Artemesia Wheat Carter of GA and AL 1853-1923 #52Ancestors #9

Artemesia Elizabeth Wheat was the third of eight children born to Augustus Walter Wheat and Mary Gray Danforth Wheat. She was born November 22, 1853 in Campbell County, Georgia. She was known as Artie.

Cover Illustration taken from the cover of Harper's Weekly, September 7, 1861 

Artie grew up in a wealthy household in the old south. Her father was a merchant in Atlanta before she was born, and later an attorney and judge in Campbell County. The 1860 census shows

Wheat, Augustus W 39 M W GA
Occupation Atty at Law Property 12000, Personal 7000
Mary G 35 F
Frances M 14 F
Henry C J 13 M
John C 11 M
Artemissa 6 F
Harry W 2 M (Harvey, married Julia Morris)
3 slaves...a 45 year old female and two children, both 7 years old, male and female.

Artie's father died in 1868. I believe she is Olta in the 1870 census. 

Her mother's household:

1870 GA Campbell Co., Campbellton, PO Powder Springs, Roll M593_139, Pg 33, dwell 1101, lines 20-26, July 24th
Wheate, Mary, 56, keeping house, $1000, $200, GA, cannot read or write
Wheate, John, 21, farm labor, can read & write
Wheate, Olta?, 18, female, domestic servant, GA, cannot read or write (possibly Artie)
Wheate, Harvey?, 12, farm labor, GA
Wheate, Gilbert, 11, GA (Augustus Gilbert, actually 8, married Carzolia Lee 'Lela' Richardson)
Wheate, Anna, 8, GA (actually 11, married a Hammond, and then Joe Privett)
Wheate, Alza, 4, female, GA (married William Henry Bice)

Artie married Thomas Kendrell Carter December 19, 1873. The marriage is recorded in Douglas County.

I have not been able to find the family in the 1880 census. Per Familysearch's Pedigree Resource File Thomas died December 21, 1881. I have no idea how Artie and her children survived after Thomas' death. Her youngest child would have been less that three weeks old, and the oldest was six.

Their children were:

Mary Agnes Frances born February 18, 1875. She married Walter Millwood;

Lela Ann born April 19, 1876. She married James Benjamin Blackwell;

Samuel Thomas born July 13, 1877. He married Mary Alice Warnick;

Augustus Felton born November 7, 1878. He married Mary Ella Franklin;

William Jackson "Jack" born December 3, 1881. He married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Salter.

Artie moved her family to Jefferson County Alabama. They are found in the 7th Precinct in 1900, which would later become Hueytown.

CARTER ARTIE E 45 F W GA born November 1855
Widowed, 5 children with 5 living, she, father & mother all born in GA.
In Household:
Samuel T 27 born July, 1878
Lela A, 23 born April 1877
Augustus, 20 born November 1880
William J, 19 born Dec 18__ (shows age 17, which should be 1881)
All children shown born in GA
All males list occupation as coal miner
Birth year seems to be a year off

Based on birthplaces of children they moved to Alabama after Thomas died. I'm not sure what led the family to Alabama other than the coal mines.

Artie was living with her sister's family in Cullman County, Alabama in 1910.
Privitt, Joe, Head, 46, Marriage 1, Married 19 years, born Illinois, parents born unknown, Farmer
Privitt, Annie, wife, 49, Marriage 2, 4 children, 3 living, born GA, Parents GA
Hammond, James A, step-son, 23, single, self and parents GA, Laborer-home farm
Carter, Atie E, Sister-in law, 56, widowed, 5 children, 4 living, self and parents born GA

In 1920 Artie had moved back to Georgia and was living with her daughter's family:
1920 > GEORGIA > FULTON > COOKS DIST (North West Atlanta, about 3 miles west from downtown)

Series: T625 Roll: 253 Page: 169
Hall Street, 143/146

MILLWOOD WALTER S 49 M W GA Occupation: Carpenter, house, Parents born GA
Millwood, Mary F, wife, 44, self and parents GA
Heath, Roberta F, niece, 11, self and parents GA
Heath, Beatrice, niece, 8, self and parents GA
Carter, Artie E, mother in law, 66, widowed, self and parents GA

Artie then moved to Blount County, Alabama, presumably living with her daughter Lela Carter Blackwell until her death January 25, 1923. She is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Blountsville, Blount, Alabama.

Photo by Kimberly Crawford