Early Roots and Family Foundations
I often find myself drawn to the tangled vines of family histories, where each branch tells a story of resilience amid hardship. Littleberry Walker Carter, born around 1829 in Warren County, Georgia, emerged from such a sturdy stock. His parents, Wiley Carter and Ann Ansley, anchored him in the soil of Southern planter life. Wiley, arriving in this world in 1798, built a prosperous existence, owning 29 slaves and sprawling over 5,642 acres across 11 counties by 1849. Ann, born in 1801, brought her own lineage of early settlers, tying the family to the rugged frontiers of Georgia.
Littleberry grew up among a brood of at least 10 siblings, a bustling household that mirrored the chaotic growth of a wild orchard. His brothers and sisters included Amanda Carter Sammons (1822-1893), Caroline Carter Beckworth (1823-1854), Calvin G. Carter (1825-1899), Euphrasia A. Carter Hart (1829-?), Jane Carter Hart (1834-1905), Julia Ann Carter Mize (1836-?), Louisiana Virginia Carter Rumph (1838-?), Wiley Carter Jr. (1841-1904), Ann W. Carter (c. 1840-?), and Jesse Taliaferro Carter (1846-1924). These kin scattered like seeds across Georgia’s landscape, pursuing farming and local trades. Feuds and migrations pruned some connections, yet the core remained rooted in shared blood and land.
His grandparents added deeper layers to this familial tapestry. On his father’s side, James Carter and Eleanor Duckworth provided the foundational trunk. From his mother’s line came Abel Ansley and Lydia Harrison Morris, with great-grandparents Job Morris and Mary Ainsley extending the roots even further into colonial soil. I imagine Littleberry as a young man, absorbing tales from these elders, stories that shaped his view of a world on the brink of upheaval.
Marriage and Immediate Family
Littleberry married Mary Ann Diligent Seals in Warren County on January 5, 1851, a crucial step. Mary Ann, daughter of William A. Seals (1814-1860) and Eliza Harris (1815-1886), was born about 1838 in a rural background. The couple had four children, each thriving in the post-war South.
The oldest, Jeremiah Calvin Carter, arrived in 1855. His narrative is slightly overshadowed by his siblings’ as he married and farmed in Georgia. Records indicate Eliza Ann Carter married and stayed in Sumter County circa 1856, silently weaving the family’s thread.
William Archibald Carter, a bridge between ordinary and remarkable, arrived in 1858. In Early County, he married Nina Pratt and had James Earl Carter Sr. (1894-1953). This line made William the grandfather of 1924-born President Jimmy Carter. William was shot over a stolen table in 1903, continuing the Carter men’s tragic fate.
The immediate children include 1866-born Nannie Bell Carter, the youngest. Her records are scarce, but she strengthened the family’s presence in Plains, Georgia, by weaving into the broader network.
To find new ground, the family moved to Sumter County near Wiley’s plantation in 1860. This movement, like a river, placed them in the fertile plains that would define the Carter legacy.
Civil War Service and Career Path
The storm of the Civil War swept through Littleberry’s life like a relentless gale. Enlisting in 1861, he served as a private in Company A of the 11th Battalion Georgia Artillery, dubbed the Sumter Flying Artillery under Captain Cutts. This unit thundered through Virginia campaigns, exposing him to the raw fury of battle. He endured until 1865, returning scarred but steadfast to his agrarian roots.
Farming defined his days, a relentless rhythm of planting and harvest. He cultivated peanuts, corn, and cotton on modest plots, his estate at death tallying simple assets like seven bushels of groundnuts. Unlike his father’s pre-war wealth, Littleberry’s finances reflected the lean Reconstruction era, a time when former Confederates grappled with poverty and change. A side venture operating a “flying jenny”—a crude merry-go-round at local carnivals—added a touch of whimsy, yet it sealed his fate.
No grand achievements mark his ledger, but survival in that turbulent period stands as a quiet triumph. I see him as a yeoman, tilling the earth with calloused hands, embodying the unyielding spirit of Southern resilience.
Tragic End and Extended Legacy
Disaster hit quickly on November 27, 1873. At 44, Littleberry argued with business partner D.P. McCann over carnival receipts. The quarrel escalated—a drunken stabbing or a gunfight—to murder. Indictment led McCann to South America to avoid prosecution. Mary Ann died hours after his funeral on November 28 from grief. Littleberry was first buried on their farm, then at Oak Grove Cemetery in Americus, Sumter County.
A dark tide in the family stream carried this savagery through generations. Wiley had slain over a stolen slave, as did his son William in 1903. Through William Archibald, Littleberry’s great-grandchildren shined nationally. The 39th U.S. President, Jimmy Carter (1924-2024), governed with humility from these roots. Billy Carter (1937-1988), a presidential brother and businessman, was colorful. Gloria Carter Spann (1926-1990) promoted motorcycle safety following personal loss, while Ruth Carter Stapleton (1929-1983) evangelized as a faith healer.
I link dots from 19th-century fields to 20th-century White House hallways like a star map. The Carters had four children, at least 10 siblings, and bushels and acres of estate.
| Family Member | Birth-Death | Relation to Littleberry | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wiley Carter | 1798-1864 | Father | Prosperous planter with 29 slaves and 5,642 acres. |
| Ann Ansley | 1801-1848 | Mother | Tied to early Georgia settlers. |
| Mary Ann Diligent Seals | c.1838-1874 | Wife | Died of grief shortly after husband’s murder. |
| Jeremiah Calvin Carter | 1855-1925 | Son | Farmer in Georgia. |
| Eliza Ann Carter | c.1856-? | Daughter | Married and stayed in Sumter area. |
| William Archibald Carter | 1858-1903 | Son | Farmer, sawmill operator; grandfather of Jimmy Carter; murdered in 1903. |
| Nannie Bell Carter | 1866-? | Daughter | Contributed to family network in Plains. |
| Jimmy Carter | 1924-2024 | Great-grandchild | 39th U.S. President. |
| Billy Carter | 1937-1988 | Great-grandchild | Businessman, known for beer brand. |
| Ruth Carter Stapleton | 1929-1983 | Great-grandchild | Evangelist and author. |
| Gloria Carter Spann | 1926-1990 | Great-grandchild | Motorcycle enthusiast and advocate. |
Timeline of Key Events
Life’s milestones for Littleberry and his kin form a chronological spine, revealing patterns of migration, conflict, and continuity.
- 1798: Wiley Carter born.
- 1801: Ann Ansley born.
- c.1829-1832: Littleberry born in Warren County.
- 1835: Partial family move to Talbot County.
- 1848: Ann Ansley dies; Wiley remarries in 1849.
- 1851: Marries Mary Ann on January 5.
- 1855: Jeremiah Calvin born.
- c.1856: Eliza Ann born.
- 1858: William Archibald born.
- Mid-1850s: Resides in area becoming Glascock County in 1857.
- c.1860: Moves to Sumter County.
- 1861-1865: Serves in Civil War.
- 1864: Wiley dies.
- 1866: Nannie Bell born.
- 1873: Murdered on November 27; Mary Ann dies soon after.
- Post-1873: Descendants settle in Plains, leading to presidential lineage.
This framework highlights how one man’s life, though brief, seeded a dynasty.
FAQ
Who was Littleberry Walker Carter’s wife and what happened to her?
Mary Ann Diligent Seals married Littleberry in 1851. She bore four children and shared his rural life until his murder in 1873. Overwhelmed by grief, she passed away mere hours after his burial, leaving their young family orphaned.
What role did Littleberry play in the Civil War?
He enlisted as a private in the Sumter Flying Artillery in 1861. Serving through 1865, he fought in Virginia campaigns, enduring the war’s brutal toll before returning to farming.
How is Littleberry connected to President Jimmy Carter?
As the great-grandfather, Littleberry links through son William Archibald Carter and grandson James Earl Carter Sr. This chain places Jimmy, along with siblings Billy, Ruth, and Gloria, as his great-grandchildren, carrying forward a legacy from Georgia farms to global stages.
What caused Littleberry’s death?
A fatal dispute with partner D.P. McCann over “flying jenny” earnings erupted on November 27, 1873. Whether by knife or gun, the clash ended his life at 44, with McCann fleeing justice to South America.
Did Littleberry have a large family?
Yes. Beyond his parents and wife, he had at least 10 siblings. His own children numbered four, and the extended tree includes grandparents like Abel Ansley and Lydia Harrison Morris, plus great-grandparents Job Morris and Mary Ainsley. The lineage spans generations, marked by both tragedy and triumph.
