Hugh Carter | |
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.jpg) Official portrait, 1967 | |
| Member of theGeorgia State Senate from the14th district | |
| In office January 9, 1967 – January 12, 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Jimmy Carter |
| Succeeded by | Lewis H. McKenzie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Hugh Alton Carter (1920-08-13)August 13, 1920 Plains, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | June 24, 1999(1999-06-24) (aged 78) Americus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Ruth Godwin Carter |
| Children | 3; includingHugh Jr. |
| Relatives | Jimmy Carter (cousin) |
| Education | |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army U.S. Army Reserve |
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Hugh Alton Carter Sr. (August 13, 1920 – June 24, 1999) was an American politician and businessman fromGeorgia. He was also the first cousin of former U.S. presidentJimmy Carter.
Born inPlains, Georgia, Carter served inWorld War II as aUnited States Armylieutenant seeing combat in Europe. After the war, Carter remained in thereserves and retired as alieutenant colonel in 1964.[1] Carter graduated fromGeorgia Southwestern State University, during a time when it was a two-year college, then from theGeorgia Institute of Technology with a BS in industrial engineering, and followed by an MBA from theWharton School of Business at theUniversity of Pennsylvania.[2]
Carter served seven terms (14 years) in theGeorgia State Senate, from 1967 until 1981 and was aDemocrat.[3] He represented District 14, and succeeded his cousin future-PresidentJimmy Carter in that post.[4] He represented eight Georgia rural counties, and served as chairman of the Senate Education Committee and was a senior member of the Appropriations, Rules and Fiscal Affairs Committees.
Carter owned a bait shop and a general (later antique) store.[5] In 1949, Carter started a third business growing fish bait. Originally limited to crickets, he later expanded into worms. By the mid-1950s, Carter was selling worms nationwide and laying claim to the title of "the world's largest worm farmer", producing more than 60 million a year.[1][5] Carter wrote six pamphlets on worm and cricket farming, the best seller in 1958 was18 Secrets of Successful Worm Raising[6][7] Thepamphlet originally sold for $1.00. When Carter raised the price to $2.95 sales grew even faster.[5] In 1978, he wrote a book:Cousin Beedie and Cousin Hot: My life with the Carter Family from Plains, Georgia.[8] The book drew the wrath of auntLillian Carter and cousinBilly Carter. In the book, he had referred to the President's mother as "domineering", while offering his opinion of Presidential brother, Billy: "He's not a redneck, but can make money as a redneck". Shortly after the book's publication, Carter drew a political opponent. Peanut farmer Malcolm "Chicken" Wishard, was backed by Hugh Carter's aggrieved aunt Lillian and cousin Billy. However, Wishard's campaign slogan "Help the Chicken take the Worm", failed to inspire voters, and Carter was re-elected to another term in the State Senate.[5]
Carter retired from the State Senate in 1981. His bait growing business suffered declining sales in the 1990s, and he closed it in 1996.
At the age of 78, Carter died inAmericus, Georgia, on June 24, 1999.[1][9]
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