"Rube" Reuben CARTER
Born C.1865 [2]
Married Leah BIGNELL in 1893 in Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia [32]
Arrived in Three Springs on Saint Patrick's Day 17 March 1906 after purchasing 362 acres of virgin land [44] [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Farmer of Fairview Farm in Three Springs, Western Australia [19] [120:5-Oct-1933]
He was the first farmer to settle in the Three Springs district, following a few days later by Charles F. THOMAS [120: 15-Oct-1936]
His first crop in 1906 was a complete failure, however the following year obtained the good yield of 20 bushels to the acre [120]
Initially his farm consisted of the 362 acre Lot 12 of the Kadathinni Agricultural Area in Three Springs [44]
The Kadathinni Agricultural Area was 10,000 acres in size and was initially intended to be a State Experimental Farm [120: 5-Oct-1933]
Within a few years of settling in the district he had also taken up the 548 acre Lot 20 of the Kadathinni Agricultural Area [44]
Farmer in partnership with his son Herbert R. CARTER as "R. Carter & Son" from about 1923 onwards [6] [44]
By 1923 he had purchased a further 866 acres in Lots 22 and 28 of Victoria Location 1933 [44]
Also by 1923 his son had purchased 456 acre Victoria Location 4132 - taking their collective farmland to a total of 2,232 acres [44]
Played for the victorious Three Springs in a cricket match against Arrino on 5 January 1907 [31: 9-Jan-1907]
He was one of a number of Three Springs farmers who were "as busy as they can be" erecting fences on his farm [9: 27-Sep-1907]
Met Samuel J. F. MOORE M.L.A. at the railway station in Three Springs on his visit to the district in October 1908 [9: 23-Oct-1908]
In October 1908 he purchased a new Massey-Harris binder [9: 23-Oct-1908]
Foundation Treasurer of the Kadathinni Cricket Club in Three Springs in 1909 [9: 20-Aug-1909]
A photograph of of Baroota Wonder wheat he grew appeared in The Western Mail newspaper on 11 December 1909 [120: 11-Dec-1909]
Grew 140 acres of crop on his farm in Three Springs in 1910 [9: 17-Jun-1910]
His 1910 crop was "good and regular, and testified to the fertility of the soil, and to a good rainfall" in Three Springs [31: 7-Oct-1910]
His crop was among those inspected when Samuel J. F. MOORE M.L.A. visited Three Springs on 30 September 1910 [9: 14-Oct-1910]
Exhibited sheaves of Bob's and LeHugenot wheats at the Moora Agricultural Society's Annual Show in Moora in 1910 [9: 28-Oct-1910]
Foundation Committee Member of the Three Springs Football Club in 1910 [9: 1-Jul-1910]
Member of the Three Springs Local Board of Health in 1910 [9: 26-Aug-1910]
Member of the Kadathinni Farmers and Progress Association in 1910 and 1911 [9: 23-Sep-1910] [31: 3-May-1911]
Member of the committee formed in July 1910 to obtain an Agricultural Hall for Three Springs [9: 22-Jul-1910]
Member of the Three Springs Cricket Club 1912-1915 [9: 29-Nov-1912, 10-Dec-1915]
Played for the losing married men in a Married verses Single cricket match held in Three Springs on 4 February 1912 [9: 1-Mar-1912]
Played dozens of games of crib at a Surprise Party held at David TODD's home in Three Springs in early February 1915 [10: 5-Feb-1915]
Attended and almost won the Gents Prize at the Euchre Party & Dance held in Three Springs on Friday 8 October 1915 [10: 12-Oct-1915]
Won the Dry Land Race at the local Hall Committee's Sports Day in Three Springs on Friday 18 February 1916 [10: 25-Feb-1916]
Walked Clare KOCH down the aisle at her wedding to Robert BLACK in Three Springs on Thursday 20 July 1916 [10: 28-Jul-1916]
One of four men appointed to manage and control the Three Springs Recreation Reserve in 1916 [10: 18-Aug-1916]
Thirteen years on, in 1929, he was still a Trustee of the Three Springs Recreation Reserve No. 12432 [4: 17-Aug-1929]
Signed the petition and financial guarantee in 1917 for the Midland Railway Company to provide a resident doctor at Three Springs [34]
Entrant in the Ugly Man Competition held in 1917 to raise money to pay for the gas plant at the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs [10]
Out of the ten competitors in the Ugly Man Competition he came second, and helped to raise the amount of £42/13/4 [10: 6-Jul-1917]
Member of the Three Springs Honour Board Committee in 1917 [10: 20-Jul-1917]
Donated £1/5/- to increase the funds being raised by the Three Springs branch of the Red Cross Society in 1918 [10: 21-Jun-1918]
Won 1st prize for Chaff in the Farm Produce section of the Three Springs Day held on Thursday 26 September 1918 [10: 4-Oct-1918]
Donated a two-tooth sheep to the Basket Social & Dance in Three Springs in aid of Church funds on 10 February 1919 [9: 21-Feb-1919]
The Three Springs Committee for Saint Patrick's Day requested his assistance with their children's events in 1919 [124]
Member of the Three Springs Tennis Club in 1919 [10: 27-Jun-1919]
Attended May BERRIGAN's 21st Birthday held at the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs on Friday 12 September 1919 [9: 19-Sep-1919]
Won 1st prize for Two Shaves of Wheat at the Three Springs Day held on Thursday 25 September 1919 [10: 3-Oct-1919]
Member of the Hall Committee that managed the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs in 1919-20 [9: 29-Aug-1919]
Had a fine new house built on his farm in Three Springs in 1920 [10: 9-Jul-1920]
Member of the Three Springs Cricket Club in 1921 [9: 21-Jan-1921]
Donated 5/- to the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee in 1925 [124]
In mid October 1928 sold eight bales of wool for 12½d. per pound, five for 11¼d., three for 12¼d. one for 11½d [4: 19-Oct-1929]
Later resided in Perth [2]
Died 14 October 1943; buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Wesleyan, HA, 545) [2]
From The Western Mail newspaper, Thursday 26 December 1929:
Country Towns and Districts - Three Springs and Mingenew - Cereal and Pastoral Wealth - People and Properties
"Mr. R. Carter, another of the district's earliest pioneers, has an intimate knowledge of Australia. Besides being one of the first to arrive in Three Springs - his arrival was on St. Patrick's Day in 1906 - he was also one of the pioneers of Coff's Harbour, in the fertile northern rivers country of New South Wales. Mr. Carter took up 313 acres in Three Springs in 1906, and subsequently acquired two other properties. He spends some of his time in Perth nowadays, making periodical visits to Three Springs. His son, H. R. Carter, holds a half-interest in the farms, and also has his own block. Mr. Carter and his son have a reputation for very sound farming method, and this is exemplified by the fact that this season they expect to obtain a 10-bag average over 220 acres."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Reuben Carter' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/reuben-carter [reference list] |
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