Robert Hunter 1825-1907

HUNTER, GILLETT

Posted By: CHERYL MOONEN (email)
Date: 11/17/2018 at 00:04:52

From the 1914 Delaware County History

He was born in Watertown, Jefferson county, New York, March 30, 1825, and is of Scotch-Irish descent. There is a tradition that owing to political troubles the founders of the family left their native Scotland many years ago and went to Ireland.

James Hunter, our subject's father, was born in Lisburn, near Belfast. Ireland, and when a young man came to the United States, settling in New York. By trade he was a linen weaver, learning the business in Ireland, but after coming to this country he followed the occupation of farming. Eventually he removed westward to Rockford, Illinois, where he passed away in 1869. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Gillett, was a native of Columbia county, New York, and a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier. She died in Boston, whither she had gone for medical treatment. In their family were two children, Robert and Mary Ann, now deceased.

Robert Hunter spent two decades in the Empire state and in 1845 arrived in the middle west. In April, 1847, he enlisted for service in the Mexican war as a member of Company A, Sixteenth United States Infantry, being enrolled at Rockford, Illinois, after which he was sent to the Rio Grande to serve under General Taylor, there remaining until the close of hostilities.

The lady whom Mr. Hunter wedded was Mary H. Cummings, a native of Thompson, Geauga county, Ohio. She was born July 2, 1833, a daughter of Nehemiah Cummings. She was of English descent.