Henry Stuart Carter

Henry Stuart Carter
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Washington County district
In office January, 1948 – January 1960
Preceded by	George M. Warren
Succeeded by	Bradley Roberts
Personal details
Born	September 5, 1910 Big Stone Gap, Virginia, U.S.
Died	September 17, 1985 Bristol, Tennessee, U.S.
Resting place	Mountain View Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Bristol, Virginia
Alma mater	University of Virginia School of Law
Profession	Lawyer

Henry Stuart Carter (September 5, 1910 – September 17, 1985) was a Virginia lawyer, who served part-time for a dozen years representing Bristol and Washington County in the Virginia House of Delegates. A member of the Byrd Organization, Carter participated in its Massive Resistance to racial integration.

Early and family life

Henry Stuart Carter was born on September 5, 1910, on a farm in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, to Charles Samuel Carter and his wife Ida Spacht (originally from Pennsylvania). He was raised in Richmond, Wise County, Virginia with his older brother Charles and younger brother Dale. He attended Fishburne Military School and Bristol High School. He was educated at Emory and Henry College and then at the University of Virginia School of Law, receiving an LL.B. degree in 1935. He never married.

Career

Upon graduating law school and being admitted to the bar, Carter practiced in Bristol, Virginia. Carter enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Counterintelligence Corps during World War II. After the war, he returned to practicing law.

Carter was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1948, representing Washington County and Bristol together with J. Walter Gray, and replacing George M. Warren. He served until 1960. Keys S. Bordwine replaced Gray as the county's other representative in 1950, and was in turn replaced by Fred C. Buck in the 1955 election. During the Massive Resistance crisis in Virginia, Carter served in the Virginia House of Delegates and supported continued racial segregation, as did other members of the Byrd Organization. However, his cousin of similar name, Virginia State Senator Stuart B. Carter of Fincastle, Virginia, led the moderate faction that respected the Supreme Court's Brown decisions, and opposed closing of public schools which integrated because of it.

Bristol's Commonwealth Attorney for a dozen years, Bradley Roberts replaced Carter as Bristol's delegate beginning in January 1960, and served together with Buck until both were replaced after the 1963 elections. He was president of Commonwealth Coal Corporation and member of the board of visitors of Emory and Henry College.

Personal life

Carter was active in the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as 40 and 8 and Elks social organizations. He was a member of the State Street United Methodist Church. He lived on Euclid Avenue in Bristol.

Carter died on September 17, 1985, in Bristol Memorial Hospital in Bristol, Tennessee. He was buried in Mountain View Cemetery.