Second son and fourth of ten children born to Dulin Benson Stearns (1863-1962, son of Dulin Stearns and Rusha Elizabeth King) and Mary Jane Beachum (1867-1910, daughter of Jeremiah Washington Beachum and Mary Jane Taylor), Carrold was raised in Charlotte, but came with his family to Statesville when they moved there in 1916. He was called "Collie" as a child, and was known as "Jack" as a grown man.

Carrold's brothers and sisters were: Junius Stitt Stearns (1885-1965, m. Ethel Elvira Ellis), Ada Eugenia Stearns (1887-1980, m. John Henry Bennett), Ila Faye Stearns (1890-1980, m. Clyde Covington Fesperman), Clyde Casey Stearns (1895-1969, m. Susie Estelle Schell), Jesse Free Stearns (1898-1914), Mary Elizabeth Stearns (1900-1985, m. Raymond S. Deck), John Lee Stearns (1904-1904), Eunice Virginia Stearns (1906-1983, m. John Levi Field) and Ophelia Jane Stearns (1909-1910). All of them except John Stearns, whose burial place I do not know, have memorials on this site, as do the parents, and most of the grandparents, and, in some cases, back several generations farther.

Carrold attended Col. Beard's Military Academy in Charlotte, NC, and Trinity College (now Duke Univeristy) in Durham, NC. He was involved in road construction and real estate developments in Statesville, and built Statesville's first (and only) sky-scraper, the Stearns Building, also known as the Playhouse Theatre. He built a fabulous summer home on Round Mountain, in Wilkes County. He married Maude Elma Watson (1904-1932, daughter of Joseph Whitty Watson and Maude Elma Land) on 1 Sept. 1920, and they had six children: Watson Whitty Stearns (1921-1956), Carrold A. Stearns, Jr. (living), Elma Watson Stearns (living), Benjamin Dulin Stearns (1925-2006), Mary Jane Stearns (1927-1927) and Jeremiah Beachum Stearns (1932-1932).

From the "Statesville Daily Record," 16 March 1950:

"Jack Stearns, 54, Is Laid To Rest

Final rites for C. A. (Jack) Stearns, 54, were scheduled at 2 p. m. today from Broad Street Methodist church, with Rev. R. G. Tuttle officiating. Burial was to follow in Oakwood cemetery.

Mr. Stearns was prominent in construction in Statesville during the 1920s. Among his major projects here were paving of many of the city streets, erection of the Stearns building, and development of Woodlawn, Country Club estates and Elma apartments.

He was one of the organizers of Iredell Development company which led to the establishment of Phoenix Mills, a former owner of Bylo Furniture company, the shoe factory in West Statesville, Wood Construction Co., Atlantic Paving Co., and Stearns Brothers. In Greensboro he had recently organized Stearns and Co., a construction firm.

He was a native of Mecklenburg county, son of D. B. Stearns, now of Burlington, and the late Mary Jane Beachum Stearns. His wife, the former Elma Watson, died in 1932.

Surviving in addition to the father are three sons, Watson Stearns of Greensboro, C. A. Stearns, Jr., of Burlington, and Ben Stearns of the U. S. Army in Guam; a daughter, Mrs. Charles Deleot, Jr., Lake Mohawk, N. J.; two brothers, J. S. Stearns of Monroe, and Clyde C. Stearns of Conover; four sisters, Mrs. C. C. Fesperman, and Mrs. J. H. Bennett of Charlotte, Mrs. R. S. Deck of Pelham, N. Y., and Mrs. J. L. Field of Marion; two granddaughters and four grandsons.

Pallbearers for the funeral are Henry Nicholson, C. M. Adams, John Walton, Scarr Morrison, Oscar Mills and Dick King. Johnson Funeral home has charge of arrangements."