JAMES J. HUNTER, a representative farmer of East Finley township, is a son of James Hunter, who was born about the year 1776, of Irish parents in eastern Pennsylvania, and spent his early life in that State. On June 21, 1810, he was there married to Eleanor Garrett, and immediately thereafter they moved to Buffalo township, this county. To this union were born the following named children: Margaret (deceased), born April 12, 1811; Susan (deceased), born October 24, 1814; Elizabeth, born April 13, 1818, now living in East Finley township, this county, the widow of Robert Marshall; James J.; and William, residing in West Finley township. Mrs. Hunter died in 1824, and March 29, 1827, Mr. Hunter was united in marriage with Sarah Clark, of Buffalo township, this county, and they had two children: John Clark (deceased), born December 24, 1827, and Sarah Ann (deceased), born October 6, 1830. The mother of these children died in 1846, and November 2, 1848, Mr. Hunter was united in marriage with Jane Welsh, who died in 1888. Mr. Hunter followed farming and distilling until 1839, when he came to East Finley township, settling on the farm now owned by his son, James J. Hunter, and which is situated about a mile east of Good Intent, near the western line of East Finley township. He passed the remainder of his life on this farm, and died in the year 1858. He was a member of the U. P. Church at Wheeling, and in politics he was a Whig. James J. Hunter was born October 26, 1820, in Buffalo township, Washington Co.,Penn.; and was in early life inducted into the mysteries of agriculture by his parents. He came with the family to East Finley township, and in 1843 began life for himself by doing farm work for other people, and cropping on his father's place. On October 19, 1845, he was united in marriage with Jane Hutchisson, who was born in 1825, daughter of Thomas Hutchisson, of East Finley township, and by this union there are three children: Joseph S., born June 24, 1846, now a farmer living in Franklin township, this county; Thomas H., born June 14, 1848, a farmer living in East Finley township, this county; and James C., born June 30, 1852, residing in Brilliant, Jefferson Co., Ohio. Mrs. Hunter died in 1853, and on November 13, 1860, Mr. Hunter was married to Elizabeth Marshall, who was born in 1822, a daughter of Gilbert Marshall, of East Finley township, a hardy pioneer, who lived to be nearly one hundred years of age. James J. and Elizabeth (Marshall) Hunter have had the following children: Mary E., born March 27, 1862, married November 5, 1891, to Alfred Sprowls; Jane A., born September 12, 1863, still living with her parents; and Florence M., born July 27, 1865, also at home. After his first marriage (in 1845) Mr. Hunter resided for some time in West Finley township, this county, then came to East Finley township, and in a short time returned to his former home, but finally, in 1861, moved back to East Finley township where he has since remained. Mr. Hunter, as did his father before him, has made a financial and social success of his life by practicing the valuable virtues of industry, perseverance and thrift. In politics he is a worker in the ranks of the Republican party. In religious connection he and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Dog Wood Grove, East Finley township.

Text taken from page 1006 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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