Hunter, Alpheus

HUNTER, JONES, RAMSEY, SMITH, BATES, MILLHAEM, BASCOM

Posted By: Volunteer Subscribers
Date: 2/17/2003 at 20:07:16

PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF CLINTON COUNTY, IOWA 1886 (CHAPMAN BROS.)
Containing full page portraits & biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. (Also available on FHL film 1036331 Item 9)
(P. 581-582) ALPHEUS HUNTER. One of the pioneers of Deep Creek Township, and a gentleman who has been closely connected with the agricultural interests of the county since coming here, is the subject of this biographical notice. He came to this county with his father, Robert Hunter, from Courtland County, N. Y., in the fall of 1842, and the following year they were joined by the other members of the family.
The members of the Hunter family in the United States are, as a general thing, agriculturists. Robert Hunter was born in the Green Mountain State, June 16, 1792, of New England parentage and Scotch descent. He moved to Courtland County, N. Y., with his parents when a young man, and was there married to Miss Eliza Jones. She became the mother of eight children -- five sons and three daughters.
On arriving in this county Robert Hunter laid a claim of 320 acres, and when the land came into market he bought it from the Government. This tract was in its original condition, none of it having been cultivated. Robert located upon it with his family, and he and his son Alpheus at once engaged in cultivating and improving the land, intending to make it their permanent abiding-place, and the family have continued to reside there up to the present time. The father died on this place Aug. 28, 1867. His good wife, our subject’s mother, was born Oct. 13, 1792, and departed this life on the old homestead, Dec. 20, 1866. She was a true and consistent Christian and a member of the Congregational Church.
Alpheus Hunter was born Dec. 20, 1820, in Freetown, Courtland Co., N. Y., and was an inmate of the parental household until he was upward of thirty years of age, working on the farm, and in the meantime engaged in the improvement of a place of his own. He was married in Deep Creek Township, Oct. 9, 1853, to Margaret H. Ramsey, born March 21, 1828, in Fayette County, Va. She is the daughter of Isaac and Martha (Smith) Ramsey, natives of Virginia. She was the eldest daughter and second in order of birth of her parents’ nine children, and was eight years of age when her father with his family moved from her native State to Indiana. Later she went with them to Michigan, and in 1844 came with her parents to this county, locating with them in Deep Creek Township, where her father took up a tract of Government land, of which he afterward became owner, and was engaged in farming until his demise, which occurred in May, 1863. The mother of Mrs. Hunter is living, and resides with one of her daughters, having attained the venerable age of eighty-two years, and is yet active, retaining her mental and physical health to a remarkable degree. Mrs. Hunter has borne her husband six children, as follows: Elmer S.; Julia A., wife of Arthur Bates, a farmer in Deep Creek Township; Fannie A., wife of John Millhaem, also a farmer of Deep Creek Township; Mattie E., an accomplished and intelligent teacher in the public schools of this county; Marian L., wife of Allison W. Bascom, living in Dickson County, and Frank A., who lives on the old homestead and with his father cultivates the same.
Mr. Hunter has lived on his present farm for upward of forty-four years. His place contains 177 acres of good tillable land, is supplied with good buildings, is well stocked and under an advanced state of cultivation, and in the prosecution of his vocation he is meeting with that success which energy and perseverance are sure to bring. He and his wife are both connected with the Congregational Church, and Mr. Hunter is one of the Deacons of his congregation. He has held nearly all the offices of his township, and was the incumbent of the office of Assessor for ten years. In politics he votes with the Republican party.
A view of Mr. Hunter’s home is shown on another page.