Hunter Family

English name derived from the occupational nickname for a huntsman whose work was both a necessity and a pastime for the ruling classes in the time when meat animals could not be kept well throughout the winter months.[1]

Peter Hunter was born 16 March 1776 in Louisa County, Virginia; died 21 September 1835 in Bedford County, Virginia. He married Lucy Goff on 17 August 1797 in Bedford. They had children: Absolam, Elizabeth, Peter, Lucy, Robert, Aeneas, Joseph A. William L. and Jerome.[2]

William L. Hunter was born 28 September 1816 in Bedford married Missouri Mooman on 10 May 1853 in Bedford. William served in the Civil War with the 63rd Virginia Volunteers as Captain.

“This deed made and entered into between Russell H. Cecil and Lucy A.. Cecil his wife of the sate of Kentucky, Wayne County, party of the first part and William L. Hunter of the county of Pulaski state of Virginia, the party of the second part. …the party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of Two Thousand five hundred dollars…land situated and being in the county of Pulaski state of Virginia and on Walkers little creek the whole of said tract containing three thousand eight hundred acres more or less…the first tract being that portion which was deeded by Russell H. Cecil by Zachariah W. Cecil by deed bearing date 20th May 1844…containing two hundred and twenty three acres…second tract containing one hundred fifteen acres…third tract being a portion of fourteen thousand five hundred acres conveyed to Russell H. Cecil by James Bane and others dated fourth of July 1842. The same three tracts herein conveyed being adjoined and connected together…the claim of Z. W. Cecil to the undivided half of the Alum Spring and half acre of land…”[3] Recorded August 4, 1859.

“Whereas, William L. Hunter the owner of one undivided moiety or half of the “Alum Springs” with one and one half acres surrounding it and Zachariah W. Cecil Jr is the owner of the other half—of lands have never heretofore been precisely defined and settled; and all the parties being desirous to define and settle them permanently have this day agreed upon the following boundaries and descriptions …this 29th March 1859.”[4]

In 1859 William Hunter conveyed 1000 acres to William M. Miller line to Shannon’s line; part of the tract conveyed to Hunter by Russell H. Cecil.

William L. Hunter conveyed 500 acres to Elizabeth J. Hunt on January 26, 1876.

Riley Harrison Hunt was a native of Franklin County, Virginia, born 30 May 1825, son of Stephen Hunt and Catharine Bird. In Giles County, Virginia, 20 September 1855, Elizabeth Jane Beller became his wife, and to them were born seven children: William Christopher, June 28, 1856 died September 12, 1875; Peter Edward, March 8, 1858, lived in Wyoming territory; George Lewis, February 15, 1860, lived in St. Louis, Missouri ; James Thomas, June 21, 1862, died March 4, 1882; Margaret Permelia, February 4, 1865; Sarah Ann, November 30, 1866; Andrew B., March 31,1860. Elizabeth J. Beller was born in Giles County, Virginia, December 19, 1835 and her parents were Peter Beller and Margaret Evaline Lucas. Riley came from Raleigh County, West Virginia, to Pulaski County in 1872, settling in Little Walkers valley.

On October 27, 1909, G. Louis Hunt (widower) of Washington County, Oklahoma conveyed 500 acres to his brother A. B. Hunt of Pulaski County.[5]

A. B. Hunt conveyed 250 acres to Etta E. Vest on April 7, 1915.[6]

On June 10, 1882, William L. Hunter conveyed 100 acres to Randolph Shinault.[7]

William and Missouri’s children:

1.  Robert Moorman Titus born in 1854, Port Conway, Virginia; died in 1906 Pulaski County.

2.  John Walton born 1855; died in 1863.

3.  William L. Jr. born 07 March 1859. He married Ethel Vickers

On April 4, 1900, William L. Jr. sold his part of the Hunter land to R. M. T. Hunter—900 acres.[8]

William L. Hunter, Jr. bought land from Bettie Shannon and Lula Weaver and husband Walter M…heirs of James King Shannon 750 acres on Walkers Little Creek—recorded on March 8, 1904.[9]

William L. Hunter and Ethel his wife conveyed 15 acres to Mitchell Shinault which was part of the Shannon land.[10]

Robert Moorman Titus Hunter (listed in court records as R. M. T. Hunter) married Queenie Victoria Hight. R. M. T. Hunter died in 1906; Queenie died in 1960. They are buried in the Hunter Cemetery, Little Walkers Creek, Pulaski County. Robert and Queenie’s children were:

1.    Roy born 1880 at Hunter’s Alum Springs, died 1941 in Pulaski County married Nelle Beatrice Yost.

2.    Ethel born 1888 in Pulaski, died 1990 in Pulaski, married Richard Cooper Kunkel on 07 June 1913.

3.   Mabel born 1891 in Pulaski, died 1985 married Easton Purvis on 14 May 1913.

4.       Irene married William S. Lyons on 05 June 1920.

On June 24, 1905 “…by and between R. M. T. Hunter and Queenie Hunter his wife, of Pulaski, Virginia, parties of the first part, and Hunter’s Pulaski Alum Springs Company, Inc., a corporation, duly chartered under the laws of Virginia, and with its principal office at Pulaski, Virginia, party of the second part…. …That for and in consideration of the sum of Thirty Thousand ($30,000.00) Dollars paid and to be paid as follows”…$7,000.00 to parties of the second part…the issuance to the said R. M. T. Hunter by th party of the second part of 100 shares of paid up and non-assessable capital stock of the said Hunter’s Pulaski Alum Springs…of the par value of $100.00 per share and of the aggregate par value of $10,000.00…The said R. M. T.

Hunter and Queenie Hunter, his wife…to grant…of title unto Hunter’s Pulaski Alum Springs Company, inc…all certain tract of land known as “The Hunter’s Pulaski Alum Springs Property”…on the waters of Little Walkers Creek and adjoining the lands of Mrs. E. J. Hunt, John Combs heirs, John Harold [Harrell] et als and being all the property of which W. L. Hunter, Sr., died, seized and possessed, said property containing 600 acres…

…There is excepted and reserved however from the operation of this conveyance the Hunter Burying Ground, situate on said property near the Hotel and containing one acre which graveyard is situate on the Public Road through said property….

The following personal property and inventory of which was taken by T. L. Tate, General manager for the party of the second part, which property is situate in the Hotel buildings at the springs on said property and consists of hotel furnishing furniture etc. as follows—

Fifty bedsteads, 43 mattresses, 42 bedsprings, 65 dining chairs and 106 other chairs. 11 dining tables, 36 small tables, 9 washstands, 30 comforts, 30 pair blankets, 50 pair sheets, 47 counterpanns, 77 pillows, 30 mirrors, 46 lamps, 28 bowls and pitchers, 5 extra bowls, 25 alum water pitchers, 44 pair pillow cases, 27 slop buckets, 2 ice coolers, 60 teaspoons, 45 tablespoons, 88 silver forks, 93 silver knives, 11 butter knives, 1 pool table and fixtures for

same, 2 cooking stoves, one lot of ten-pins and balls, 1 pair scales, office desk and furniture, and all hay and oats in the barn, also one cutting knife, forks, shovels, axes, and other utensils and articles in use in running the hotel; accepting and reserving however the farm machinery and the few pieces of furniture and other articles belonging to the said Mrs. Queenie Hunter individually, which articles are not herein entered…”

“Whereas Hunters Pulaski Alum Springs Company, Incorporated by deed of trust dated June 24 1905, Deed Book 9, page 24, conveyed to John S. Draper trustee, the property described known as Hunters Pulaski Alum Springs to secure R. M. T. Hunter the payment of $12,500 with interest. Whereas none of the bonds have been paid except the first. Whereas Hunter on June 24 1905 assigned to W. T. Graham the aforesaid bonds of $3,000 and 5,000…It is the intention of this deed to authorize, at option of the holder of the debt, as immediate sale of the property…whereas Robert C. Graham and James M. Graham being the highest bidder became purchasers paying $6,500. Dated October 1, 1909.[11]

On December 14, 1914, A. G. Woodyard bought 126.94 acres from R. C. Graham after deducting 1 acre for the Hunters graveyard . The same being parts of 600 acres conveyed to James Graham by John S. Draper, trustee.[12]

The hotel burned down in 1914.