Husband Jahu Hunter 1 2 3 4
Born: 3 Oct 1830 - Limestone Twp, Warren Co, PA 1 3 5
Christened:
Died: 15 Mar 1897 - Tidioute, Deerfield Twp, Warren Co, PA 6
Buried: - Tidioute, Deerfield Twp, Warren Co, PA
Father: Mathew Hunter (1802-1872) 2 3 7 8
Mother: Sarah Magill (1808/1809-1855) 2 3 5 7
Marriage: 1 Jan 1860 9
• Biographical Sketch: John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913).
To read this brief biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.
Wife Margaret R. Magee 1 4 10 11
Born: 8 May 1836 6
Christened:
Died: 22 Jul 1914 6
Buried:
Father: Alexander Grier Magee (1808- ) 12 13
Mother: Nancy Smith (1809- ) 12 13
Children
1 M Livingston LeGrand Hunter 2 6 11 14
Born: 10 Jan 1861 - Tidioute, Deerfield Twp, Warren Co, PA 2 6
Christened:
Died: 20 Apr 1902 - Tidioute, Deerfield Twp, Warren Co, PA 6
Buried:
Spouse: Lillian T. Acomb (1864-Aft 1943) 6 15 16
Marr: 6 Jan 1887 - Tidioute, Deerfield Twp, Warren Co, PA 6
2 F Lella Lillian Hunter 6 11 14
Born: 12 Sep 1872 6
Christened:
Died: 6 Nov 1883 6 14
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
3 F Lenora Barr 17
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Status: Adopted
Spouse: Rev. George Albrecht ( - ) 17
General Notes: Husband - Jahu Hunter
As he grew up a large part of the work on the farm fell to him and he proved a great helper to his father in the latter's waning years. His father looked to him finally to manage almost all the details and upon Jahu devolved the care of the farm and the family until the other children grew to years of helpfulness and took up part of the labor. He made the best of some instruction in a district school, but the advantages were meagre and the education of comparatively little value. At the age of seventeen years he contented himself with overseeing the work on the farm and began cutting out and banking square timber. By dint of saving habits and shrewd and careful management he got together sufficient money and purchased a yoke of oxen. Possessing the oxen, he felt warranted in entering into a contract of considerable size and importance, to skid logs. He got along very nicely until one of the oxen was killed-and he lost about one-half of his fortune, for in those days a yoke of oxen was considered a moderate fortune. He had lost one-half of the means of carrying out the contract he had undertaken to perform and his disappointment was great. In fact, it is related of him, he always mourned the loss of the ox and in his subsequently successful career would quietly dismiss losses amounting to thousands of dollars with the remark: "Oh, that is nothing; it does not compare with the loss of my ox!" The loss of the ox, however, did not so seriously interfere with his contract, for he found means of ultimately performing it. He continued the work with his father's team and for ten years was engaged in rafting logs down the river, returning home across country on foot and thus acquiring a valuable knowledge of the timberland and other wonderful resources of a goodly part of the state, which he afterward used to advantage. He built what was known as the Hunter school house, also built a number of public roads, and incidentally served as constable and justice of the peace in his town. He worked with great energy, practiced strict economy, and finally accumulated a small capital with which he entered upon a very successful business career which he continued until his death. About 1857 he bought the store of J. H. Neill in Tidioute, but as money was scarce and he was obliged to give credit extensively, he closed the store and returned to lumbering and farming. He subsequently bought a tannery which he ran for some time, and also served as postmaster. He was elected one of the members of the first board of councilmen in Tidioute and was always active in his official duties, taking particular interest in providing adequate educational facilities, of which he had so greatly felt the need when young. He was one of the pioneers in oil producing, to which he gave his labors and his capital with varying success, and at his death he owned large interests in various oil fields. In 1868 the firm of Mabie & Hunter was established. Mr. Mabie being Mr. Hunter's brother-in-law, and they did a very successful business as general merchants and dealers in lumber until 1871. Then Mr. Hunter assisted in organizing the Tidioute Savings Bank, of which his son, Livingston, was later president. He finally acquired nearly all the stock and at his death was practically the owner of the bank. In 1873 he formed a partnership with Hon. H. H. Cumings in the oil business, in which they were very successful. He also was at times largely interested in wheat lands in North Dakota and was a member of the Missouri Lumber & Mining Company. When the oil field in the vicinity of Tidioute gave out, leaving the town stagnant and without energy, Mr. Hunter was instrumental in organizing the Tidioute Chair Manufacturing Company, of which he was president until his death. For fifteen years he served as a school director and he gave liberally of his wealth to promote the cause of education, being especially liberal in his support of the public library. He also was a very liberal supporter of the churches. A very generous, kind-hearted man, Mr. Hunter did many good deeds about which he said nothing. It is known, however, that upon many doorsteps were often found baskets filled with food and other necessaries of life, which were placed there through his instrumentality and his desire to relieve suffering. His charitable impulses led him to do many kindly acts, always in quiet, helpful ways, and disguising the hand of the giver in the substantialness and the timeliness of the gift.
He was in every essential a self-made man, of strong individuality and great brilliancy of personal intellect and capability. He thought slowly, carefully and comprehensively. He was simple in his tastes and unpretentious and unaffected in manner. [BOB37JD, 133]
He was reared on his father's farm in Limestone township, Warren County, Pennsylvania, and was engaged in making and marketing pine timber from 1850 to 1857; then came to Tidioute and engaged in the mercantile business until 1860. He then disposed of his mercantile business and entered into the business of producing crude petroleum; also the manufacturing and shipping of sawed lumber. He again became engaged in the mercantile business in 1868, under the firm name of Mabie & Hunter, and continued a successful business until 1882, when he disposed of his interest to his partner, W. H. H. Mabie. He was one of the original stockholders of the Tidioute Savings Bank. He was also one of the charter members of the Tidioute and Economy Bridge Company, that built the wire suspension bridge spanning the Allegheny River at Tidioute in 1873. He owned some stock in the Tidioute Chair Factory. He was interested in the Missouri Lumber and Mining Company. He was also a member of the firm of Hunter & Cumings, who were engaged in producing crude petroleum beginning in 1873. He built a home in Tidioute, on the corner of Main and Walnut streets in 1876.
In 1868 he became a Mason and advanced in this order to the thirty-second degree, Scottish Rite.
General Notes: Wife - Margaret R. Magee
from Limestone Twp, Warren Co, PA