faith and fellowship with the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and by the very authorities of said Church 
has been duty appointed a mission to Hindoostan to preach the Gospel and administer 
in all the ordinances thereof pertaining to his office. And we invite all men to give 
heed to his teachings and counselings as a man of God sent to open to them the door 
of life and salvation; and assist him in his travels in whatsoever things he may have 
need. And we pray God, the Eternal Father to Bless Elder W. F. Carter and all who 
receive him and administer to his comfort with the blessings of heaven and earth for 
time and all eternity, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. (Signed) Brigham Young, 
Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards." 

He was given also the following letter of introduction: 

"To whom it may concern, Know ye that I, Brigham Young, Governor of said territory in 
the United States of America, and I am personally acquainted with the bearer, William 
F. Carter, and know him to be a respectable high-minded and honorable man. 

"And as Mr. Carter proposes visiting Asia on a mission I cheerfully recommend him to 
the protection and the respect of all sovereigns, ministers of State, magistrates, and 
police authorities, and to the esteem of all honorable men among whom he may 
sojourn. 

"In token of which I have here unto subscribed my name and caused the seal of said 
territory to be affixed at Great Salt Lake City the first day of October A. D. 1852, and 
of the independence of the United States the twenty-seventh by the Governor, 
(Signed) Brigham Young, Willard Richards, Secretary Protem appointed by the 
Governor." 

During this Mission he traveled completely, around the world. He returned in 1853, 
visiting on his way back relatives in Maine and Illinois. 

In June 1852, Hannah Carter dictated the following message to her so@ Dominicus, 
showing her deep interest in temple work for her kindred dead: 

"By request of your mother I am writing to you. She wishes to communicate to you 
some of her wishes with regard to her deceased relatives. She is well at present as 
common, but as life is uncertain if it is not her privilege to live in this world to do the 
work for her parents and relatives that have gone the way of all the earth, she wants 
to leave @ work so that it may be done and done right. She wishes to be ready to go 
when she is called. This is the way we all should leave. 77 

Then followed a detailed list of relatives she remembered for whom temple work was to 
be done. 

She remained at Provo during the time of the Echo Canyon War, and when the body of 
the saints moved south to Provo and adjoining towns. She lived in her later years at 
the home of Domnicus Carter. Those who remember her describe her as short in 
stature with a round face, impressive blue eyes, and refined and dignified bearing. 
She frequently wore a lace cap and was very prim and neat. She was well educated 
and always very industrious, keeping her knitting close by and working even in her 
advanced years. 

Almost the last glimpse we have of her was obtained from a letter written on March 5, 
1867, by her son, Dominicus, to his brother, Phillip Carter, living on the site of Morley's 
Settlement in Illinois. Said he, 

"Mother is still alive but very feeble. I don't think she can live long. She is getting 
old-- rising eighty. If you should want to see her before she should die you better come 
this spring and not wait till the railroad is finished. Mother wants me to say to you that 
she does not expect to live long on this earth and she wants that you should prepare 
to meet her in the world to come. She says the path she has pursued for the last 30 
years is the only path by which you can enjoy her society in the world to come and be 
accepted of the Lord. 

"Myself, John, Hannah, and Eliza Ann live in Provo City. William and Aaron live 25 
miles from here at a place called Santaquin. Aaron did live in the Cotton County but 
has moved back. It was too hot a country for him. Aaron's health is very poor, he is 
afflicted with rheumatism. 

"I have quit smithing and gone to farming, my eyes are so weak. I have a large shop 
rented. Blacksmithing is a very good business here. Brother John works at the 
business about half the time. 

"Now Phillip, the world is in a bad situation and they don't know what the matter is. 
Therefore, I will honestly wish to give a little advise to my blood kin, whether kindly 
received or not to come out of Babylon or confusion and be with us from the trash of 
the nations. Yours respectfully, Dominicus Carter." 

Her death had occurred shortly before November 2, 1867, for on this day a letter 
written by Mary E. Whiting from Springville to a relative in Manti states "Mother Carter 
is dead." Her funeral was held at the grave side in the Provo Cemetery. The day was 
very cold. Dominicus Carter spoke at the funeral of his mother and told how faithful 
she had always been. And he said she should come forth in the first resurrection. 

The true spirit of her life mission is summarized in the inspired words of the Patriarch 
who pronounced upon her and her posterity this marvelous blessing: 

"The heavens and the earth are stored with blessings for thee and thy posterity after 
thee. Thou hast been faithful in the day of trial. The principles of virtue are planted 
within thy bosom. The last day shall be thy best days. As the desires of thy heart shall 
be. Thy day shall be lengthened even until thou are an lawful heir and by proxy thou 
shalt adimmster and be blessed in thy administration in behalf of thine progenitors." 

By Patriarchal Blessing--May 5, 1844 Book 14. 

On Memorial Day, May 30, 1941, 155 years after her birth, 90 years after she crossed 
the plains, and 74 years after her death 90 members of her posterity held a memorial 
service in her honor, sang again the songs that were sung at her funeral and listened 
to a sketch of her rich life story. Then once again they gathered at her grave side and 
dedicated a bronze marker as a Iasting memorial to her name and noble character. It 
bore this inscription beside the motif of a covered wagon. 

HANNAH KNIGHT LIBBY CARTER 
OCTOBER 9,1786 - NOVEMBER 1867 
"FAITHFUL IN THE DAY OF TRIAL" 

Parents
CARTER John C. ()
LIBBY Hannah Knight ()

Siblings
CARTER Dominicus (21 Jun 1806 - 2 Feb 1884)

Marriage To SMITH Lydia (12 Jan 1809 - 23 Oct 1838)
    m. 11 May 1828 Newry, Oxford Co., Maine

Notes

Parents
SMITH Jonathan (May 1780 - BEF 1860)
BROWN Lydia (ABT 1788 - )

Children by SMITH Lydia 12 Jan 1809 - 23 Oct 1838
CARTER Arlytia Lydia (18 May 1829 - 4 Jun 1854)
CARTER Lucinda McKenney (14 Jan 1831 - 26 Jan 1904)
CARTER Barrett (10 Jan 1833 - EST 1840)
CARTER Sidney Rigdon (30 Aug 1834 - 10 Nov 1912)
CARTER Sarah Emily (11 May 1836 - 11 Aug 1838)
CARTER Lydia Ann (20 Feb 1838 - 8 Dec 1854)

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