William S. Hunter is still a mystery. I have been unable to find any records in Kentucky to corroborate the family tradition of his birth date being December 25, 1826. Gonzales County, Texas census records for 1860 and 1870 do not corroborate this birth date. The 1860 census indicated he was 34 years old and the 1870 census indicated he was 45. 

The first mention of his arriving in Gonzales County, Texas is May 28, 1852 when he registers his brand at the county Courthouse. The next record we can find on him is an 1858 tax record for Gonzales County, Texas. His possessions are 1 horse and wagon plus an oxen.  He married Grace Ann Davis in Gonzales County, TX, November 2, 1858. Grace was born in Mississippi about 1841 and died about 1864 in Gonzales County, TX. Family tradition says her parents were Henry Davis and Jane Rayburn. 

He married second, Martha Locke Davis Miller, in Gonzales County, TX, April 19, 1865. Martha was born in Mississippi about 1834 and died November 10, 1893 in Gonzales County, TX, at 59 years of age. Martha was possibly the older sister of William's first wife Grace Ann Davis. Martha Locke Davis Miller arrived in Gonzales County, Texas with her first husband James Monroe Miller about 1854. Prior to that they were living in Mississippi. James Munroe Miller purchased land on the old Salinas Grant in Gonzales County and he and Martha were farming this land when James died about 1864. It is unknown if he died due to action in the Civil War or after the war was over.

William S Hunter joined the Sandies Home Guard on June 22, 1861. He served with Calvary Company, Gonzales County, 25th Brigade. This was a volunteer unit that served on the home front during the war between the states.

William S. Hunter was named the assessor of James Monroe Miller's estate. There was no will, and since William helped Martha with settling the estate I assumed this was because he was her brother-in-law.

In 1866 William drew up a document leaving money and items to is two sons William S. Hunter Jr., and Thomas Ann Hunter. At this time he was already married to Martha Locke Davis Miller. 

The last record I have been able to locate on William was an 1873 Gonzales County tax record. After that date all tax records are in Martha's name. William, according to family tradition was killed in Tom Green County, Texas in 1875.

Another story I have heard about William is that he was also married in Kentucky and had to leave the state in a hurry due to a scandal involving a gunfight with another man in Kentucky.

William was listed as the head of a family on the 1860  and 1870 Census in Gonzales County, TX. 

William S. Hunter and Grace Ann Davis had the following children:

+ 2 i. William Samuel² Hunter was born May 13, 1860.

+ 3 ii. Thomas Ann Hunter was born February 16, 1864.

William S. Hunter and Martha Locke Davis Miller had the following children:

+ 4 iii. Mary Emma Hunter was born August 1867.

+ 5 iv. Robert L. Hunter was born October 9, 1868.

+ 6 v. Joseph Alexander Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX August 23, 1872. Joseph died August 3, 1962 at 89 years of age. He married Stella J. Newton.

Second Generation

2. William Samuel² Hunter (William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, TX May 13, 1860. William died August 10, 1948 in Wichita Falls, TX, at 88 years of age.

He married Phebie Lucinda Forester in Gonzales County, TX, June 3, 1882. Phebie was born in Alabama in November 1865. Phebie was the daughter of John B. Forester and Sarah E. Johnson. Phebie died in Missoula, Montana on June 24, 1954. William and his family are listed in the 1900 Gonzales County, Texas census and the 1920 Dickins County, Texas census.

William Samuel Hunter and Phebie Lucinda Forester had the following children:

8 i. Johnston William³ Hunter was born in Texas May 2, 1883. He married Georgia Louise.

9 ii. Lenora Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX September 23, 1884. She married Henry L. Gleghorn October 18, 1903.

10 iii. Robert Elan Hunter was born in Texas September 2, 1886. Robert died December 26, 1892 in Gonzales County, TX, at 6 years of age.

11 iv. Charles James Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX August 3, 1888. Charles died December 1, 1934 in Bowie, TX, at 46 years of age.

12 v. Grace Ann Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX October 6, 1891. She married Jack Stamp.

13 vi. Henry E. Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX June 1894.

14 vii. Sarah Emma Lue Hunter ---was born in Gonzales County, TX September 2, 1895.

15 viii. Willie Biddle Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX August 23, 1897. Willie died August 11, 1904 at 6 years of age.

16 ix. John Forester Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX September 24, 1899.

+ 17 x. Travis Crockett Hunter was born March 2, 1902.

18 xi. Theodore Brazel Hunter was born in Texas September 9, 1904.

19 xii. Pauline Vogel Hunter was born in Texas February 4, 1907.

3. Thomas Ann² Hunter (William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, TX February 16, 1864. Thomas died July 30, 1935 in Dewitt County, TX, at 71 years of age.

He married Georgia Lee McGinty in Gonzales County, TX, December 16, 1882. See McGinty Family History Thomas and family can be found in the 1900 Gonzales County, Texas census. Georgia Lee and family can be found in the 1910 Gonzales County, Texas census and Thomas can be found at this time in Guadalupe County, Texas census. Thomas was serving a prison term for murder.

Thomas Ann Hunter and Georgia Lee McGinty had the following children: Photo

20 i. Emley³ Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas December 3, 1883. Emley died April 10, 1968 at 84 years of age. She married G. W. Gardner.

+ 21 ii. Joseph Daniel Hunter was born December 23, 1885.

+ 22 iii. William Thomas Hunter was born April 8, 1888.

+ 23 iv. Lonnie Boone Hunter was born May 29, 1890.

24 v. Grace Ann Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas July 4, 1892. Photo Grace died May 1985 in Dallas, Dallas County, TX, at 92 years of age. She married Thomas Duncan Howard in Dallas, Dallas County, TX, January 20, 1920. Grace married second George Washington Matthews on July 9th, 1945. See Howard Family History for continuation of my husbands family line.

+ 25 vi. Liela Elizabeth Hunter was born August 4, 1894.

26 vii. Minnie Pearl Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas October 24, 1896. Minnie died April 6, 1907 in Gonzales County, Texas, at 10 years of age.

27 viii. James Hubert Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas October 19, 1898. James died February 23, 1978 in Temple, Texas, at 79 years of age.

28 ix. Tillman Eugene Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas September 6, 1901. Tillman died October 20, 1918 in Gonzales County, Texas, at 17 years of age.

+ 29 x. Stella Susanna Hunter was born October 5, 1903.

30 xi. Wallace Robert Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas September 29, 1905. Wallace died October 6, 1970 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, at 65 years of age. He married Lula Ponton in Lavaca County, Texas, September 5, 1931.

+ 31 xii. Thomas Lee Hunter was born December 16, 1906.

4. Mary Emma² Hunter (William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, TX August 1867.

She married Frank L. Clark in Gonzales County, TX, January 5, 1889. Frank was born in Texas November 1861.

Mary Emma Hunter and Frank L. Clark had the following children:

32 i. Lester³ Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX June 1893.

33 ii. Berta Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX February 1899.

5. Robert L.² Hunter (William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, TX October 9, 1868. Robert died February 10, 1908 in Gonzales County, TX, at 39 years of age.

He married Leona Cottle in Gonzales County, TX, February 26, 1895. Leona was born in Texas January 1877.

Robert L. Hunter and Leona Cottle had the following child:

34 i. Floyd³ Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX December 1895.

6. Joseph Alexander² Hunter (William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, TX about 1872.

He married Stella Jane Newton about 1894.

Joseph Alexander Hunter and Stella Jane Newton had the following children:

35 i. Willie³ Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX about 1905.

36 ii. Minnie Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX about 1910.

37 iii. Victoria Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX about 1911.

38 iv. Samuel Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX about 1916.

39 v. Frances Hunter was born in Gonzales County, TX about 1918.

17. Travis Crockett³ Hunter (William Samuel², William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, TX March 2, 1902. Travis died July 25, 1985 in Deland, Florida, at 83 years of age.

He married Mildred Mae Hagerty in Highland Park, Illinois, June 23, 1923. Mildred died October 1967 in Deland, Florida.

Travis Crockett Hunter and Mildred Mae Hagerty had the following children:

40 i. Virginia June⁴ Hunter. She married Louis R. Tafoya in Deland, Florida, January 11, 1944.

41 ii. Glenn Robert Hunter was born in Osteen, Volusia County, Florida September 28, 1924. Glenn died April 10, 1991 in Leesburg, Lake County, Florida, at 66 years of age. He married Mary Geraldine Cockrell in New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina, May 27, 1944. Mary was born in Mt. Sterling, Montgomery Co., Kentucky May 23, 1924.

42 iii. Earl R. Hunter was born in Osteen, Volusia County, Florida May 5, 1928. He married Joannie Garcia April 24, 1953. Joannie was born in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida March 29, 1933.

21. Joseph Daniel³ Hunter (Thomas Ann², William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, Texas December 23, 1885. Joseph died February 6, 1973 in Yoakum, Dewitt County, Texas, at 87 years of age.

He married Josephine Adeline Jones in Gonzales County, Texas, December 20, 1905. Josephine was born in Gonzales County, Texas July 24, 1885. Josephine died April 10, 1928 in Pilot Grove Community, Lavaca, Co., TX, at 42 years of age. Josephine was the daughter of Milton McGar Jones and Sarah Elizabeth Ross. Joseph Daniel Hunter and family can be found in the 1920 Gonzales County, Texas census.

Joseph Daniel Hunter and Josephine Adeline Jones had the following children:

43 i. Joseph Thomas⁴ Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas May 16, 1907. Joseph died February 22, 1976 in Houston, Texas, at 68 years of age. He married Marjorie Ethel McMurrey in Pilot Grove, Lavaca County, TX, June 19, 1937. Marjorie was the daughter of Samuel Milton McMurray and Martha McCord. Marjorie died January 16, 1985. Both are buried at Pilot Grove Cemetery in Yoakum, Texas.

44 ii. Sara Lee Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas March 29, 1909. She married Ben Peter Schiro January 4, 1932. Peter died in Houston, Texas January 13, 1976. Sara married second, Wallace Joseph Knight March 14, 1937. Sara married third Henry Gardner Lindley September 13, 1946. Sara married fourth husband Leighton Ralston Sligh October 25, 1957. Leighton Ralston Sligh died June 24, 1991 in Houston, Texas.

45 iii. Josephine Pearl Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas April 9, 1911. She married Homer Lee Irvin in Yoakum, Dewitt County, Texas, May 9, 1931. Homer Lee Irvin was the son of David Irvin and Lucinda Ellen Irvin. Homer died September 5, 1983.

46 iv. VeElla Maude Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas June 5, 1913. VeElla died 1992 at 79 years of age. She married James Henry Earl Brewer in Hallettsville, Lavaca County, TX, June 7, 1934. James was born in Yoakum, Lavaca County, TX May 16, 1914. James died October 6, 1992 in Houston, Harris County, TX, at 78 years of age.

47 v. Ada Jane Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas November 26, 1915. She married Ben Marvin Boone in Hallettsville, Texas, September 14, 1933.

48 vi. Jones Dempsey Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas June 26, 1918. He married Ruthie Lee Williams in Houston, Texas, August 5, 1939.

49 vii. Birdie Lorea Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas July 20, 1920. She married Lamar Harding Good in Houston, Texas, December 22, 1942.

50 viii. Ernest Dell Hunter was born in Lavaca County, Texas January 19, 1923. He married Nelda Darleen Dickinson in Yoakum, Dewitt County, Texas, December 3, 1948.

51 ix. Stayton Berry Hunter was born in Lavaca County, Texas September 11, 1926. He married Carolyn Jeanette Steinmann in Yoakum, Lavaca County, TX, July 7, 1951. Carolyn is the daughter of Edwin Steinmann and Erna Marie Schmedt.

22. William Thomas³ Hunter (Thomas Ann², William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, Texas April 8, 1888. William died April 30, 1969 in Gonzales County, Texas, at 81 years of age.

He married Gertrude Kennedy in Gonzales County, Texas, December 1911. Gertrude was born in Gonzales County, TX March 10,1890. Gertrude died November 8, 1975 in Gonzales County, Texas, at 85 years of age. Gertrude was the daughter of George W. Kennedy and Saluda Harrell.

William Thomas Hunter and Gertrude Kennedy had the following children:

52 i. Otis Dell⁴ Hunter was born in Saturn, Gonzales County, Texas June 10, 1912. He married Helen F. Garwood. Helen was born in Shelley, Idaho November 5, 1919. Helen was the daughter of Arch Vance Garwood.

53 ii. Evelyn Zelma Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas June 22, 1914.

54 iii. William Ralph Hunter was born in Texas July 19, 1919. William died December 2, 1950 in Korea, at 31 years of age. He married Betty Wagner about 1944.

23. Lonnie Boone³ Hunter (Thomas Ann², William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, Texas May 29, 1890. Lonnie died July 13, 1944 in Gonzales County, Texas, at 54 years of age.

He married Mary Ann Pettit in Texas, about 1914. Mary was born in Texas January 3, 1892. Mary died February 18, 1967.

Lonnie Boone Hunter and Mary Ann Pettit had the following children:

55 i. Marcellus Boone⁴ Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas about 1915. He married Beulah Estelle Taylor.

56 ii. Delbert Hunter was born in Waelder, Gonzales County, TX August 15, 1916. Delbert died September 5, 1992 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, TX, at 76 years of age. He married Annas Elizabeth Leach in Texas, November 1, 1947. Annas was born in Fredonia, Mason County, Texas April 12, 1925.

57 iii. Daniel Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas about 1919.

58 iv. Hazel Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas after 1920.

59 v. Joy Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas after 1920.

60 vi. Cecil Eugene Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas January 4, 1918. He married Verna Mae Braever in Gonzales County, Texas, September 13, 1944. Verna Mae Braever was born in Gonzales County, Texas September 13, 1924. Verna Mae is the daughter of Edmund C. Braever and Norma Fehner.

61 vii. Daisy Hunter was born in Gonzales County, Texas April 21, 1926. She married George Meurer in Luling, Caldwell, Texas, September 19, 1945. George was born in Bastrop, Texas June 23, 1919 and died in Houston, Texas on May 9, 1972. George was the son of John Meurer and Hulda Beck. Daisy Hunter married second Paul James Korehek.

25. Liela Elizabeth³ Hunter (Thomas Ann², William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, Texas August 4, 1894. Liela died November 11, 1979 in Yoakum, Dewitt County, Texas, at 85 years of age.

She married Arthur R. Maas in Gonzales County, Texas, July 18, 1914.

Liela Elizabeth Hunter and Arthur R. Maas had the following child:

62 i. Berneice C.⁴ Maas was born in Gonzales County, Texas September 20, 1922. Berneice died February 2, 1994 in Gonzales County, Texas, at 71 years of age.

29. Stella Susanna³ Hunter (Thomas Ann², William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, Texas October 5, 1903. Stella died March 8, 1991 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, at 87 years of age.

She married Leonard R. Winborn.

Stella Susanna Hunter and Leonard R. Winborn had the following children:

63 i. Robert S.⁴ Winborn.

64 ii. John H. Winborn.

65 iii. Mary E. Winborn.

66 iv. Bobbi S. Winborn.

31. Thomas Lee³ Hunter (Thomas Ann², William S.¹) was born in Gonzales County, Texas December 16, 1906. Thomas died June 1966 in Llano, Texas, at 59 years of age.

He married Sarah Hazel Moore. Sarah was born in San Saba, Texas July 7, 1910. Sarah was the daughter of Henry F. Moore and Mary Chapman.

Thomas Lee Hunter and Sarah Hazel Moore had the following child:

67 i. Staton Edward⁴ Hunter was born in San Saba, Texas May 22, 1928. He married Sophia Hilda Lemmons. Sophia was born in Pampa, Texas September 23, 1928. Sophia is the daughter of Tollie Stone Lemmons and Clyda Nelda Wooster.

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