- April 2002 Homes Tour*
*(Taken from the Gazette-Virginian article with permission.)
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By WEST WOODING
The Old Carter Farm is located on the Banister River, just off Rt. 501 north, one mile from the Town of Halifax. At the present time it consists of 100 acres, more or less, and was cut from a larger land grant given to the earlier Carter descendants. The original home place was built in three sections. It was started by Nathaniel Carter, son of Theoderick Carter and his wife Judith Cunningham Carter, and Nat's wife, Ann Oliver Stevens, daughter of James Stevens of Paisley, Scotland. The Carters had been in the country since the 1620's and James Stevens was a immigrant. Mr. Stevens was a merchant and had done very well. He was a secretary in the Revolution and built Belvue mansion. The young couple chose to move to the land that Nat had been given and built the center section of the three houses first. This was done in the very early 1800's. Nat's brother, Sam, built the parlor section next and the kitchen was added last. As was the practice at the time, the original kitchen was separate from the main house and was located near the present swimming pool. The farm became the property of a son, Thomas Townes Carter. He spent his life raising a family, crops and tending to local business. In his "Day Book" he writes of events on the farm and weather conditions including the great snows and a earth quake. His descendants continued living on the property, and still live here. Robert Henry Wooding of Pittsylvania Co. married Elizabeth Baker Carter and lived here until 1922. They moved to Halifax. They had seven children, four of whom were born here. The Rev. Dr. N. H. Wooding lived here and his brother, Robert Edward Wooding, and.his son, Robert Jr. still live here. Water for the houses is provided from a spring and pumped to a holding tank by a water wheel. It is still an active farm and has a saw mill to do custom sawing. It was said that during the war, the Yankees mustered their guns around one of the trees in the yard. The snow of 1940 was said to be level with the opening to the corn crib, just across from the main home. The farm and home are listed as a century farm. |
| The Halifax County Historical Society Flora Osborne, President Phone: 434-575-5059 |
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