Robert Carter III
Encyclopedia
Robert "Councillor" Carter III (February 1727/28 – March 10, 1804) was an American
plantation owner, founding father and onetime British government official. After the death of his wife, Frances Ann Tasker Carter
, in 1787, Carter embraced the Swedenborgian faith and freed almost 500 slaves
from his Nomini Hall plantation and large home in Westmoreland County, Virginia
. By a "Deed of Gift" filed with the county in 1791, he began the process of manumitting slaves in his lifetime. His manumission is the largest known release of slaves in North American history prior to the American Civil War
and the largest number ever manumitted by an individual in the US.
of Corotoman
.
Robert Carter III married Frances Ann Tasker, and they had seventeen children.
King George II
appointed Carter to the Virginia Council. He continued to serve by a reappointment by King George III
. Later, despite expressing support of the crown after George III's repeal of the Stamp Act 1765
, Carter resigned as Councillor and eventually supported the American cause in the Revolution
.
In the two decades after the Revolutionary War, numerous slaveholders in the Chesapeake Bay
area freed their slaves. They were inspired by Quaker, Methodist and Baptist
preachers, as well as the principles of the Revolution. Often they made provision for freeing slaves in their wills or deeds, in which they noted the principles of equality as reason for their decisions. The percentage of free blacks increased in the Upper South from less than one percent before the Revolution, to 10 percent by 1810. In Delaware, three-quarters of all blacks were free by 1810.
From Baptist and Swedenborgian influences, Carter concluded that human slavery was immoral. He instituted a program of gradual manumission
of all slaves attached to his estate. It started in his lifetime in 1791 and continued after his death. He designed the program to be gradual to reduce the resistance of white neighbors. Frequently, Carter rented land to recently freed slaves, sometimes evicting previous white tenants in the process. His release of slaves, numbering 452, is the largest known manumission in the United States.
He also took pains to pass his beliefs to his children. He wrote to James Manning (first President of what is now Brown University
) in February 1786 of his sons, George and John Tasker Carter: “they [are] to be Sent from Boston immediately upon their Arrival there to your College in Providence. I beg leave to appoint you their Foster Father intimating that my desire is that both my Said Sons shd. be active Characters in Life ... The prevailing Notion now is, to Continue the most abject State of Slavery in this Common-Wealth – On this Consideration only, I do not intend that these my two Sons shall return to this State till each of them arrive to the Age of 21 years.”
Toward the end of his life, Carter moved from Virginia to Baltimore, Maryland. In part he wanted some distance from family and neighbors who looked askance at his Swedenborgian faith and program of manumission. In 1803 the year before his death, Carter wrote his daughter Harriot L. Maund, "My plans and advice have never been pleasing to the world."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
plantation owner, founding father and onetime British government official. After the death of his wife, Frances Ann Tasker Carter
Frances Ann Tasker Carter
Frances Tasker Carter was born in Annapolis, Maryland. Her parents were Benjamin Tasker and Ann Bladen. Benjamin was one of the richest men in the Province of Maryland and a president of the Maryland Council and Provincial Governor of Maryland....
, in 1787, Carter embraced the Swedenborgian faith and freed almost 500 slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
from his Nomini Hall plantation and large home in Westmoreland County, Virginia
Westmoreland County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,846 households, and 4,689 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,286 housing units at an average density of...
. By a "Deed of Gift" filed with the county in 1791, he began the process of manumitting slaves in his lifetime. His manumission is the largest known release of slaves in North American history prior to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and the largest number ever manumitted by an individual in the US.
Family
Robert Carter III was the grandson of Virginia land baron Robert "King" CarterRobert Carter I
Robert "King" Carter , of Lancaster County, was a colonist in Virginia and became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies....
of Corotoman
Corotoman
Corotoman was a 17th and 18th century plantation on the Rappahannock River in Lancaster County, Virginia, United States. Corotoman was the residence of Robert Carter I , a colonial Governor of Virginia and one of the wealthiest men in the British colonies in North America...
.
Robert Carter III married Frances Ann Tasker, and they had seventeen children.
Later life and career
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
appointed Carter to the Virginia Council. He continued to serve by a reappointment by King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. Later, despite expressing support of the crown after George III's repeal of the Stamp Act 1765
Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act 1765 was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament specifically on the colonies of British America. The act required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp...
, Carter resigned as Councillor and eventually supported the American cause in the Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
In the two decades after the Revolutionary War, numerous slaveholders in the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
area freed their slaves. They were inspired by Quaker, Methodist and Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
preachers, as well as the principles of the Revolution. Often they made provision for freeing slaves in their wills or deeds, in which they noted the principles of equality as reason for their decisions. The percentage of free blacks increased in the Upper South from less than one percent before the Revolution, to 10 percent by 1810. In Delaware, three-quarters of all blacks were free by 1810.
From Baptist and Swedenborgian influences, Carter concluded that human slavery was immoral. He instituted a program of gradual manumission
Manumission
Manumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...
of all slaves attached to his estate. It started in his lifetime in 1791 and continued after his death. He designed the program to be gradual to reduce the resistance of white neighbors. Frequently, Carter rented land to recently freed slaves, sometimes evicting previous white tenants in the process. His release of slaves, numbering 452, is the largest known manumission in the United States.
He also took pains to pass his beliefs to his children. He wrote to James Manning (first President of what is now Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
) in February 1786 of his sons, George and John Tasker Carter: “they [are] to be Sent from Boston immediately upon their Arrival there to your College in Providence. I beg leave to appoint you their Foster Father intimating that my desire is that both my Said Sons shd. be active Characters in Life ... The prevailing Notion now is, to Continue the most abject State of Slavery in this Common-Wealth – On this Consideration only, I do not intend that these my two Sons shall return to this State till each of them arrive to the Age of 21 years.”
Toward the end of his life, Carter moved from Virginia to Baltimore, Maryland. In part he wanted some distance from family and neighbors who looked askance at his Swedenborgian faith and program of manumission. In 1803 the year before his death, Carter wrote his daughter Harriot L. Maund, "My plans and advice have never been pleasing to the world."
See also
- Robert Carter IRobert Carter IRobert "King" Carter , of Lancaster County, was a colonist in Virginia and became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies....
- Carter's GroveCarter's GroveCarter's Grove, also known as Carter's Grove Plantation, is a 750 acre plantation located on the north shore of the James River in the Grove Community of southeastern James City County in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the US.The plantation was built for...
- History of slavery in the United StatesHistory of slavery in the United StatesSlavery in the United States was a form of slave labor which existed as a legal institution in North America for more than a century before the founding of the United States in 1776, and continued mostly in the South until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in...
- ManumissionManumissionManumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...