Carter, Aline B.

1st Generation (Alines's Great Grandparents): Elizabeth Mary Menefee and Wilson I. Riddle ([1811]-1847) married in 1841 in Tennessee. The couple moved to San Antonio where Wilson was a merchant and owned three lots of land in San Antonio's first settlement known as La Villita. In 1842 Wilson was captured by the Mexicans and imprisoned in Perote following the invasion of Rafael Vásquez. His wife Elizabeth escaped and fled to Gonzales with their baby, Sarah. Wilson was released from prison in 1843, but died a few years later in 1847. A widow with two children at age 27, Elizabeth later married Harvey Canterbury with whom she had four additional children.

2nd Generation (Aline's Grandparents): James Wilson Riddle, son of Elizabeth and Wilson I. Riddle, served in the Civil War and later became a wholesale and retail dealer in partnership with Robert Eager, in general merchandise, importing Mexican products and paying cash for pelts and wool.

Sarah Elizabeth Riddle (1842-1947), sister of James Wilson Riddle, was the first Anglo-American girl born in San Antonio. She married Robert Eager of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1867 at the age of 25. Together they had three daughters: Florence, Blanche and Fannie. Sarah never remarried after Robert's death in 1893. She was a member of the Daughters of the Revolution and was employed by the state of Texas as the manager of the Alamo in the early 1900s. Sarah lived at 434 South Alamo Street until her death in 1947 at the age of 105.

3rd Generation (Aline's Mother and Aunts): Florence C. Eagar Roberts (1867-1969), daughter of Sarah Riddle Eagar, was one of the most popular society women in San Antonio of her time. At the age of 40, she married Major Harris Lee Roberts and moved to Manila, Philippines where Major Roberts was stationed in the Army. By 1913 they had returned to the United States and settled in Galveston. Florence was no stranger to traveling abroad. Prior to her marriage, she had taken several trips to California and New York, and had cruised on the Adriatic in 1895 and traveled to Canada in 1901. She was a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and of the opposing faction, the DeZavala Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. An artist who had studied in New York, Florence illustrated her good friend Clara Driscoll's book titled In the Shadow of the Alamo . Florence was also appointed custodian of the historical exhibit in the Texas State Building at the World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1907.

Blanche Eagar Badger (1867-19??), twin sister of Florence, married Frank J. Badger. They had two children: Charlotte Blanche (1893-1906) who died of illness in her youth, and Aline [1892]-1972.

Fannie Henrietta Eagar McCullough (1869-19??), sister of Florence and Blanche, married Edward J. McCullough in 1890. Edward was part owner of Mensing & McCullough Wholesale Druggists in Galveston, TX. The couple had three children.

4th Generation (Aline Badger Carter): Aline B. Carter ([1892]-1972) is most widely known for her work as a poet, but she was also interested in music, art, philosophy and astronomy. Her aim in life was to work through the arts for world peace. Aline was privately tutored and then attended Wellsley in 1913. She also studied harp at the Boston Conservatory. In 1915 she married Henry Champe Carter (1861-1948), a well-known Texas attorney, Judge and former president of the State Bar Association of Texas. They raised three sons: Henry Champe, Frank and David.

Aline served as Poet Laureate of Texas from 1947-1949 and as vice-president of the Poetry Society of Texas. She was a charter member of Avalon and encouraged aspiring poets through the annual Aline B. Carter Peace Prize. She also frequently awarded prizes for poems by high school students and adults. Aline published and illustrated her first book of poetry, Halo of Love, donating all proceeds to charity. In 1968 she published a second book, Doubt Not the Dream . Her books were on exhibit at the Woman's Pavilion during HemisFair in 1968. Her work also appeared in numerous publications and anthologies. One of Aline's final works is a 1,000 page historical fiction manuscript entitled Light Beyond the Hills, based on the life of her grandmother Sarah Riddle Eagar, in Old San Antonio. The manuscript was never published, but is in this collection.

Known as the "White Angel" in her flowing white organdy dresses, Aline was widely admired for her charity. She visited jails to comfort and encourage prisoners to practice religion in daily life. The collection contains several letters from prisoners who wrote Aline asking for her influence upon the court and seeking inspiration to better their lives. She was also legendary for throwing an annual Christmas party for the children of a San Antonio orphanage. Deeply centered in her faith, Aline maintained a chapel in her home at 119 Taylor Street and at the family vacation beach property in Port Aransas. Both residences are still maintained by her sons.

5th Generation (Aline's Sons): Aline and her husband Henry Champe Carter raised three sons.

Henry Champe Carter, Jr. (1917-1960) had earned a pilot's license, but took up a life of crime and was killed at age 43.

Frank J. Carter (1919-) attended the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, in 1938 and entered the Navy in 1942. Frank wrote his mother about his training as a Range Finder, and his service experience during WWII.

David Paul Carter (1921-) also served in WWII. He was in the Army and stationed in New York City as a commanding officer at the 38th Station Hospital. Following his discharge in November 1945, David traveled to Alaska, which is documented in his letters home. He later attended the University of Houston and South Texas, and became a well-respected lawyer in San Antonio.

Sources:

San Antonio Light, May 5, 1947.

San Antonio Express News, Oct. 10, 1948.

South Texas: the newsletter, Summer, 1998. Vol. IV No. 3.

Handbook of Texas Online, La Villita Earthworks, accessed June 14, 2001.

From the guide to the Aline B. Carter Family Papers MS 94., 1823-2003, (1840-1955), (University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections)