Bela Carter

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430 A  CEXTCBY  OF  MEMOEN. BELA  CARTER. It  is  true  of  many  citizens  that  the esteem  in  which  they  are  held  is  due to  their  conscientious  discharge  of  du- ties whether  of  a  civic  or  business character.  Of  such  a  type  was  Bela Carter,  a  descendant  in  the  sixth  cren- cration  of  Rev.  Thomas  Caritr.  the first  pastor  of  the  church  of  W'oburn, Mass.  This  clerj^yman.  who  was  Iwrn in  England  and  laid  the  f<Mi!i<Jation for  his  future  career  at  St.  j  .hn's  col- lege. I'niversity  of  Cambridge,  where he  received  the  degrees  of  li.  A.  and M.  D.,  emigrated  to  America  in  1635 in  the  ship  "IManter."  He  went  to Dedham,  thence  to  W'atertown  and  in 1642  was  ordained  at  W'oburn.  A further  study  of  .Mr.  Carter's  ances- try reveals  interesting  characters,  men who  inherited  from  the  pioneer  his zeal,  his  honesty  of  purpose,  his  con- scientiousness. Bela  Carter,  son  of  Silas  Johnson and  Ruth  (A'ining  i  Carter,  was  Ixirn Febuary  6,  1828.  in  Ilardwick,  Mass.. where  he  received  a  common  school education.  His  natural  ability  mani- fested  itself  at  the  early  age  of  six- teen when  he  began  teaching  pen- manship. Not  long  after  his  atten- tion was  directerl  to  the  trade  of  paint- ing and  interior  decorating-  which  he followed  in  1 'aimer,  .Mass.,  and Springfield,  .Mass.,  <lircctly  after,  lo- cating in  .Merideii  in  1850,  where  he established  himself  in  business  two years  later.  He  soon  became  inter- ested in  real  estate  in  which  he  dealt extensively  up  to  the  time  of  his  death and  was  considered  to  be  an  e\ on  Meriden  rralty.  one  of  his  b-^ est  transactions  being  the  sale  ot  di projjerty  known  as  "The  Flats,"  : a  part  of  which  stand  the  buil now  known  as  I'actory  E  of  the  iJ temational  Silver  Company.  He acted  as  agent  for  several  out  of  *  f savings  banks  for  the  placing  of '  ^  1 and  incidental  business.  For years  he  was  a  director  in  the  T n National  t)ank  of  Meriden.     In  ci life  he  was  a  Whig,  but  later  bc\\;:i identified  with  the  Republican  pi:ti The  qualities  which  he  displa}  f '  i his  business  relations  gained  for  ^3 the  esteem  and  confidence  of  hi-  '-t lowmen  so  that  during  the  Civil  va in  i8(>2.  he  was  elected  first  selec:;  J of  Meriden  and  was  re-elected  t'.\^ thereafter.  For  four  years  he treasurer  of  tlie  military  fund.  Ml  >i for  three  terms  in  the  Ctmrt  of  l'^ mon  Council  as  councilman  or  al  'ti man  and  served  for  si.x  years  as  clu  1 man  of  the  Corner  School  Di>trK committee.  For  several  years  be  ca a  member  of  the  Ijoad  of  Assc-- He  untloubtedly  could  have  had  -i^ er  political  honors  had  he  cvincc\i  i willingness  to  accept  them. In  1850  Mr.  Carter  marrieil  M J.,  daughter  of  Cn]>tain  Butler Polly    (Converse)    Marrett,  ot chertown,  Mass..  who  si:rvivc» husband  and  is  a  loved  and  hoiv  H resident  of  Meriden.    Of  their  vii children,     Henry    Johnson.  AiT-i Smith  and  Wilbur  Barrett,  diet!  » in  one  week  of  diphtheria.    The  '  > ers  are:  Elmer  Bela,  a  sheep  ra^ Digitizec'  1  O