HUNTER, William A. (1815-1897)

HUNTER, DAY

Posted By: Kathy Weaver (email)
Date: 2/18/2019 at 14:28:50

Malvern Leader
Malvern, Mills County, Iowa
Thursday Dec 16, 1897

THE GRIM MESSENGER

William A. Hunter

The subject of this sketch, whose critical condition was noted last week, peacefully sank to rest at 6:45 o'clock Saturday evening, having been confined to his bed but eight days. His health had not been good for many years, and about four years ago he received a stroke of paralysis which seriously affected his organs of speech and his lower limbs and caused his gradual decline. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at his late home, conducted by his pastor, Rev. E.W. Brown, after which the remains were tenderly conveyed to their last resting place, his five sons, John D. and Joseph R.C., of Webster City, William A., of Wayne, Neb, S.L. and S.C. of this place and his son-in-law , Judge Scott, of Omaha, acting as pall bearers. The writer had known the deceased for many years and entertained for him the highest regard and a feeling of reverence and respect not unlike that of a son for a father. His life, until the late years, was that of an earnest, industrious and conscientious laborer in the field of journalism, and his strong individuality never failed to impress itself upon his constituency. We append hereto a brief sketch of the more important events of his life:

William Alexander Hunter was born in Steubenville, Jefferson county, Ohio, March 20, 1815, of Scotch-Irish parentage. His first experience in business affairs was the helping of his father conduct a general country store in the town of Knoxville. On the 5th of November, 1833, he was united in marriage with Nancy Day. A few years later he entered the law office of John K. Sutherland, in Steubenville, and remained until he was admitted to the practice. Edwin M. Stanton, afterwards the distinguished Secretary of War, was a fellow student. Mr. Hunter first entered upon the practice of his profession in Carrollton, Ohio, where he was associated with A.W. Morrison. The law seemed uncongenial to his tastes and he embarked in the newspaper business soon after removing to Carrollton. Later he published papers at Ashland, Bryan and West Unity, in Ohio, and at Oskaloosa and Red Oak, Iowa. When the free soil movement was organized in Ohio in 1853 he abandoned the democratic party, to which he had always been allied, and supported the candidates of the new party, which represented the strong anti-slavery sentiment then growing up throughout the north. In taking this advanced position he lost the patronage and support of the democratic party at a time when he was publishing the only paper of that political faith in the county, which in those early days represented all there was in the way of official patronage. In 1854 he was active in the movement which resulted in the triumphant election of Richard Mott, a leading anti-slavery Quaker of Toledo (Ohio) to congress in that hitherto impregnable democratic district. Some years later the more radical anti-slavery men, dissatisfied with the attitude of the republican leaders on this question, cut loose from the party, made a separate organization, and selected Mr. Hunter to lead them as their candidate for congress. During this exciting period the subject of this sketch was an active agent on the “underground railroad” by which so many escaping slaves were conducted to Canada, “where colored men were free.” In 1860 and 1864 he supported the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln. With the abolition of slavery he felt at home in the republican party. Moral questions in politics had more weight with him than those of a purely political or party nature, hence when he believed he could strike a more effective blow against the rum traffic by that course he at times cast his ballot for the prohibition ticket. In 1862, through the influence of his old friend, Gen. James M. Ashley, Mr. Hunter was appointed an assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain, in which capacity he served until the close of the war.

In the summer of 1865 he came to Iowa, locating in Oskaloosa, where he became editor and half owner of the Oskaloosa Herald. Later he purchased and moved on to a farm. After a few years more he left the farm and re-entered the newspaper work for a brief time as editor and publisher of the Red Oak Express. Here, on account of failing health, he finished his editorial career, and in October 1881, came to Malvern, which continued to be his home during the remainder of his life. In earlier life, Mr. Hunter took much interest in Masonic matters. But it was in the field of christian effort that he found his greatest happiness and he had always before him as an inspiration the divine injunction, Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbor as thyself. He was ever prominent in church councils, being for almost a half century, a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church, and was a commissioner to the General assembly the year of the union of the two branches of that organization. His convictions were of such an intense character that expediency had no place in his vocabulary. He adhered to the principle that the right is always expedient. A Bible enlightened conscience was alone his guide. When conviction asserted itself he never stopped to count the cost. His espousal of every true reform was to him a necessity that commanded his every action, so that he was often driven to take advanced positions which some times subjected him to unkind criticism. This was especially true of his position on the temperance question. Many years ago he gave his adherence to the principle of total abstinence, and was among the first to enter the fight for prohibition.