BUNTING, W.J.

BUNTING, HICKMAN, WILLSON, FLINT

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 3/23/2006 at 15:43:56

Cherokee Democrat, November 6, 1895

DEATH OF W.J. BUNTING

Was An Old and Respected Citizen of the County

W.J. Bunting of Pilot township, another of Cherokee county’s old residents, and a highly respected citizen, died at his home last Tuesday morning, of consumption. The funeral was held at the Dunkard church Wednesday and the remains interred in the Aurelia cemetery. In the history of Cherokee county we find this biographical sketch:

W.J. Bunting has been a resident of Pilot township since 1869. He had the honor of coming from the Buckeye State, born in Muskingum county, near Zanesville, January 28, 1839. He was a son of Robert and Naomi (Hickman) Bunting, natives of the state of Virginia. They were married in Muskingum county, and when W.J. was fourteen years old they determined to try the fortunes of pioneer life, and so they removed to Jones county, Iowa, in 1853; they lived there the remainder of their days. The subject of this notice was reared to the occupation of a farmer, and obtained his education by attending the winter terms of the district school. During the winter of 1869 he traveled through Kansas, and returned to Iowa, and took out a homestead of eighty acres of government land; he then set about the task of placing this under cultivation, and undertaking that requires no small amount of courage; his efforts were successful, and at the time of his death he owned one of the most desirable farms in the neighborhood. There is a comfortable dwelling, pleasantly situated in the midst of shade trees, two acres of grove, a barn and other good buildings for stock and grain. Mr. Bunting also owned eighty acres of land three-quarters of a mile east of his home farm, in Pitcher township, which is under good cultivation. He was married March 31, 1874, to Miss Maria Willson, a native of the state of New York, and a daughter of P.A. and Lucinda (Flint) Willson. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bunting: Merton L., Ida N., Earl S. and Arthur W. In politics Mr. Bunting cast his vote with the Independent party. He was a man in the prime of life, social in his disposition, and the possessor of many warm friends in the county.