Charles Hill Carter

Charles Hill Carter (1732 – June 28, 1806) was a Virginia planter who represented Lancaster County in the Virginia House of Burgesses (1758–1775) and all five of the Virginia Revolutionary Conventions, and also sat on the first Council of State in 1776. Early life and family He was born at Shirley Plantation to the former Elizabeth Hill, who had been born to the last of three generations of men named Edward Hill to operate that plantation and represent surrounding Charles City County in the House of Burgesses. Around the time that her brother, also Edward Hill, had died of tuberculosis at age 16, Elizabeth had married John Carter, the colony's secretary of state and son of King Carter, probably the colony's wealthiest and most powerful man. Her father selected her (and her husband) to inherit Shirley plantation, instead of either of her two elder sisters. His elder brother would be named John (and was alive in 1728 and mentioned in King Carter's will) and his younger brother named Edward would also follow the family's planter and politician traditions, serving in both the House of Burgesses and later in the Virginia House of Delegates representing Albemarle County. Their sister Elizabeth became the wife of nearby burgess William Byrd III (1728–1777), and among their children was powerful politician William Byrd IV. Charles Hill Carter married twice. His first wife, Mary Carter, was his cousin, the daughter of Charles Carter of Cleve. Before she died in 1770, they had sons: John Hill Carter (1757 until after 1777), George (1761–1788, who married Lelia, the daughter of Sir Peyton Skipwith), Charles B. Carter (1766–1807, who married his cousin Nancy Beale Carter and lived at "Mt. Atlas") and Edward Carter (1767–1806, who married his cousin Janet Carter, daughter of John Carter of "Sudley" and served in the House of Delegates representing Prince William County) and daughter Elizabeth Hill Carter (1767–1832, who married Col Robert Randolph (1760–1825) of Eastern View plantation in Fauquier County). His second wife was Ann Butler, daughter of burgess Bernard Moore of Chelsea plantation in King William County. She bore several children. Career Upon reaching legal age, this Charles Carter initially operated Shirley Plantation, which his father (who died when this boy was ten) then stepfather Bowler Cocke operated (using overseers) until Charles reached legal age.