James Hunter and Sarah Cunningham

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Husband James Hunter ¹

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           Born: 1775 - near Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 1865 - Crawford Co, PA 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: John Hunter (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Jane Smith (      -      ) 1

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       Marriage: 1801 2

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Wife Sarah Cunningham ²

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           Born: 1775 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1859 2
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 M John Alexander Hunter ²

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           Born: 28 Jun 1802 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 18 Nov 1803 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

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2 M William C. Hunter ²

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           Born: 8 Jun 1805 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 22 Feb 1849 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Mary Norton (      -      ) 2

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3 F Isabella Hunter ^{2 3}

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           Born: 28 Jul 1807 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1 Apr 1864 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: William Dickson (Abt 1805-1871) 2

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4 M James Hunter ²

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           Born: 6 Aug 1809 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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5 F Mary Hunter ²

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           Born: 12 Oct 1812 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 19 May 1898 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Ralph Ewing (      -      ) 2

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6 M Andrew Jackson Hunter ^{4 5}

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           Born: 11 Nov 1815 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 2 Jan 1907 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Sarah "Sallie" Pardee (1822-1889) 4 6
           Marr: 14 Dec 1844 6

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7 F Sarah Hunter ²

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           Born: 11 Nov 1819 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 5 Sep 1864 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: John Cunningham (      -      ) 2

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General Notes: Husband - James Hunter

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He and his father purchased from the Holland Land Company, October 21, 1800, a tract of land consisting of 412 acres (strict measure), each taking 206 acres, dividing in half lengthwise of tract. This tract was situated three miles east of Meadville, Pennsylvania, in District No. 2, commonly called Powers Tract, being a part of tract of land called Hall's Tract. This was surveyed the 15th day of June, 1794, in pursuance of a warrant granted to Chasper Hall, by him conveyed to the parties of the first part, confirmed by patent, February 16, 1799, enrolled in Rolls Office in Patent Book No. 30, on page 40, complying in comformity to the Act of April 3, 1792, viz: "To erect or cause to be erected fit for the habitation of man and to reside or cause a family to reside therein and to clear and fence at least eight acres of said land, all of which the said James Hunter and his father, John, has alleged he hath done. Identitor of Deed given by the Holland Land Company for this tract of land one year later, December 10, 1801."

He was very successful as a farmer and business man and highly respected among his fellow citizens as a general counselor and adviser. The farmer neighbor friends would drive miles to hear him spin his stories. In that line he was considered a pastmaster. He built a log cabin on his tract within sight of the old Hunter homestead. His lot was that of the majority of the old settlers, full of trouble and he was greatly annoyed by the depredations of the Indians. In the year 1815 he was awakened from his night slumbers by his faithful watch dogs near the barn. He went out to ascertain the cause and found his faithful dogs had treed a horse thief and burglar in the manger. He commanded of them to bring out their gain. They did so and led Mr. Van Holland into the house, where he was carefully guarded until daybreak by Mr. Hunter and his wife, with his faithful rifle in hand. He discovered at daybreak that his best horse was saddled and bridled by Van Holland. Upon this party's person Mr. Hunter found a paper giving names of a few of his neighbors that were marked for robbery and death. One of these lived within a half mile, directly west. Mr. Hunter, with this information at hand, piloted Mr. Van Holland up by where this frail couple lived, then informed him if he ever made another errand of this nature out his way, he would kill him and save the county expenses. Less than thirty days afterwards, Mr. Van Holland was stopping over night with a settler south of Meadville, and was infatuated with the wife. He arose in the night and killed the settler and insisted upon the wife going with him. He was caught, convicted and hanged in Meadville, the first execution ever taking place in Crawford County.

Mr. Hunter was a soldier in the War of 1812, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat at all times.

1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1593.

2 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1594.

3 —, The History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner Beers & Co., 1885), Pg 1148.

4 —, The History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner Beers & Co., 1885), Pg 899.

5 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1594, 1718.

6 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1718.