Henderson Web Robert Hunter and other early Hunters of Venango-Forrest and Warren counties, Pennsylvania

Robert Hunter and other early Hunters of Venango-Forest and Warren counties, Pennsylvania

²⁸² Several accounts of early Venango County and area settlers²⁸³ mention a Robert and Jared Hunter, who, with the Broadfoots, Gilsons and Hendersons, came to the Venango County area from the north of Ireland, probably in the early nineteenth century. According to Genealogical gleanings of Siggins and other Pennsylvania families, 1918,²⁸⁴ Robert and Jared were brothers. They settled in the Enterprise area, present-day Southwest Township, Warren County.

Jared Hunter

A query in the Venango County Genealogical Club Newsletter²⁸⁵ pertained to a Jared Hunter who immigrated from Ireland. According to the query, in 1820, 1830 and 1840, Jared and wife Violet and six children were living in Richland Township, Venango County. This is confirmed by the federal censuses for these years.²⁸⁶ I could not find Jared Hunter in the 1850 federal census. The query reports a daughter of Jared Hunter, Violet, married David Houser. The federal censuses of 1850, 1860 and1870 list David, Violet and family in Richland Township, Venango County; and in Emlenton, Venango County in 1880. In 1900, Violet was deceased and David and daughter Catherine were living in Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.²⁸⁷ David was a farmer, born June 1820 in Pennsylvania. Violet was born circa 1818 in Pennsylvania. Children of David and Violet (Hunter) Houser (all born in Pennsylvania: (1) John Houser, born circa 1846; (2) Mary J. Houser, born circa 1848; (3) Catherine Houser born November 1850; (4) William Houser, born circa 1852; (5) Sarah E. Houser, born circa 1854; Martha (Marilda?) Houser, born circa 1855; (6) Charles Houser, born circa 1859; and (7) Wakefield Houser, born circa 1863.

Robert Hunter

Robert Hunter was born 22 June 1761 probably in the north of Ireland; died 27 June 1836; married Elizabeth Park, born 18 August 1761; died 9 March 1843. Robert and Elizabeth Hunter are buried in New Cemetery, Tidioute, Deerfield Township, Warren County, at Hunter Monument Number 1.²⁸⁸ In 1790 and 1800, Robert and family were enumerated in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania (Derry Township in 1800).²⁸⁹ The family then moved to Warren County, Pennsylvania, where Robert and family were enumerated in 1810-1830.²⁹⁰ Robert Hunter and family would have come to southwest Warren County at about the same time as the Hendersons came to the same general area. As indicated, Robert was an executor of James Henderson’s (#1) Mifflin County will as well as marrying the sister of James’s wife Sarah (Park) Henderson.

From History of Warren County (1887), pages 493-498.²⁹¹

Hunter, Robert, another of the first settlers, was born in Ireland in 1758, and his wife, Elizabeth (Park) Hunter, was born in the same country in 1762. They settled in Limestone, then Deerfield township, four miles below the mouth of Tidioute Creek in 1808. Here they made their permanent home, and by industry and frugality succeeded in clearing a large farm. They had a family of ten children born unto them, consisting of six daughters and four sons, all of whom grew to maturity and married, most of them settling in Limestone and vicinity. Robert Hunter died in 1836, and his wife in 1843.

Known children of Robert and Elizabeth (Park) Hunter:²⁹²
(1) Jeanette Hunter, born 23 December 1786; married Francis Tuthill (also Tuttle). Known children from the 1860 federal census:
(a) Francis Tuthill [Jr.], born circa 1815 in Pennsylvania; married (tentative) Mary [—?—], born circa 1828 in England; their children known in 1860 were (i) Esther Tuthill, born circa 1842 in Pennsylvania; (ii) Sarah Tuthill, born circa 1851 in Pennsylvania; and (iii) James D. Tuthill, born circa 1858 in Pennsylvania. NOTE: Since relationships are not given in the 1860 federal census, possible some (especially Esther) are not children of Francis's wife Mary. Francis Tuthill [Jr.] was a farmer when the family was living in Kinzua Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania in 1860 (census page 901). Also living with the family in 1860 was Francis's father, Francis Tuthill, born circa 1776 in ?Pennsylvania; and an Oliver Morrison, born circa 1800 in Pennsylvania, "paralyzed and infirm." There was a Morrison family in the Kinzua area of Warren County, which apparently was not related or only distantly related to our Morrisons of Venango County.
(b) John Tuthill, born circa 1819 in Pennsylvania; married Corintha [—?—], born circa 1829 in New York state;
Their children known in 1860 were
(i) Cristinella Tuthill, born circa 1847 in Pennsylvania.
(ii) Francis Tuthill, born circa 1852 in Pennsylvania—John Tuthill was a lumberman when the family was living in Kinzua Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania in 1860 (census page 902).

(2) Violet Hunter, born circa 1789; married Richard Henderson. Richard’s sister was Margaret (Henderson) Watson—see #5 and #7 for descendants.

(3) Samuel Hunter, born 18 May 1791; married Mary (Polly) Culbertson, born circa 1795 in Pennsylvania. In 1850, Samuel, Mary and family were living in Tionesta Township, Venango County (now Forest County). In 1860, the family was in Hickory Township, Venango County. Samuel was a farmer. I can not associate Mary Culbertson with our Culbertsons. By 1870, Samuel and Mary had moved to Clayton County, Iowa, and were living with their son Matthew and his family.
Two children of Samuel and Mary (Culbertson) Hunter known from the 1850 and 1860 federal censuses were²⁹³
(a) Samuel (Clark) Hunter, born circa 1836.
(b) Matthew Hunter, born circa 1838; married Phebe [—?—], born circa 1844 in Pennsylvania. Samuel Clark Hunter and wife eventually moved to Texas; they had 15 children, the youngest son being John F. Hunter. Sandra Holik, who provided information on this family, was a granddaughter of John F. Hunter.

(4) William Hunter, born 19 August 1794?; married Dorcas Magill, born 20 August 1799; died 21 October 1887; buried in New Cemetery, Tidioute, Deerfield Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania.²⁹⁴ In 1850, the family was living in Tionesta, Venango County (present-day Forest County), Pennsylvania (census page 226). In 1860, William, Dorcas and son Robert were in Hickory Township, Venango County (census page 287). William was a farmer.
Children known from the 1850 and 1860 federal censuses were
(a) Isaac Hunter, born circa 1828; married Julia [—?—], born circa 1827 in New York State;
(b) Charles Mehitable Hunter, born circa 1829, married Nancy [—?—], born circa 1832 in Pennsylvania—in 1850, they were living next to Charles' parents.
(c) Robert Hunter, born circa 1833; married Helen [—?—], born circa 1840 in Pennsylvania.
(d) Dorcas Hunter, born circa 1838.
(e) William Hunter, born circa 1840.
(f) Arthur Hunter, born circa 1844.

(5) Elizabeth Hunter, born circa 1794; she was the first wife of Thomas Morrison, who was born 6 November 1794; died 7 June 1852 in Deerfield Township, Warren County;²⁹⁵ buried in Old Tidioute Cemetery, Deerfield Township.²⁹⁶
Their children were
(a) Hugh Morrison, born 26 August 1819; died 16 November 1883; married (first) Martha McGuire; married (second) Jane P. Holeman.
(b) Robert Hunter Morrison, born 8 August 1821; died 1892 in Tidioute, Deerfield Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania; married (first) 19 May 1853 Mariah L. Lindsay; married (second) Catherine I. Rutledge.
(c) Elizabeth Morrison, born circa 1824; married Benjamin Courson.
(d) Isabella Jane Morrison, born 2 January 1827; died 8 March 1899; married Robert D. Morrison, born 30 June 1826; died 12 November 1914 in Deerfield Township, Warren County—both Robert and Isabella are buried in Sutton Hill Cemetery, Deerfield Township, Warren County;²⁹⁷
(e) Thomas W. Morrison, born circa 1831.
(f) Ann Morrison, no information.

Thomas was on the 1820 Venango County census for Allegheny Township²⁹⁸ and the 1835 tax list for Cornplanter Township; he was a constable for Allegheny Township in 1828.²⁹⁹ The family eventually moved to Deerfield Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania.³⁰⁰ He was in the War of 1812. Thomas Morrison was a son of Hugh and Isabella (Wilson) Morrison. Another child of Hugh and Isabelle Morrison was Sarah Morrison, born 1780-1790, married circa 1814 John Lytle, born circa 1780-1790. John and Sarah (Morrison) Lytle were second great grandparents of the author. See the web sites Lytles *LINK* and Morrisons (*in preparation) for more information on the Morrisons.

(6) Sarah (Sallie) Hunter, born 19 August 1796; married Isaac Jones.
After Sarah died, Isaac married Susan [—?—], born circa 1791 in Pennsylvania. Isaac and Susan lived in Forest County, Pennsylvania, in 1850 with children
(a) Mehitable Jones *child of Sarah), born circa 1829, and (child of Susan?) Susan Jones, born circa 1832.³⁰¹
Other children of Isaac and Sarah (Hunter):³⁰²
(b) Daniel Jones.
(c) Elizabeth Jones.
(d) Robert Jones.
(e) Dorcas Jones.
(f) Sarah Jones.
(g) Elisha Jones.
(h) Elijah Jones.
(i) Margaret Jones.

(7) Margaret Hunter, born circa 1798; married Thomas Morrison, whose first wife was Margaret's sister Elizabeth (Hunter) Morrison. Thomas and Margaret (Hunter) Morrison's children: (a) Matthew Jackson Morrison, born circa 1833; married Sarah J. [—?—]; (b) Salina Morrison, born 22 July 1834; died 29 October 1853; buried in old Tidioute Cemetery, Deerfield Township, Warren County;³⁰³ (c) Nathan Parke (should be Park?) Morrison, born 17 January 1836; died 3 April 1918; married (first) Mary Ellen Gillispie; married (second) Sarah (White) Wilcox; and (d) Margaret M. Morrison, born 9 October 1837; died 5 February 1921 in Wisconsin; married (first) Henry Magee; married (second) Benjamin Carey; married (third) [—?—] Osborn. This family apparently moved to Wisconsin.

(8) Robert Hunter [Jr.], born 2 February 1800, died 30 March 1845, age 45; buried in Old Wales Cemetery, Enterprise, Southwest Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania; also buried in apparently the same lot was [—?—] Hunter, died 20 October 1852, son of L. [Louisa?] and R. [Robert?] Hunter. Robert Hunter married Louisa Manross, born November 1813 in Pennsylvania.
Children of Robert and Louisa (Manross) Hunter:³⁰⁴
(a) Jared Hudson Hunter.
(b) Jesse W. Hunter.
(c) Dimmis J. Hunter.
(d) Samuel B. Hunter.
(e) Gates Manross Hunter.
(f) Joshua B. Hunter.
(g) Loretta E. Hunter.
(h) Esther Lovisa Hunter.
(i) Elizabeth Candace Hunter.
(j) Candace Almira Hunter.
(k) George Wilson Hunter.

(9) Matthew Hunter, born 17 July 1802; died 1 October 1872; buried in New Cemetery (Hunter Monument Number), Tidioute, Deerfield Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania; married Sarah Magill, born 30 June 1808; died 8 February 1855; buried in New Cemetery (Hunter Monument Number 1), Tidioute.³⁰⁵
Children of Matthew and Sarah (Magill) Hunter known from the 1850 federal census for Limestone Township, Warren County, where Matthew was listed as a farmer (census page 396), all children born in Pennsylvania:
(a) Jaru Hunter, born circa 1830 (but see specific dates for Jaru and other information after list of remaining children).
(b) Robert Hunter, born circa 1833.
(c) Dorcas Hunter, born circa 1835.
(d) Darius Hunter, born circa 1838.
(e) Jane Hunter, born circa 1840.
(f) Sarah Louisa Hunter, born circa 1843.
(g) Margaret Hunter, born circa 1847.
(h) Mary Hunter, born circa 1849.
(i) Ann Hunter, born circa 1852.

Oldest son Jaru Hunter (a above) was born 3 October 1830 in Limestone Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania; died 15 March 1897; buried in New Cemetery (Hunter Monument Number 2), Tidioute; married Mary R. Magee, born 7 May 1836; died 22 July 1914.³⁰⁶ Jaru and Mary had at least two children: Livingston L. Hunter, born 9 November 1860, died 20 April 1902, buried in New Cemetery, Hunter Monument Number 2, Tidioute; and Luella L. Hunter (“only daughter,” according to her stone), born 12 September 1872, died 6 November 1883.³⁰⁷

Poland Hunter
Another early Hunter was Poland Hunter of the Tionesta area, present-day Forest County, Pennsylvania. Poland would be of the right age and in the right location to be the brother of Robert Hunter who married Elizabeth Park. But I know of no records so stating. Indeed I know of no connections, although the families probably lived within a 20 mile area of each other.

Poland Hunter was born circa 1757-1760; died 17 October 1840,³⁰⁸ buried in Hunter Cemetery, Tionesta Township, Forest County; married Jane Simpson,³⁰⁹ born 1761; died 23 June 1838; buried in the Hunter Cemetery.³¹⁰ According to family legend,³¹¹ she was of the Simpson family from whom Ulysses S. Grant descended. Poland Hunter came to the West Hickory area of present-day Forest County between 1795 and 1805 from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.³¹² In 1820 Poland Hunter was enumerated in Allegheny Township, Venango County.

Poland Hunter was a colorful character. Here in part is what Leeson (1890), page 837, says about Poland Hunter:³¹³

Poland Hunter was a pretty rough specimen of Irish humanity. He would sometimes take on more tanglefoot than he could walk straight under and staggering against a stump would say, “H--l agin a stump and Poland agin that.” Poland Hunter shot a man by the name of Kinnear who had a warrant for his arrest.[³¹⁴] Hunter peppered him with shot about the legs. The wound was not mortal. Hunter said that shooting him had made him a storekeeper and if he would let him shoot again he would make a wholesale merchant of him. William Hunter was a chip off the old block. Whenever he got too much crooked whiskey his temper got the best of him and everybody was in his way. He and a man by the name of Groff always fought when they met. Groff was small but full of grit. In one of their fights Hunter bit Groff’s finger. The next day Groff was crossing the river to Hunter’s grist mill. He hallooed to Hunter when half-way over the river. I’m bringing you another grist of finger nails to grind.

Known children of Poland and Jane (Simpson) Hunter³¹⁵ (not necessarily all in order of birth):
(1) David Hunter, born 1786; died 17 May 1862; buried in the Old Tionesta Cemetery, Tionesta, Tionesta Township, Forest County; married Mary Gates. The family was living in Tionesta, Venango County (present-day Forest County) in 1850 and 1860.
Children known from these federal censuses (all born in Pa.):³¹⁶
(a) Nancy Hunter, born circa 1827; married William V. Watson (probably distantly related to our Venango County Watsons). One of their children was Sinea (also Cinea) Dustin Watson. She married Zachariah Watson, who was a son of Robert and Margaret (Henderson) Watson (see #7). Zachariah's only sister was Susan Jane Watson, my great great grandmother. See also Watson web site, *in preparation.
(b) Catherine Hunter, born circa 1829.
(c) Margaret Hunter, born circa 1831.
(d) David Hunter, born circa 1834.
(e) Mary Hunter, born circa 1836.

(2) Andrew Hunter, born circa 1788; died 17 April 1814; buried in Hunter Cemetery, Tionesta, Pennsylvania.³¹⁷

(3) John Hunter, born 1792.³¹⁸

(4) William Hunter, born 25 December 1794; married Sarah Range, born circa 1800 in Maryland. The family was living Tionesta, Venango County (present-day Forest County) in 1850 and 1860. William was listed as a farmer in 1850 and as a miller in 1860.
Children known from these federal censuses (all born in Pennsylvania):³¹⁹
(a) John Hunter, born circa 1819; married Eliza [—?—], born circa 1822 in Pennsylvania. Their children in 1850 when John and Eliza were living next door to John’s parents and John was enumerated as a farmer: (i) William Hunter, born circa 1845 and (ii) Jane Hunter, born circa 1849.
(b) William Hunter, born circa 1823.
(c) George Hunter, born circa 1825; married Adaline [—?—], born circa 1840 in Pennsylvania. Their children in 1860 when the family was living next to George’s parents and George was enumerated as a pilot on the Allegheny River: (i) Edyus?, Hunter, born circa 1856, and (ii) Charles Hunter, born circa 1859.
(d) Mary Hunter, born circa 1828.
(e) Harriet Hunter, born circa 1832.
(f) James Hunter, born circa 1835.
(g) Hannah Hunter, born circa 1836.
(h) Helen Hunter, born circa 1838.
(i) Moses Hunter, born circa 1840.

(5) James Hunter, born circa 1797; died 20 May 1813; buried in Hunter Cemetery.³²⁰ James was mentioned in a land deed between him and his father, Poland Hunter.³²¹ Also mentioned was Elizabeth Range, wife of Shallus Range, deceased. Possibly Elizabeth was also a child of Poland and Jane (Simpson) Hunter.

(6) Margaret Hunter; 1801; married Ananias (and other spellings, one being Americus) Dustin, born circa 1806 in Maine. The family lived in Tionesta, Venango County.
Children known from the federal censuses (all born in Pennsylvania):³²²
(a) Jane Dustin, born circa 1833.
(b) Margaret Dustin, born circa 1835.
(c) Emeline Dustin, born circa 1837.
(d) John Dustin, born circa 1839.

The following were also listed as children of Poland and Jane Simpson Hunter, no other information:³²³

(7) Harriet Hunter.

(8) Jane Hunter.

(9) Moses Hunter.

(10) Ellen Hunter.

(11) George Hunter.

John Hunter
John Hunter, born August 1859 in Pennsylvania, was of the Fagundus area, either Forest or Warren County; married Eleanor Irene Fleming,³²⁴ born January 1863, in Pennsylvania, a daughter of Buell and Rachel (Tuttle) Walleston Fleming. This John Hunter possibly descended from Robert and Elizabeth Park Hunter. In 1900, the family was living in Sharpsburg, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where John was listed as a laborer.³²⁵
Children of John and Eleanor (Fleming) Hunter known from the 1900 federal census (all born in Pennsylvania).
(1) Edith Hunter, born July 1880.
(2) Carl Hunter, born March 1882.
(3) George Hunter, born 1884.
(4) Zora Hunter, born February 1888.
(5) Maud Hunter, born September 1889 (twin).
(6)?Clair Hunter, born September 1889 (twin).³²⁶