History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

JOSEPH CARTER AND FAMILY                                 1845 - 1902

     Joseph Lankton Carter was a native son of Oregon, born at the Lee Mission on January 22, l845. His father was David Carter who was born in Vermont and was left an orphan by the death of his parents while he was still young. He was taken into the family of a minister and early imbibed the idea of becoming a missionary.
     The minister with his family moved further west where David grew to Manhood depending on manual labor for a subsistence. He learned to be a carpenter, then engaged as a teamster hauling goods from Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was a hard and perilous journey in those days but he gained much in experience and the desire to become a missionary was revived.
     Soon after returning to his home he learned of an opportunity to embark on a sailing vessel going around the "Horn" to the Pacific Coast . Equipped with carpenter's tools and a few Bibles for possible missionary work, he set sail from Boston in l836.
     When near Valparaiso there was a death and burial at sea. The captain read the burial service and David Carter offered prayer. At Santiago the vessel made a short stop and all went ashore and there witnessed the execution of a number of prisoners.
     They landed at the Sandwich Islands in 1837 where Mr. Carter obtained employment from Horace Holden. His work was making trays for feeding silk worms on mulberry leaves. (Horace Holden afterwards came to Oregon and settled south of Salem, one son, B.C. Holden, was a prominent merchant in Astoria in 1882). In April 1840 the Lausanne entered the harbor at Honolulu, more than fifty missionaries were aboard bound for the Jason Lee Mission on the Willamette in Oregon. David Carter felt the call and joined the missionaries. When the Lausanne entered the Columbia River, they found a small boat waiting for them at Astoria. This boat was sent through the courtesy of Dr. McLaughlin to convey three of their number to arrange for the accommodation of the new arrivals. Of the three men chosen, David Carter was one. The small boat proceeded directly to the Mission, while the Lausanne anchored at Vancouver where they were the guests of Dr. McLaughlin until other provisions were made. Miss Orpha Lankton was one of the missionaries who had embarked from the East on the Lausanne and had served as stewardess on the journey. A mutual attraction developed between Miss Lankton and David Carter and their wedding occurred at the Mission in February 1841.
     They soon went to The Dalles where he did carpenter work on the mission buildings at that place, then moved to Oregon City where David Carter Jr., was born March 19, 1842. From Oregon City they moved to the Lee Mission where Joseph Lankton Carter was born January 22, 1845. Early in 1846 the family moved to a donation land claim three miles south of Salem (near the claim of Horace Holden) where he engaged in farming and where another son was born August 8, 1846. In 1848, David Carter and Garrison Bewlay went to the gold mines in California, on his return he and Joseph Holman started a store, the second one in Salem. A stock of goods was ordered and shipped on the "Peacock" which was wrecked at the mouth of the Columbia River.
     News traveled slowly in those days and he became discouraged and distracted and died in 1850. After his death it was learned that the goods had been saved. The mother moved to Brownsville, then to Lebanon and from there to Sodaville four miles distant, where she died in 1873.
     Joseph Lankton Carter, the second son, attended the Santiam Academy for two years, L.T. Woodward being principal. In 1862 he moved to Salem attending the Oregon Institute, later known as Willamette University, graduating in 1868. In 1869 he began teaching in Scio, assisted by Miss Margaret Rector. Among his pupils was B.F. Irvine, present editor of The Oregon Journal, also Charles Johns who became Supreme Judge and one of Oregon's ablest jurists.
     On Dec. 21, 1869, at the home of the bride's parents, near Salem, Joseph Carter and Margaret Rector were united in marriage by Rev. C.C. Stratton. She was born in Booneville, Missouri, June 3, 1848, crossing the plains with her parents in 1852. She was educated at the Willamette University and became a teacher, assisting Mr. Carter not only at Scio but at Waitsburg, Washington and in the public schools at La Grande, Oregon. She was matron of the School for the Blind at Salem for six years. Joseph L. Carter was president of the Blue Mountain University for three years, resigning in 1878. He was superintendent of Schools in Union County for five years. They were the parents of the following children: Miles C. born at Scio, Jan 16th, 1871, Mabel L., born at Waitsburg March 29, 1873. Edward R. was born at La Grande, Jan. 27, 1875. Pearl B. was born at La Grande October 14, 1876, Grace, born at Island City, April 1879. Francis S. born at Union, Oct. 14, 1888. He died while young.
     The family moved to Hood River in 1902. Miles and family are still residents there. Mabel married Dr. Johnson of Portland, she died while on a visit to her parents in Hood River. Pearl is Mrs. Tracy of Seattle. Grace married she died at La Grande leaving her husband and two children.
     The Hood River fruit farm was sold in 1910 to Mr. Rath and Mr. and Mrs. Carter moved to Portland where they purchased a home on Ramona Avenue. She passed away in August 1922. David Carter, the older brother, died in 1929 at the age of eighty seven years, Samuel, the younger brother died at Roseburg at the age of eighty six years. He has been a member of the Oregon Legislature, President of the New Church society, President of the Oregon Pioneers Association, and is still interested and active in all pioneer and educational affairs.

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