John D. Carter, wollen mill operator at Winchester, was born in Salem Township, Delaware County, Indiana, March 17, 1839, a son of Edmund D. and Mary (Diltz) Carte The father was a native of Frederick County, Maryland, born near Hagerstown, July 4, 1796, and the mother a native of Mercer County, Ky., born November 10 1802. The were married in Dayton, Ohio, where the father was engaged in milling until 1828, when he came to Delaware county, Indiana, where he passed a year, and then returned to Dayton, remaining until 1833, then moving to Madison county, Indiana, thence to Delaware county; and in 1838 coming to Randolph county. In 1840, he located at Winchester; in 1844 moved to Preble County, Ohio, in 1852 came back, to Winchester, and here died October 23, 1873, his widow surviving until June 30, 1891. They were the parents of nine children, born in the following order: Henry, Levi D., John D., George U., Benjamin F., Elizabeth, deceased, Edmund D., Angeline, and Bennett deceased. John D. Carter, at the age of eleven years, began working in the factory, at the age a fifteen, or in 1844, was apprenticed to Elisha Martin until twenty-one, but was released at seventeen and engaged in wool carding at Winchester until 1849; until the fall of 1850 he ran a carding machine in Huntsville; returned to Winchester and engaged in general milling in partnership with Josiah Mongar until June, 1851, when the mill burned down; he then moved to Union City, remained until 1853, then sold out and engaged in general merchandising until 1857; then moved to Chesterfield and engaged in dealing in merchandise, grain and produce until 1860; then moved to Dayton, Ohio, and for two years was in a wholesale dry goods house; was then in Chesterfield a short time, and in 1862 returned to Winchester, where he has since resided, engaged in merchandising. In 1866 he erected a woolen mill on what is now the Canada block in company with G. U. Carter, and in 1868 the firm bought the old seminary in the west end of the town, removed the mill to that place and operated it until 1881, when John D. bought his brother's interest and built a mill on Carl street, and this he still operates. The marriage of Mr. Carter took place at the Franklin house, Winchester, December 31, 1848, to Maria Mongar, who was born in Washington County, Ohio, February 9, 1827, and is a daughter of Josiah and Marilla (Belden) Mongar, of New York. To this union have been born three children, viz: Mary, wife of C. H. Wright; Martha M., widow of Andrew Cronenwett, and Alonzo L., of Cincinnati. Mr. Carter has been a Mason since 1863, and has attained the degree of select master; since 1854, he has been an Odd Fellow. In politics, he is a republican, in 1880 was elected coroner, filled .the office four years and in 1892 was elected for another term of years.

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Portrait and Biographical Record, Randolph County, Indiana

Contributed by: Sarah Spence

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