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Dominicus Carter

Born: 21 Jun 1806, Scarborough, Cumberland, Maine

Parents: John and Hannah Knight Libby Carter

Died: 2 Feb 1884, Provo, Utah, Utah

Arrived in Valley: June 1851

 

Married lst: Lydia Smith, 6 children.

Date: 2 May 1829, Newry, Maine.

 

Married 2nd: Sophronia Babcock, 1 child.

Date: 1838.

Died: 26 Aug 1847. In child birth on plains coming west

 

Married 3rd: Sylvia Amaret Meacham, 2 children.

Date: 28 Mar l839. Sylvia left him after the the death of her second child. She took her other son with her

 

Married 4th: Mary Durfee, 13 children.

Date; 2 Jan 1844 (polygamy)

 

Married 5th: Polly Miner, 9 children.

Date: 9 Oct 1851 (polygamy)

 

Married 6th: Elizabeth Brown, 8 children.

Date: 20 Jun 1852 (polygamy)

 

Married 7th: Caroline Hubbard, 2 children.

Date: 27 Oct 1854 (polygamy)

 

Married 8th: Frances Nash, 8 children.

Date: 6 Jan 1857 (polygamy)

Dominicus was born in poor and humble circumstances. When he was four, his parents moved their fami]y to Newry, Oxford, Maine. He never had the chance for an education. He only knew hard work. He learned the blacksmith trade and between that and his farm, he did fairly well.

In June 1834, Dominicus joined the Mormon Church. His first wife died early so he remarried. She later died while giving birth. He married his first polygamous wife, Sylvia. Later, after Dominicus had taken five more wives, Sylvia took her two small children and left him, saying she could not live in polygamy.

In the spring of 1837, they left Maine and moved to Kirtland, Ohio. In 183 8 they moved to Far West and then to Nauvoo where they underwent the persecution that the saints were facing. Brigham asked him to help prepare for the trip by making and strengthening the wagons and other equipment.

After leaving Nauvoo, they settled for a time in Council Bluffs, helping to repair the wagons and equipment of the saints who were going west, and whose equipment had taken a beating. It was 1850 before Dominicus was able to bring his family to the Valley.

The following year he moved his family to Provo where he remained active in civic and church positions, serving in the Utah Stake presidency with George A. Smith. He served as Probate Judge for four years. He was asked to fill a position in the Provo City Council. He played in a Martial Band and helped furnish music for the early militia; he became their leader for 20 years. He had a fine voice and lead the singing in Provo.

For many years he and his sons ran a hostelry as well as his blacksmith shop. He owned a great deal of property in Provo. He was a kindly father and husband, a good neighbor and citizen, and a loyal and active member of the church all his life.

 

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