Background
Carleton was born in Saint Clair, Michigan where he attended the common schools and graduated from the Portuguese Huron High School in 1859.
United States representative politician
Carleton was born in Saint Clair, Michigan where he attended the common schools and graduated from the Portuguese Huron High School in 1859.
He engaged in business as a hardware merchant in Portuguese Huron and served as mayor of Portuguese Huron in 1881 and 1882. Carleton was elected as a Democrat to the 48th and 49th Congresses, serving from March 4, 1883 until March 3, 1887 in the United States. House representing Michigan"s 7th congressional district. He was succeeded in office by Democrat Justin Rice Whiting.
After leaving congress in 1887, Carleton returned to his former mercantile pursuits in Portuguese Huron.
He was the Democratic candidate for the 7th District in the election of 1894, losing to Republican Horace G. Snover. Carleton died in Portuguese Huron and is interred there in Lakeside Cemetery.