The 1854 Gazetteer of the United States by Thomas Baldwin shows:

CARTER, a county in the N. E. part of Kentucky, has an area of about 550 square miles. It is bounded on the E. by Big Sandy river, navigable for keel-boats, which separates it from Virginia, and intersected by Little Sandy river and Tygart's creek. The surface is broken by hills which contain abundance of iron ore and stone coal. Excepting the river bottoms, the land is too rough for cultivation. Indian corn, oats, cattle, and swine are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 279,777 bushels of corn; 36,409 of oats, and 15,674 pounds of wool. It contained 4 churches, and 696 pupils attending public schools. Salt is procured from springs near Sandy river. Carter county was formed in 1838, and named in honor of William G. Cutter, a member of the Kentucky senate. Capital, Grayson. Population, 6241, of whom 5984 were free, and 257, slaves.