In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1910) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri (1910), The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens (1882)
farmer and stock raiser, section 33, was born in Onandaga County, New York, on the 31st of August, 1833. His father, Daniel Carr, a native of Rhode Island, was by occupation a farmer. His mother was Miss Rhoda Watson, a native of York State. When Charles was two years and a-half old they moved to Cattaraugus County, New York, and settled about fifty miles south of Buffalo. There he was principally raised, spending his boyhood on the farm, and receiving the benefits of a common school education. When sixteen years of age he commenced teaching, and followed it some three years, when he went to New York City and engaged as clerk in a store. He remained there three years, after which he made a visit to his old home, and then immigrated west to LaSalle County, Illinois. After teaching about six months, he fell a victim to the California gold fever, and started for the new Eldorado. While passing through Southern Iowa the rich land attracted his attraction, and upon inquiry he found it was for sale at Government price ($1.25) per acre. He, therefore, concluded to settle. Borrowing an ax, he marked out his claim, and cut a few poles and started his cabin near the present site of Braddyville. There he made his home until 1867. He made a trip to Idaho in the spring of 1863, and spent seventeen months in the West, then returning to his old home. In 1867 he purchased a piece of unbroken land in Nodaway County, near Clearmont, and in March, 1874, he located where he now resides. His landed estate now consists of 1,000 acres of fine land. He has a handsome residence, some four miles southeast of Maryville, from which a view of the city may be obtained. He also has a large barn, a young orchard, and his farm is well watered and stocked. This is one of the finest and largest stock farms in the county. Mr. C. stands among the old pioneers of Nodaway County, and is widely and favorably known. He commenced life poor, his first team consisting of a yoke of two-year old steers, for which he worked forty days. He is now one of the solid men of Nodaway County. Mr. Carr has been twice married — first in May, 1857, to Miss Mary J. Guthrie. She died on the 15th of May, 1873, leaving six children, five of whom are living: Lewis R., born July 7, 1858; Emma R., born March 7, 1861, (now Mrs. John Whitnack); Albert, born April 19, 1866; Fred, born January 20, 1870; and Charlie C, born August 11, 1871. He was married again on the 23d of March, 1874, to Mrs. Lucy Colburn, a widow with one child, Herbert O. Colburn, born November 9, 1867. Mrs. C. is a member of the M. E. Church.
As printed in The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
CHARLES E. CARR.
Among the men of influence in Nodaway county, Missouri, who during their active lives had the interests of their locality at heart and who led consistent lives, thereby gaining definite success along their chosen lines, was the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch, he having been regarded as one of the leading farmers of the county, owning a valuable and highly-productive landed estate, which he managed with that care and discretion that stamped him as an agriculturist and business man of the highest order. He was a man among men, stood “four square to every wind that blew,” and enjoyed to a remarkable degree the confidence and esteem of his fellow-men.
Charles E. Carr was born in Onondaga county, New York, on August 31, 1833, and was a son of Daniel and Rhoda (Watson) Carr, the former a native of Rhode Island and the latter of New York. The subject was reared under the parental roof, and when two and a half years old the family removed to Cattaraugus county, New York, fifty miles from Buffalo, and in that community he received his education in the common schools. At the early age of sixteen years he began teaching school, continuing his peda logical labors there for three years. Then for the same length of time he was employed as clerk in a store in New York city, where he gained valuable experience. Going then to Lasalle county, Illinois, he again engaged in teaching, but a few months later he turned his face westward with the intention of locating in California. On the way he passed through southwestern Iowa, and was attracted by the fine land there, and at once decided to secure some, acquiring a tract near Braddyville, on the state line, where he lived until 1867, with the exception of one and a half years which he spent in Idaho, going there in 1863. In March, 1874, Mr. Carr located on the fine second bottom lands of the One Hundred and Two river, five miles southeast of Maryville, where he secured fully a thousand acres. Here he developed a fine farm and became one of the most extensive as well as one of the most successful farmers and stockmen of Nodaway county. His start in life for himself was in a very modest way. His first team was a yoke of two-yearold unbroken steers which he secured in payment for forty days' labor. He was keenly alive to his opportunities, however, and by dint of strenuous and persistent labor, rigid economy and good financial management, he was soon on his feet and on the road to prosperity. He never forgot the days of his early struggles, and after he had acquired means he gave financial assistance to many less fortunate men endeavoring to get a start, by loaning them money, for the use of which he asked but a nominal interest, never taking advantage of the urgent need or misfortune of others. His sterling integrity and high personal character gained for him the universal esteem of all who knew him, and he enjoyed a large circle of warm personal friends. He died on February 5, 1907, at College View, Nebraska, his death being deeply regretted by all who knew him.
Mr. Carr was married twice, his first marriage being in May, 1857, to Mary J. Guthrie, whose death occurred on May 15, 1873. They became the parents of eight children, namely: Lewis R.; Emma R., the wife of J. H. Whitnack, of Hastings, Nebraska; Albert; Fred, of Stevens, Nebraska; Charles Clayton, who is referred to in following paragraphs; John, deceased; a daughter that died in infancy, and Samuel, who died in infancy. On March 23, 1874. Mr. Carr married Mrs. Lucy Colburn, whose death occurred on April 16, 1907. No children were born to this union, but Mrs. Carr had a son, Herbert O. Colburn, born to her first marriage.
Charles Clayton Carr was born on August 11, 1871, in Polk township, this county, and was reared under the paternal rooftree, receiving his education in the common schools. He was reared to the life of a farmer, and along this line he has achieved a most pronounced success, being today one of the most progressive and up-to-date farmers in the county. He owns five hundred and sixteen acres of the old home farm, and another tract of two hundred and fifty-nine acres, acquired by his own efforts. Everything Mr. Carr does is done well, as is evidenced by a cursory glance over the premises. The attractive and comfortable residence, recently completed, ex cities favorable comment from all who see it. It is built of cement blocks and contains ten rooms, the interior arrangement of the house being extremely convenient and according to the most advanced architectural ideas. It contains a commodious pantry, bathroom and other conveniences, and is two full stories and a basement. The building is heated throughout by a furnace, lighted by acetylene gas light, and a hydraulic ram sends water to every part of the house where needed, the overflow being piped to the barns and the yard. The other buildings on the farm are substantially built and commodious in arrangement, the general appearance of the entire place indicating the owner to be a man of good judgment and excellent taste.
Mr. Carr gives special attention to the raising of stock, principally cat tie, in which line he has met with gratifying success. He puts two hundred acres to corn, and everything about the place is on a large scale. He has three renters on the land, though all the tracts contain his own stock. The land cannot be excelled in Nodaway county, and among the improvements made on it was the laying of over ten miles of drain tile. The timber of the land is of the finest quality, practically all the lumber and timber used in the erection of the new residence having been cut from his own land. Mr. Carr keeps in touch with advanced ideas relating to agriculture and is eminently practical in his methods of operation, thus insuring the largest returns from his efforts.
On November 5, 1893, Mr. Carr was united in marriage to Anna B. Davison, who was born in Polk township, this county, November 10, 1874, the daughter of Henry L. and Isabelle (Forest) Davison. These parents were born respectively in Michigan and St. Joseph, Missouri, their marriage occurring in Nodaway county. Mr. Davison died in about 1889, his widow being still a resident of this county. Mrs. Davison's father, Capt. James A. Forest, on coming to Nodaway county, took up as a homestead the land now owned by Zach Johnson. He was a veteran of the Civil war and he died in California at an advanced age. Mr. and Mrs. Carr are the parents of eight living children, namely: Ersel Clayton, Ona Opal (died in fancy). Lucy Belle, Ira Osrow, Marjory, Charles Cleo, Forest Theodore, Hazel Constance and Henry Truman.
Mr. Carr is a Republican in politics and a member of the Christian church. He has reason to be proud of the fact that although he is now thirty-eight years old he never took a chew of tobacco, smoked a cigar or took a drink of whisky.
Genial and accommodating in his relations with those about him, Mr. Carr has earned an enviable reputation in the community where he has spent his entire life, and his life has been such as to gain for him the commendation of all who know him. As a representative citizen of Nodaway county, he is eminently entitled to representation in a work of this nature.
As printed in Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1910. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.