In this episode we will take a break from the
narrative of the history of Hannah Knight Libby Carter and spend a little time
in trying to learn a little about what Hannah looked like. Since she died in 1867 we are severely
limited in images of her. In fact, there
are no photographs and just one portrait of her in existence.
This
portrait has a quite interesting history of its own. Archibald F. Bennett described what he knew
about the portrait in his text book, Finding Your Forefathers in America,
1962, pp. 252-255:
“Years ago I wrote: ‘There was said
to have been a picture of her in existence, but none has yet been located.’ We
now believe that picture has been found.
In June 1955 my wife and I paid a visit to Mrs. Dora Bolt, daughter of
Charles Carter and granddaughter of Phillip L. Carter, at Lima, Illinois. She brought out for our inspection an old
case containing letters and family heirlooms.
She showed us the portrait of a lady of the pioneer period, and said she
understood it had been sent to her father from relatives in Utah. Her father Charles had visited Provo, among
the relatives. He had corresponded with
Dell Roberts and it may have come from him.
While there we took photographs of the portrait, which was badly worn
away in places from being rolled for many years.
Upon our return to Utah we made a
careful investigation. Adelbert Roberts
had died 7 Nov. 1919. His obituary spoke
of him as one of Provo’s pioneers. His
widow, Martha Eliza York Roberts, died at the age of 82, on 31 Dec 1931. She was a 1st cousin to Charles
Carter on both the Carter and York lines.
It would be logical for the oldest
daughter of Hannah Knight Libby Carter who came west (Hannah Carter York, wife
of Aaron M. York), to have possession of a portrait of her mother, who stayed
with her in later life, and to pass it on to her daughter, Martha, with whom I
am told she spent her last years. In
comparing the face of the portrait with photographs of Hannah’s children, there
certainly seems to be a family resemblance.
Mr. Leslie A. Carter of Detroit,
Mich., is descended from Richard Carter, a brother of John Carter (husband of
Hannah Knight Libby). He has done a
prodigious amount of scholarly research on the Carter ancestry in Maine and New
Hampshire. On December 2, 1952 he wrote
of a visit he made to Mrs. Dora Bolt at Lima, Ill.
‘The
Bolts are in possession of a remarkable collection of early deeds, old letters,
and miscellaneous papers dating back to Newry, Maine, 1835. They also are the owners of a portrait done
in oil of an elderly unidentified woman, with light color or blue eyes. The enclosed color photograph is a picture of
the portrait taken by me. It is being
sent to you in the hope that you might be of assistance in having the woman in
the portrait properly identified by persons who might have seen the original
portrait at one time or another.
It
cannot be ascertained how or when this portrait was first received by Charles
Carter, though it is believed to be a picture of his grandmother, Hannah Knight
(Libby) Carter (1786 – 1869).’”
The above was copied so the reader can appreciate the work that has gone
on prior to the portrait re-surfacing in the last few years. For those of us in the Utah part of the clan
the portrait was virtually unknown from the 1860’s until it was “rediscovered”
by Leslie A. Carter in about 1951. A few
family members were aware of its existence but its whereabouts were unknown
again until the last few years when we of the Utah clan were introduced to Joe
Conover, who came into possession of it after his mother’s death and has
recently had it restored.
Below
are three images. The first is a copy of
the photograph of the portrait as Leslie saw it in 1951. In the middle is a digitally enhanced version
of the portrait. Finally, a photograph
of the newly restored original portrait.
 |
| Leslie Carter Photo |
 |
| Digital Enhancement |
 |
| Restored Portrait |
So
are there any accounts of what she looked like or any personal accounts of her? We actually have five records that I would
like to provide that help bring Hannah alive for us.
First
is a second-hand account from "Sketch of the Life of Hannah Knight Libby
Carter" by A. F. Bennett: “Those who remember her described her as short
in stature with a round face, impressive blue eyes, and a refined and dignified
bearing. She frequently wore a lace cap and was very prim and neat. She was
well educated and always very industrious, keeping her knitting close by and
working even in her advanced years.”
Lastly
are three first-hand accounts originally quoted in Richard Cater/Carter of
Dover, New Hampshire and Some of His Descendants, by Robert E. Givens,
1972, pp. 47-48, that were originally found in Sunday school genealogy class
manual that I no longer have possession of.
They date from the 1930’s. I
believe the narrator of the following is none other than Archibald F. Bennett.
“On
Dec. 24, 1933, Mrs. Ella K. Miliner dictated to me the following description:
She was of medium height, less than 5 feet 2 inches, very slim and proud, with
a delicate face, brown hair, and big blue eyes, a handsome woman.
She
always had her hair, combed straight down, parted in the middle, straight down
at the the ears, and tied by a ribbon in a bow at the back. She was real
dressy, and had a beautiful black dress, with a plain waist, high neck and a
lace collar.”
“Francis
Carter Knight, a daughter of Dominicus Carter, at 84 years of age, described
her grandmother thus: She was short and
had a round face, was light-complexioned, and her eyes were a light color. She
did not look as old as she really was. Her hair was grey when I knew her. She
wore a little lace cap. She had a good education and was always very
industrious, keeping her knitting close by, and working when she was what might
be considered too old to work.”
“Melissa
Carter Bates, another granddaughter of Dominicus, and 79 years old, remembered
Hannah, who lived in Melissa’s home in her later years: She was short, and had
a round face. She wore a little black lace cap. You could not help but remember
her eyes, but you could not be sure of their color. She had a good education.
She lived in father’s home when I saw her.”
“Sarah
York Tiffany, a great-granddaughter said: Hannah Knight Libby Carter was short and
wore a lace cap. Her eyes were blue and her skin was fair. She seemed so white
in comparison with my mother’s family, who lived in Arizona and were tanned
with the sun. Her eyes were large and seemed so blue that I always remember them,
for those in our family had dark eyes. She sat in the chair or on the bed and
pieced quilt blocks, and her sewing was neat. She was childish and would cry
when left alone very long.”
The above exhausts what this writer knows
about Hannah from contemporary accounts.
If anyone who reads this should happen to have any other first-hand
accounts of her, please let us know.
Hopefully this has helped you better picture our ancestor, Hannah Knight
Libby Carter.
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