** American boys J.J. Carter









Figure 1.--This American CDV is a portrait of Charles J.J. Carter if I read the inscription on the back correctly. The card has no indication as to where or when it was taken. We now know that it was taken near Bethleham, Pennsylvania about 1862-63 during the Civil Wars. (There is no Federal revenue stamp.) Charles looks to be about 7 years old. He wears a cut-away jacket with button-on pants. This was a fairly common outfit, his hair is done in a more unique style. Charles' hair is done with a top roll or peak with double parts.

Charles J.J Carter (United States, 1856-1907)

This American CDV is a portrait of Charles J.J. Carter if I read the inscription on the back correctly. The card has no indication as to where or when it was taken. We now know that it was taken near Bethleham, Pennsylvania about 1862-63 dyring the Civil Wars. (There is no Federal revenue stamp.) Charles looks to be about 7 years old. He wears a cut-away jacket with button-on pants. The has a small white collar. A tab connected the two sites of the jacket at the rop. This was a fairly common outfit, his hair is done in a more unique style. Charles' hair is done with a top roll or peak with double parts. A reader writes, "Chas. J. J. Carter was a prominent oilman in the 1890s until his death in 1907. He married, but never had children. He was godfather to my great-grandfather, Charles Carter Walbridge. I recently acquired his christening mug, given by J. J. Carter in 1887, engraved with both names. Chas. J. J. Carter was the brother of Anne Editha Carter Walbridge (my great-great-grandmother) and lived most of his life in Philadelphia, specifically Pennlyn." [Cox]

Parents


Portrait

The portrait was a CDV albumen print. Most portraits taken n the 1860s were CDVs. We still see some dags and anbros in the eatly 60s and tin-types were taken throughout the decade. Cabinent cards appeared in 1866. Even so, CDVs portraits doiminated the decade. The card has no indication as to where or when it was taken. We now know that it was taken near Bethleham, Pennsylvania about 1862-63 during the Civil Wars. (There is no Federal revenue stamp.)

Charles

This American CDV is a portrait of Charles J.J. Carter if I read the inscription on the back correctly. Charles looks to be about 7 years old. A reader tells us, "Charles was my great-great grandmother's brother, born August 10, 1856 in Redington (Northampton County, near Bethlehem, PA), Pennsylvania.

Clothing

Charles wears a cut-away jacket with button-on pants. The has a small white collar. A tab connected the two sites of the jacket at the rop. This was a fairly common outfit, his hair is done in a more unique style.

Hair Style

Charles' hair is done with a top roll or peak with double parts.

Adult Life

A reader writes, "Chas. J. J. Carter was a prominent oilman in the 1890s until his death in 1907. He married, but never had children. He was godfather to my great-grandfather, Charles Carter Walbridge. I recently acquired his christening mug, given by J. J. Carter in 1887, engraved with both names. Chas. J. J. Carter was the brother of Anne Editha Carter Walbridge (my great-great-grandmother) and lived most of his life in Philadelphia, specifically Pennlyn." [Cox] Onne report suggests he worked in iron manufacturing in the 1880s and then formed the Carter Oil Corp in the late 1890s. Carter Oil later associated with Standard Oil. We do not yet understand that association. We are working on a oil industry history. John D. Rockefeller of course took over many smaller companies to form his great Standard Oil monopoly. Carter opened a men's clothing business in Titusville, Pennsyvania after yhe Civil War (1866). (PA) in 1865. Carter Oil seems to have been founded by Irish-born Civil War hero J.J. Carter (1842-1917). He then sold it and went into the oil business (1877). One report inducates, "Col. John J. Carter, an oil operator of Pennsylvania, came to West Virginia in 1893, and on his own account bought producing oil properties in Tyler Co., West Virginia. There was an association with Standard Oil by the 1880s. ["Oil producers"] A report indicated that " The Carter Oil Company was incorporated and organized as a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company (New Jersey)." (1893) I believe that this means that the Carter Oil Compsny was acquired by Standard Oil. It appears to have been a friendly take over, as Rockefeller gave him important assigments for Standard Oil. Carter Oil operated as an autonomous entity within Standard Oil. [Pemberton md Pemberton] The main office was at Titusville, Pennsylvania, until August, 1915, when Col. Carter ... retired ..." (and the Company moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma). By this time the Standard Oil moonopoly had been broken up. The boy here may be a relative of J.J. Crter, but seems to be a little old to be a son of J.J. Carter. This we have not yet figured all of this out out. According to his passport application of 1895 he was 5 feet 10 1/2 inches tall, blue eyes, and light brown hair (at the age of 38). Carter died in 1907.

Mrs. Carter's Scandal

Three years after Carter died, his 54-year old widow was involved in a scandal reported in the New York Times. She was caught with her chauffeur in an Ocean City, New Jersey hotel room. The problem was that the chauffeur was married and his wife had the pair arrested. The Times reported that she had an income of $35,000 a tear--quite a sum in 1910. She had a $6,000 car. The incident occurred after she had just returned from Europe. Mrs. Carter had a room at the hotel with a private dining room. She was accomanied by her nice, a Miss Weddell. [New York Times]

Sources

Cox, Matthew. E-mail message, December 31, 2008.

Pemberton, S. Geiiorge and Erin A.L. "John Joyce Carter: From Civil War hero to petroleum entrepreneuer," AAPG Explorer Website (August 2017).

"Held with her chauffeur: Autoist's wife has her husband and woman emoloyer arrested," New York Times (November 5, 1910).

"Oil priducers' desires.; A conference here with Standard Oil comoany men," New York Times (March 16, 1887), p. 8.







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Created: 10:05 PM 11/22/2007
Last edited: 10:05 AM 2/19/2021