The Hunters came to America about 1840 or so and worked in the mines and m
ills in Catasauqua, PA and Carbon County, PA until they had enough mon
ey to buy farms in Illinois. At least this is the case for James & Hugh. T
hey had other siblings as well, a John was a lawyer I believe in Philadelp
hia and a Joseph had a farm near Catasauqua. The families in Illinois a
nd PA kept in touch through the early 1900's. My mother, Ruth Hunter Baumb
ach, actually visited a Hunter cousin in PA after the war but this cous
in who was in her 80's by then died shortly thereafter. I think the PA fam
ilies have died out. There was one of the sisters who married a Toland a
nd they went to California in the 1850s and descendants of this line are b
elieved to have resided in Hawaii at one time. (A. Baumbach)

www.rootsweb.com

Mary HUNTER married a man named TOLAND. They moved to California in 1849-
50 and no further information is known of them. __________________________
_______ _______________________________ SOURCE: "The Genealogy and Sto
ry of the Famil y of Robert Kirtley Garnett", by Harriet Elizabeth Garne
tt Hobble and Charles Hunter Garnett, November 1955, Semco Colour Press, I
nc., Oklahoma City, Okla homa.

Subm ellington Preshyterian Cemetery, Quincy, Illinois, USA:
James HUNTER was born in County Londonderry, in Ulster Province, Northe
rn Ireland . He was of pure Scotish blood and raised in the Presbyterian r
eligion. In those days and in that country, religion was the most importa
nt factor in the social and political life of the people, and difficulti
es in religion often resulted in physical violence. The Orangement of t
he Presbyterian North and the Catholics of the South waged a sort of guerr
illa warfare on the borderline between North and South. Both James HUNT
ER and his future wife, Martha LOGAN grew to adulthood in Ireland. There w
ere parental objections to their marriage on the grounds that they were fi
rst cousins---and this is perhaps the reason why James HUNTER decided to l
eave Ireland for the New World and to seek his fortune there. But Martha L
OGAN, being a woman of spirit, decided that she was not going to let su
ch a "braw laddie" get away from her and followed her love James HUNT
ER to America. She lived first with her sister, Jane BLACK, who was alrea
dy living in New York. There, Martha LOGAN worked as a seamstress. James f
ound a job in an iron foundry owned by a Mr. Thomas in Allentown, Pennsylv
ania. Martha LOGAN and James HUNTER were married on January 17, 1 845 at t
he home of Martha's sister in New York City. The young couple made their f
irst home at Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Allentown, where he con
tinued to work in the foundry. After a few years, the fumes from the molt
en metal in the foundry started to affect his health, and they decid
ed to move to Illlinois. They settled on a farm in Ellington Township a f
ew miles northeast of Quincy in Adams County where they lived until Jam
es died on October 29, 1889. James HUNTER was a successful farmer and ke
pt his farm as neat as a park. His huge bank barn was a delightful place f
or the older grandchildren to play hide and seek. The younger ones never h
ad the opportunity. About once a year the family descendants would load a
ll their children into a farm wagon and drive the 45 miles from St. Mar
ys to visit with grandfather James HUNTER and grandmother Martha Logan HUN
TER. These were dream filled and nostalgic days---the big fine house, t
he barn and out-buildings, with grandma's cordial and affectionate welco
me [for she surely loved children and especial ly all her grandchildren]--
-those summer holidays with the grandparents were truly a paradise for t
he whole family. After James HUNTER died, the farm was sold and Martha Log
an HUNTER and her son Joe went to live in Quincy. Later she lived with h
er daughter and son-in-law Robert Kirtley GARNETT at St. Mary s. In June 1
903 she went to Joliet, Illinois to visit Joe HUNTER [who was then worki
ng in Joliet] and just a few weeks later, on July 2, 1903 she died as a re
sult of injuries received from a fall. Both James HUNTER and Martha Log
an HUNTER spoke all their lives with a broad Scottish accent. James w
as a very quiet and reserved man---not talkative but a good listener, cont
ributing an occasional "Oh, aye, aye" to the conversation. He was kind, sy
mpathetic and generous to those less fortunate, a trait inherited by his d
aughter Annie Elizabeth GARNETT. Martha Logan GARNETT was more stern and m
ore frugal with t he family resources. On occasion, when James would gi
ve money to some needy person while his daughter Annie Elizabeth was in h
is presence, he would say: "Now, Annie, don't tell your mother about this
." James was a man of the strictest integrity and highly respected by a
ll who knew him. ___ SOURCE: "The Genealogy and Story of the Family of Rob
ert Kirtley Garnett", by Harriet Elizabeth Garnett Hobble and Charles Hunt
er Garnett, November 1955, Semco Color Press, Inc., Ok lahoma City, Oklaho
ma.
**************************************************************************
****************
Will of James Hunter as Found in the Adams County Courthouse in Quincy, Il
linois:

I, James Hunter of Ellington in the County of Adams and State of Illinoi
s, being of sound mind and memory do hereby make, publish and declare th
is and none other to be my last will and testament, in the words and figur
es following, that is to say:
First: It is my will and wish and I hereby direct that all my just debts a
nd funeral expenses be first fully paid.
Second: After the payment of my just debts and funeral expenses as direct
ed in the first clause hereof, it is my will and wish and I hereby give, d
evise and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Martha Hunter, all my real and pe
rsonal estate and property of every name, nature, description, kind or cha
racter whatsoever and wheresoever situate; to have and to hold the sa
me to her and her heirs and assigns forever.
Third: I hereby nominate, make, constitute and appoint my said wife, Mart
ha Hunter, Executrix of this my last will and testament, and hereby dire
ct that she be not required to give bonds as such, and I hereby revoke, ca
ncel and annul any and all other or former wills by me made, and declare t
his and none other to be my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I, James Hunter, have hereunto set my hand an seal th
is the fifth day of September A.D. 1889.
Signed: James Hunter In the County of Adams, State of Illinois: The abo
ve and foregoing instrument in writing was on the fifth day of September A
.D. 1889, signed, sealed, published and declared by the said James Hunt
er as and for his last will and testament; in our presence who in his pres
ence, and at his request, and in the presence of each other have hereun
to subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
Signed: Oscar P. Bonney and Rufus W. Putnam.
**************************************************************************
**************
Obituary for James Hunter in The Quincy Herald, October 30, 1889:

"DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT - James Hunter, of Ellington, a Citizen Since 18
49, Passes Away. James Hunter, one of the oldest residents of Adams Count
y, died at his home on his farm in Ellington township, about 12 o'clock ye
sterday. The deceased had been ailing since last June, and gradually wast
ed away, death being the result of disability, his life having worn out.
Mr. Hunter was born in County Derry, Ireland, on the 12th of May, 1819, a
nd was in the 71st year of his age. He came to America in 1837. He first s
topped at Catasauqua, Penn., where he went to work at $4 a month. Afterwar
ds he entered the iron mills and learned a trade. In 1849, during the go
ld excitement, he started for California and got as far as Quincy, whe
re he stopped and concluded to remain.
With his little family he settled upon the farm on which he died. He resid
ed there from 1849 until yesterday, a period of forty years.
He leaves surviving him a wife and five children. The children are: Mrs. R
obert Garnett of Hancock County; Mrs. Wm. Kraber of Ellington; John Hunt
er of Colorado; Joseph D. Hunter and Miss Ella Hunter, who reside at the h
omestead.
James Hunter, the deceased, was well known to the people of Adams Count
y, especially the old residents. No man stood higher in the estimati
on of his neighbors and friends. He was quiet man, a man of integrity, a m
an whose word needed no bond or support to it. He was a good and true citi
zen, kind to all, a friend to all. Of his death it may be written: A go
od man has gone unto the Great Unknown.
The funeral will take place at the Ellington Presbyterian Church, Thursd
ay (tomorrow) at one o'clock."