Carré, Walter W.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Carré, Walter Willie, lumberman. Thomas Carre', of St. Peterport, Island of Guernsey, was the father of John Carré, who married Susan DeJersey, also of the Island of Guernsey. The latter were the parents of Henry Carré, who came to the United States and married Miss Amelia Wingate, of South Carolina. This last couple were the parents of Walter Willie Carre', who was born in Gainesville, Miss., June 6, 1829. He was reared in his native state and attended the public schools, but early in life removed to New Orleans, where, at the age of 17, he entered the lumber business. He became owner of the business at 19 years of age, and started on a career of great success. In 1852 he organized the W. W. Carré Co., doing business in New Orleans with lumber mills located in Logtown, Miss. Mr. Carre' patented the dumping lumber wagon, which, with some changes, is used to this day. For a number of years he received a royalty on every one of these wagons built. It was he who first made the noted Carre' cabins; which were houses shipped knocked down ready for erection. This branch of business was carried on quite extensively and until the country was built up with mills, these were the principal houses for country and plantation use. Mr. Carre' was a member of the Lumbermen's exchange, now called the Contractors & Dealers' exchange, and a member of the Masonic order. He was prominent in church work, and one of the stewards of what was first called the Carondelet Street Methodist church, now the First Methodist Episcopal church, South, located at No. 1108 St. Charles avenue. April 26, 1862, Mr. Carre' married Miss Elvira A. Beach of New Orleans. Miss Beach was born in Lockland, O., March 31, 1842, and reared in New Orleans. She attended a private French school for some years, and later the public schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Carré the following children were born: John Beach, Walter W., Ada Beach, Darwin Beach, Henry Beach, Tudor Beach and Elvira. Of these, four are living, Walter W., D. Beach and Tudor Beach being engaged in the lumber business in New Orleans, and Henry Beach being a member of the faculty of Vanderbilt university of Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Carre' died Jan. 31, 1877, and after his death, the W. W. Carre' & Co. was dissolved, the other 2 partners going into business by themselves, and Mrs. W. W. Carre continued the business in the name of W. W. Carré, she being the owner, and the business was run for several years in this way. When the sons became of age, the firm of W. Carré & Co. was formed. Mrs. Carre' and her 4 sons constituting the firm, and later this was succeeded by the W. W. Carré Co., Ltd. which is a corporation organized under Louisiana laws, in 1902. Walter Wingate Carre' was born in New Orleans, June 6, 1865. He attended a private school and Soulé college. When 15 years old he entered the business of W. W Carré, and when 17 years old, took the active management of the business with his mother, assisting as bookkeeper and cashier and acting in an advisory capacity. This Mr. Carré is now president of the W. W. Carre' Co., Ltd. He is a member of the Contractors & Dealers' exchange. The company is a member of the Association of Commerce. Mr. Carré is a steward and also president of the board of -trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal church, South. Sept. 25, 1900, Mr. Carre' married Miss Isabel Colcock, daughter of R. H. Colcock, Sr., of New Orleans, cashier of the Southern Express Co. Miss Colcock was born Oct. 2, 1874, attended public schools of New Orleans and graduated at Newcomb college. They have 3 children: Isabel, Hutson and Walter W., Jr. D. Beach Carre' was born May 30, 1869, the third son and fourth child of his parents, Walter W., and Elvira (Beach) Carre'. He received his education in the schools of New Orleans, his native city. Following this, he entered into the lumber business in the employ of the firm of which his father was the head. This business has received his attention continuously from that time to the present, he being at this time vice-president of the W. W. Carre' Co. The firm is extensively engaged in the wholesale and retail lumber business, and does a large export trade in yellow pine. Mr. Carré is a member of the Masonic order, having attained the Knight Templar degree, and he also belongs to the Order of the Red Cross. D. Beach Carre' was married April 26, 1898, to Leila, daughter of D. B. and Leila (Berry) Morey. Mrs. Carré is a native of New Orleans, and has borne her husband the following children: D. Beach, Jr., D. Morey, Chester Morey, Leila and Benita. Prof. Henry Beach Carre', Ph.D., son of Walter W. and Elvira (Beach) Carre', was born in New Orleans, June 9, 1871. His first schooling was at a private French school, then at the public school, and later at the Tulane high school. He graduated from Tulane university in 1895, with the degree A. B. He next went to Vanderbilt university at Nashville, Tenn., where, in 1898, he received the degree B. D. He spent 2 years in Germany and France pursuing studies in theology. In 1913, he took the degree Ph. D. at the University of Chicago. Before completing his education, Mr. Carre' spent 4 years in the lumber business, but finding his tastes running in a different line, he withdrew from it and continued his educational work. He was joint pastor of the Methodist church and professor of Greek and biblical literature in Centenary college, Jackson, La. He continued as pastor, and was made vice-president of Centenary college and professor of mental and moral science and biblical literature. Later, he was made president of that college, but continued in the professorship. In 1903, he was elected to the chair of Biblical Theology and English Exegesis in Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn., which position he now holds. March 22, 1906, Mr. Carre' married Miss Mary Vaughan of Nashville, Tenn. She was born in Gallatin, Tenn., May 3, 1874, and reared in Nashville, where she attended the public school, and later the Nashville college for young ladies.

Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 502-503. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.