A certain gentleman tailor by the name of Charles Samuel Carter has interested me for a number of years. I happened across Mr. Carter while researching my several times great-uncles, Alton and Robert Harrison, who worked with him.
Charles S. Carter was born about 1876 in Grahamville, South Carolina. His parents were Jack and Nancy Carter.
Precious little is currently available online about how Mr. Carter’s life and how became such a successful tailor and businessman. However, the fact is that somehow Charles S. Carter did just that.
What I know, I share here.
As early as 1899, Charles S. Carter’s tailoring business was listed in the Norfolk City Directory.
In 1902, he married Carrie Wingfield and they had two daughters, Florence and Charlotte, before divorcing.
In 1922, Charles S. Carter secondly married Grace Law and they had son, Charles S. Carter, Jr., in 1923.
Charles S. Carter passed away in late September 1933 in Norfolk, Virginia and he was buried in Calvary Cemetery.
Here is how Mr. Carter presents in the historical record:
Richmond, Virginia
15 Mar 1902, Sat • Page 8
By Earl Lewis
Norfolk, Virginia 06 Jan 1901, Sun • Page 2
The Post
Big Stone Gap, Virginia 28 Sep 1905, Thu • Page 3
29 Dec 1923
Norfolk Journal and Guide
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
In the early 1900s, both Robert H. Harrison and Alton T. Harrison (my 2nd great-granduncles) were successful tailors. They were each associated with the high-profile tailor Charles S. Carter. Carter catered to customers from all races, according to writings of the day.
On May 13, 1933 a sad news item appeared in the Norfolk Journal and Guide concerning Charles S. Carter. Because the article contains potentially triggering information, I will not share it here. One can access the article by searching the aforementioned publication date wherever you read the Journal and Guide archives, if interested.
After much suffering, Charles S. Carter passed away of natural causes months later, in September 1933.
Charles S. Carter’s daughter, Charlotte (1906-1989), married Albert Gourdine (1905-1972). Their eldest son was Meredith Charles Gourdine (1929-1998), an important engineer, physicist, athlete and inventor.
What an impressive life and important legacy! Looking forward to learning even more about businessman and tailor extraordinaire Charles S. Carter. May his memory be a blessing.
This is our situation.
The Genealogy Situation Room
The Genealogy Situation Room 
That was really interesting about the electrogasdynamic energy converter which seems to be some type of a generator.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed learning about that, too. Very practical uses for that really complicated field of science. No doubt, we’re all benefiting from his inventions today.
LikeLiked by 1 person