Previous correspondence posted on this website is repeated below:
Note from WHB (January 4, 2012): I am more optimistic than ever that the collective efforts of many researchers on the relationships of the Carters in 17th Century Virginia will solve the riddles of the origins of these Virginia families.
I suspect that they will find that efforts in understanding the relationships of the Carters in 17th Century Gloucester County, England to be of great importance in the effort.
We need to better understand what was going on in the Port of Bristol and how the Carters, Tracys and related families were involved. In the meantime, I am posting some past correspondence on the subject.
It also might be useful to have tentative hypotheses as to which of the 17th century Virginia Carters do NOT belong (at least directly) with the Gloucester/Cirencester/Bristol group. It probably matters that some are associated with Christ Church in London, but that does not necessarily mean they are unrelated to the Gloucester group. I suspect that everyone in 17th century Virginia was associated with or at least sympathetic to the side of the Cavaliers as opposed to the Roundheads.
[WHB – In 2015, I concur with all of the above statements from 2012]
Determining the Ancestry of Giles Carter of Henrico County
Some related correspondence:
WHB to Hamp Burnett, October 14 2004
I have been looking through my e-mail message bank (which, of course, I do have access to here in Paris) to seek what I have written others on my previous work on the Carters.
Note this 2001 message I sent to Peyton Carter, who is my cousin through the line of Theodoric Carter (Henrico County). Although my thinking has revised
slightly, this still is my current hypothesis on the Carters. I am descended from Carters on both my mother’s and father’s lines, and have come to believe both lines are descended from the same family in Gloucestershire.
Let me know your thoughts.
Bill
Cousin Peyton –
I am sending you a copy of my current thoughts expressed in correspondence with a researcher from Middlesex County, VA. Please keep these thoughts in
mind as you continue your research, and let me know what you think.
Subject: Re: William Carter
Karen –
If one were able to trace their ancestry to GILES CARTER and ELIZABETH TRACY, then there is sufficient information through the Standard Peerage Books and history books, as well as other genealogical resources, to trace direct lineage back to the Tenth Century Normandy (with a high degree of certainty) and before that to Eighth Century France (on lines of
descendency for which I have not yet examined the evidence directly).
The TRACYs were of royal descent, and from them I have been able to trace four (and probably five) of the 31 known men who fought on the Norman side of the Battle of Hastings as direct ancestors, and include as direct ancestors two kings of England, and a number of significant names in British, Norman and French history.
I have two hypotheses. In both WILLIAM CARTER is the grandson of GILES and ELIZABETH. One would have him the son of GILES JR. and HANNAH CREWES, who settled in the Turkey Island area (Henrico County). The other
would have him as the son of a WILLIAM CARTER, who was the brother of GILES, JR.
[WHB, Seoul, 2015: I’m currently persuaded that Giles Carter and Elizabeth Tracy did not have descendants, and am an agnostic as to whom of whether Giles Carter of Henrico County’s wife was a Crewes, a Sewall, an American Indian or any of the other extant theories.]
I am a descendent of WILLIAM CARTER on my father’s side and of THEODORIC CARTER, son of GILES JR. and HANNAH CREWES, on my mother’s side. I have enough experience with the First Family dynasties to pick up on clues which suggest large multi-county, multi-state economic endeavors involving the different branches of one family.
[WHB, Seoul, 2015. I no longer am persauded that Giles Carter’s wife Hannah maiden surname is Crewes. However, I would not be surprsied if it turned out to be so.]
WILLIAM CARTER’s son JOHN CARTER (who you will show in your Middlesex County records associated with the AMMONs) was ancestor to the CARTERs of Bedford County. Now I have some tentative evidence (as yet not
established) that THEODORIC’s brother’s line inherited Bedford County property.
[WHB:, Seoul, 2015. Nothing yet has dissauded me that the major lines of Carters of Gloucestershire County had a recent common ancestor. I also am not convinced that they were unacquainted. I recongnize that this is a considerable step from there being concerted action between two brances of the Carter family in Virginia, but believe the possibility should be explored.],
My current hypothesis is that ALL of the CARTERS who appear in the 17th century Virginia records are related. Given the tight controls on immigration into 17th century Virginia, it makes sense for there to be ultimately only one CARTER family. Granted, it is a common name, and I never really thought that they all could be closely related, but the more I learn, the more I think that is probable.
One other bit of information. GILES and ELIZABETH TRACY’s brother, travelled together on the ship Supply to Jamestown Colony in 1620, took part in the “First Thanksgiving”, then returned to Gloucestershire, after
which GILES and ELIZABETH married.
[WHB, Seoul, 2105. Even though there has ben important research on the Tracys, I think there is much more to understnad as tow how the Tracy family fits into the settling of Virginia .
The CARTER and TRACY families were scouting Virginia from the earliest decades. When things went badly for them in the English Civil War, many of the family members emigrated to the Colonies.
[WHB, Seoul, 2015. I might choose to qulaify this statement in the future, but am not prepared to do so as of yet.
Please share this information with persons who would be willing to pursue this line of reasoning and help me prove or disprove it.
Thanks, WHB
WHB to Peyton Carter, October 17, 2004
Thank you for the reference to the baptismal certificate. Did you see the attached posting, which refers to documents that I have not yet seen?
I think with some concentrated work on Gloucestershire it will be possible to “connect the dots”. One of the items I plan to spend more time on is the history of each of the manors associated with the Carter families (and it appears from the attached correspondence possibly also those associated with the Laurence and Stratford families).
Although my work with medieval genealogy prepares me to expect continuous marrying within family groups to prevent choice revenue bearing properties from being lost to the family group, I have not come across documentation of relations with the Stratfords yet. The Carters et al could all be cadet branches of the Tracy and deTony families.
Let me know if you have further information. I think you are on the right track with Gyles of Badgeworth.
Cordially, Cousin Bill
The “attached posting” from Joseph Carter:
Gyles Carter and Carters of Gloucestershire, February 29th, 2004 –
I am Looking for Several Carter’s from the Gloucestershire area that migrated to the United States around the Virginia area in the early and late 1600’s. I am interested in Gyles Carter of Badgeworth that had a wife Margarett and A brother Thomas Carter that had a son named Anthony Carter, Gyles of Badgeworth Had a son John Carter that was married to Mary Lawrence daughter to Robert Lawrence of Shipton Sollars and Eleanor Stratford of Farmecotte (Farnecott) their son Giles that was Married to Elizabeth Tracy he was one of the early Carter’s that Came to Virginia.
The Carter’s were related to the Tracy Family through intermarriages of the Stratford, Carter and Lawrence Families. I am searching for A Giles Carter born around 1634 possibly a son to a Theodor or Theodorick Carter that was christened in Cirencester in 1635. I am also looking for a William and John Carter from this Line that came to The USA. Their were two Families of Carter’s from Gloucestershire that shared similar Names, The Carter’s of Arlingham and the Carter’s of Badgeworth , Charleton Abbots, Lower Swell , Neather Swell and Cirencester and Cheltenham and Blockley. I have wills of Several of these Carter’s but I am searching for a link to Early Virginia that would connect Carter’s here to the families in Gloucestershire.
If you can Help me Please do.
Re: Gyles Carter and Carters of Gloucestershire
Reply from Jeff Carter, April 18th, 2004 –
HAVE JOHN AND WILLIAM CARTER ABOUT 1700. Suspect Carters went to Christchurch, then isle of Whyte, then USA.They lived Lancashire.Kent.Garston.Liverpool.Regards Jeff Carter
Peyton Carter to WHB
I did discover his baptismal certificate in Cirencester, dated April 24, 1635. (Gloucestershire Record Office, Gloucester, England, 24/4/1635, PFC 86 in 1/1, No. 5, p. 243). It names Gyles Carter, the son of Theodor Carter. Given that Giles of Henrico’s oldest son was named Theodorick, this seems to be it, not to mention that this makes him the correct age, verified in a deposition that Giles gave in 1680. (Henrico County, Record Book 1 (Deeds & Wills), 1677 – 1692, Reel 4, p. 133.) However, I have had difficulty in tracking down this Theodor. I have not been able to positively connect Giles of Virginia with Gyles of Badgeworth. Have a nice trip.
Hi Cousin Peyton –
I am writing you from Paris and will be in Gloucestershire next week. I noted your current postings requesting information on the baptism of Giles Carter in Cirencester and the possible descendency from Gyles Carter of Badgworth. Have you obtained any further documentation that might
confirm this hypothesis?
Cordially, Cousin Bill