1890 Buchanan and Delaware Counties History pgs. 399-401
Robert Hunter, a veteran of the Mexican war, and
now a prosperous farmer of Delaware county, Iowa, was born in Watertown,
Jefferson county, N. Y., March 30, 1825, and is a son of James Hunter, who was
born near
Belfast, Ireland, and when a young man came to the United States and settled in
the county where our subject was born. He was a linen weaver by trade,
which vocation he followed in Ireland, but later became a farmer and removed
to Rockford, Ill., where for a number of years he
served as school treasurer of his congressional township district-an office
similar to that of county treasurer of the present day. He died in Rockford in 1869 at the age of seventy-six
years, beloved and respected by all who knew him. Robert Hunter, the father of
James, came to the United States a few years after the arrival of
his son, and died in Jefferson county, N. Y. Sarah (Gillett)
Hunter, the mother of our subject, was a native of Columbia county,
N. Y., and died in Boston, Mass., whither she had gone for medical treatment.
She was the mother of two children-Robert, the subject of this sketch, and Mary
Ann, deceased. To the second marriage of James Hunter were born seven children,
viz.-David, James, Joseph, Benjamin, Sarah, Jane and Isabella, their mother
having borne the maiden name of Sarah Akin.
Robert
Hunter, our subject, came West with father and step-mother in 1845, and in
April, 1847, enlisted for the Mexican war in Company A, Sixteenth United States
infantry, at Rockford, Ill., and was sent to the Rio Grande to serve in the
army of occupation under Gen. Taylor, remaining until the close of the war. He
received his discharge at Newport, Ky., in August, 1848, and at once returned
to Rockford, where he was married, and where he lived until 1853, when he
brought his young bride in a two-horse wagon to Delaware county, Iowa, where he
located a land warrant for 160 acres in section 25, township 90, range 4 west,
on which he has his present residence. Of his first tract he has since sold
forty acres and has purchased forty acres of timber land in section 3.
The lady whom Mr, Hunter chose for
his life companion was Miss Mary H. Cummings, a
native of Geauga county, Ohio, but at the time
of marriage a resident of Rockford. She was born in 1833 and
is a daughter of Nehemiah Cummings. She
is a lady of culture and refinement, having been educated at the
Female seminary at Rockford, and her
wedded life has been a most happy one, although the couple have met with some
very discouraging drawbacks, among the most serious of which was the breaking
of Mr. Hunter's leg a few months after his arrival in this county, which
mishap caused his confinement to his bed for five long months. Mr.
Hunter had had some experience in running threshing machines before moving
here. A neighbor employed him to take charge of one, but
he had run it only a short time when he accidentally got
his leg caught on the tumbling shaft in such a way that the leg was
broken, the ends of the bones being driven into the ground; his
ankle, also, being thrown out of place. There were no surgeons
in Delaware county at that time, but the
best effort possible was made by local doctors to set
the bones. The effort, however, was a failure, and Mr. Hunter lay for
weeks suffering the most excruciating pains. But his faithful
wife, to whose unceasing care the preservation of his life was due
up to that time, believed he could recover, and she placed him in a
two-horse wagon, and returned to their old home at Rockford, Ill., where, under
more skillful treatment, he got well. Immediately
on his recovery they returned to Iowa, and again took up their residence
in Elk township, on the place they had procured, and there
they have lived since. Mrs. Hunter, to whom is due be credit of saving the life
of her husband, as here related, and whose sad experiences during those times
of trial words can hardly tell, is a lady possessing many excellent virtues,
and the change from happy school life to the rough and rugged life of the West
was a great one, but she as proven herself equal to the emergency and has
adapted herself to her surroundings. The first church Mr. and Mrs. Hunter
attended in Delaware county was in a small building made of logs, covered with
heavy boards and floored a with thick slabs. The pulpit was a rude affair, and
there were only two rows of benches, one on each side of the building, the men
occupying one row and the women the other, facing each other.
There was
much wild game in the country then, and it was no uncommon thing for deer to
come up to within a few steps of their house.
Mr. Hunter
has always been a farmer and stock-raiser, but the esthetics of life are by him nowise neglected. He takes great interest in school
matters, and for several years has been school director. His children
have received careful school training, and his
daughters are highly accomplished.
In politics
he was formerly a whig, but
on the formation of the republican party he cast his lot with the new
organization, and has adhered to it ever since. He has never sought public
office, but has always been willing to render such service to his
fellow-townsmen that might be expected from a good citizen, and has willingly
given his time and attention to the duties of the position of township trustee,
Socially, the family occupy a very high position, and the skill and sound
judgment displayed by himself in the management of his farm and herds are the admiration
of his neighbors. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hunter are five in number,
and named Addie, Minnie and George, all living; and Omri and Robert, deceased.
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