The James W. Carter family became the first permanent settlers in Castro County when they moved to the area in 1884. A tent and dugout served as their home until a house was built 100 yards west. The cattle they brought with them carried the 7-UP brand. Their daughter Lizzie, born in 1886, was the first white child born to a permanent settler in the area. James Carter, who lived from 1845 to 1916, played an important role in organizing the Castro County government in 1891 and served on the first commissioners court. He and his wife Ellen, who lived from 1855 to 1942, later opened a hotel in Dimmitt.