Skip to main content

Carter, Dominicus, 1806-1884

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1806 - 1884

Biography

Dominicus Carter (1806-1884) was an early Latter-day Saint blacksmith, polygamist, and probate judge in Utah County.

Dominicus Carter was born on June 21, 1806, in Scarborough, Maine, to parents John Carter and Hannah Knight Libby. He married Lydia Smith on May 11, 1828 and they had eight children together. Carter and Smith moved to Kirtland, Ohio, after being baptized in 183. Smith and their two-year-old daughter both died during the move from Ohio to Missouri in 1838. After this event but in the same year, Carter married Sophronia Babcock. He moved with Babcock to Illinois where he was ordained as a high priest by Isaac Morley in 1841. He later married six more wives: Sylvia Meacham, Mary Durfee, Caroline Hubbard, Elizabeth Brown, Polly Miner, and Frances Nash. Altogether he had approximately fifty-one children.

Carter mostly worked as a blacksmith throughout his life, but after traveling west and settling in Salt Lake Valley in June 1851, Carter opened and managed the Lion House, the first hotel in Provo. He also served on the Provo City Council and as a probate judge in 1852. In the early 1880s, Carter was apprehended by the federal government and imprisoned for practicing polygamy, which had recently been outlawed. He was released after a few months.

Carter died on February 2, 1884 in Provo, Utah.

Citation:
WikiTree, via WWW, April 2, 2014 (born on June 21, 1806, in Scarbourough, Maine; parents John Carter and Hannah Knight Libby; married Lydia Smith on May 11, 1828 and they had eight children together; Carter and Smith moved to Kirtland; baptized in 1834; Smith and their two-year-old daughter both died during the move from Ohio to Missouri in 1838; in the same year, Carter married Sophronia Babcock; moved with Babcock to Illinois where he was ordained as a a high priest by Isaac Morley in 1841; six more wives: Sylvia Meacham, Mary Durfee, Caroline Hubbard, Elizabeth Brown, Polly Miner, and Frances Nash; approximately fifty-one children; worked as a blacksmith throughout his life; in Salt Lake Valley in June 1851; opened and managed the Lion House, the first hotel in Provo; served on the Provo City Council; probate judge in 1852; early 1880s, apprehended by the federal government and imprisoned for practicing polygamy, which had recently been outlawed; released after a few months; died on February 2, 1884 in Provo, Utah.

Carter pioneers of Provo, Utah, c1966:page 36 (Dominicus Carter; born June 21, 1806 in Scarborough, Maine to John Carter and Hannah Knight Libby) page 56 (died February 2, 1884 in Provo, Utah)