Carlton M. Fast ^{2 3 4}

  Noted events in his life were:

1. 1850 US Census, 14 October 1850, Joshua, Fulton, Illinois, United States. ³ 1850 US Census
Page 261, Roll 107, Dwelling 27, Family 27
Joshua, Fulton County, Illinois
Carlton M. Fast..12..IL
(Living with parents.)

2. 1880 US Census, 14 June 1880, Salamanca Township, Cherokee, Kansas, United States. ⁴ 1880 US Census
Page 14, Roll 0376, District 50, Family 129
Salamanca Township, Cherokee County, Kansas
Carlton W. Fast..Self..41..IL..Farmer
(Living with wife and 3 children.)

3. 1900 US Census, 4 June 1900, Salamanca Township, Cherokee, Kansas, United States. ² 1900 US Census
Sheet 21A, District 35, Dwelling 31, Family 31, Roll
Salamanca Township, Cherokee County, Kansas
farm owned, no mortgage
married 28 years
Carlton M. Fast..Head..Oct 1838..61..IL..Farmer
(Living with wife and adopted daughter, Esther.)

4. Obituary: The Columbus Weekly Advocate, 5 March 1903, Columbus, Cherokee, Kansas, United States. C. M. Fast died at his home in this city very suddenly this morning about 2 o'clock, the cause of death was heart disease. Thursday Mr. Fast was apparently in as good heath as usual and was about in town. He was one of the pioneer citizens of Cherokee county having lived here a great many years, the greater part of the time which he spent on his farm south of town Some few weeks ago he made arrangements for someone to look after his interests there, and with his family came to the city to live a retired life. He was a highly esteemed citizen, and one whom everybody admired and respected He was a good business man, and made a success in all that he undertook.

Mr. Fast was an old soldier, but did not belong to the G.A.R. post of this city. He leaves a wife, daughter and two sons, together with a large circle of friends to mourn his death.

Arrangements for the funeral have not yet been made, and it is likely the services will not be held until Monday or until his son, who is in Oklahoma, is heard from.

(Source: The Columbus Weekly Advocate, Columbus, Kansas, March 5, 1903)
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Carlton married Charlotte Ophelia Gillies, daughter of Edward Sands and Tamer Adeline Conklin, on 15 December 1871 in Cromwell, Union, Iowa, United States.^{1 2} (Charlotte Ophelia Gillies was born on 15 November 1851 in Albany, Green, Wisconsin, United States ² and died on 5 February 1919 in Columbus, Cherokee, Kansas, United States.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. 1880 US Census, 14 June 1880, Salamanca Township, Cherokee, Kansas, United States. ¹ 1880 US Census
Page 14, Roll 376, District 50, Dwelling 121, Family 129
Salamanca Township, Cherokee County, Kansas
Carlton W. Fast..Self..41..IL..Farmer
Charlotte Fast..Wife..27..WI..Keeping House
Bentiss Fast..Son..18..IL
Clarence Fast..Son..12..IL
Emma(?) Fast..Adopted Dau..10..KS
Annie Henry..Other..24..PA..Servant

2. 1900 US Census, 4 June 1900, Salamanca Township, Cherokee, Kansas, United States. ² 1900 US Census
Sheet 21A, District 35, Dwelling 31, Family 31, Roll
Salamanca Township, Cherokee County, Kansas
farm owned, no mortgage
married 28 years
Carlton M. Fast..Head..Oct 1838..61..IL..Farmer
Charlotte C. Fast..Wife..Nov 1851..48..WI..0/0
Ester E. Fast..Dau..Aug 1885..14..KS..IN/IN..House Keeper

  Marriage Notes:

The obituary for Charlotte confirms that the three (possibly four) children, Burtiss, Clarence, and Esther were not born to her but rather were listed as "adopted". I'm not sure if the newspaper meant to say "step-children" rather than adopted. If they actually were step-children, then Carlton must have been previously married and the children were all born to that marriage. Otherwise, it may have been a first marriage for each of the parents and the three or four children were indeed all adopted.

The obituary for Charlotte indicated that she and Carlton were married in 1871 and the 1900 US Census indicated that they have 0 children together. Based on the birth years of the children, three were born before Carlton and Charlotte were married. The fourth adopted child, Esther, was born in 1885, approximately 14 years after the marriage of Carlton and Charlotte.

The 1900 US Census shows the birth location of the parents of Esther as Indiana which rules out both Carlton and Charlotte. The 1880 US Census shows the birth location of the parents of Burtiss and Clarence as Illinois which rules out only Charlotte (Carlton was born in Illinois).

No records can be found for any of the children prior to their supposed adoption under the surname of Fast. This includes the lack of any birth records and the lack of any census records under those names.

The name of Emma Irene Land appears in court documents filed after Charlotte's passing as an additional adopted daughter. Her name appears with the family on the 1880 US Census as "Adopted". Strangely, the names of Burtiss and Clarence on that same 1880 US Census show them as "Son" instead of the expected "Adopted Son".

The conclusion must be that all of these children were indeed adopted by both Carlton and Charlotte who had no children of their own.
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