Eugene Ashton Carter
Eugene Ashton Carter (September 24, 1909 – December 20, 1988) was an American labor leader from West Virginia who played a central role in the growth and unification of organized labor in the state during the mid-20th century. He was president of Teamsters Local 175 and president of the West Virginia Federation of Labor.
Early life and family
Eugene Ashton Carter was born on September 24, 1909, in Prudence, Fayette County, West Virginia, to Eugene Porter Carter and Mary Catherine McCutcheon. He began working in the coal mines at age 17 with the New River Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company, the same employer as his father."Eugene Ashton Carter (1909–1988)". FamilySearch.
On November 29, 1927, Carter married Romaine Electa Mathews in Fayetteville, West Virginia. They had four children—three sons and one daughter. Carter lived in Fayetteville for about 20 years before relocating to Kanawha County by 1940.
Labor career
During the Great Depression, Carter moved to Charleston, West Virginia, where he worked as a dairy truck driver. While employed in the transportation industry, he became active in labor organizing and helped establish the first local Teamsters union in the area.
In 1936, Carter was elected president of Teamsters Local 175, a position he held until 1974. Under his leadership, the local expanded significantly and became a major force representing transportation and industrial workers.
In 1945, Carter was elected president of the West Virginia Federation of Labor, the state affiliate of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). He served in that role until 1957, when the AFL State Federation merged with the CIO Industrial Union Council to form the West Virginia Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Carter played a key role in guiding organized labor through this transition, helping unify competing labor organizations and strengthen labor’s political and economic influence in the state."Eugene A. Carter Memorial Bridge (I-64 Bridge over Kanawha River) at Charleston, West Virginia". The Clio.
Death and legacy
Carter died on December 20, 1988, in Charleston, West Virginia, at the age of 79, and was buried in St. Albans, Kanawha County, West Virginia."Eugene Ashton Carter (1909–1988)". FamilySearch.
In recognition of his contributions to labor and public service, the West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 17 in 2005, renaming the Fort Hill Bridge over the Kanawha River in Charleston—part of Interstate 64—as the Eugene A. Carter Memorial Bridge."Senate Concurrent Resolution 17 (2005)". West Virginia Legislature.
Photographs and archival materials documenting Carter’s career are preserved in the West Virginia History OnView digital collection at the West Virginia & Regional History Center. A notable image shows Governor Okey Patteson signing a document with Carter standing beside him, highlighting his active role in labor legislation during his tenure."Governor Okey Patteson and Labor Leaders (1950)". West Virginia History OnView.
See also
References
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