My Genealogy Hound

Rev. Andrew Hunter, D. D., a supernumerary minister of the gospel, whose eloquent sermons have been listened to by very many residents in Central Arkansas, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1814, and came to the United States with his parents when only two years of age. His father and mother first settled in Pennsylvania, where Andrew was reared and grew to manhood and received a common-school education. In 1833 he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and in 1835 went to Missouri, locating near St. Louis, where he taught school for some time. In 1836 he was licensed to preach, and for one year preached the gospel in the Choctaw nation. He was ordained a deacon at Fayetteville, Ark., in 1839, and the following year was made an elder at Little Rock. He has been actively spreading the gospel for fifty-three years, and first came to Saline County in 1838, where he had charge of a circuit for one year. Since 1871 he has made this county his permanent home, and is the only minister now living whose name was on the conference roll when he joined in 1836. Dr. Hunter is of a robust constitution and still full of vigor, although he has probably done more church work than any other minister in Central Arkansas. In the fall of 1842 he was made presiding elder of Washington district, which then comprised a large portion of South Arkansas, and was afterward presiding elder of the Little Rock, Batesville, Camden, Arkadelphia and Pine Bluff districts. He is probably the most popular Methodist divine in Arkansas, and still gives his attention to church work. Strictly speaking he is a self-made man, having received most of his education since entering the ministry. During the war his reputation had spread so far that he was allowed to continue his good work without molestation. In 1844 he was one of three delegates sent from Arkansas to attend the conference in New York that divided the church, and out of 300 delegates present on that occasion there are but three yet living. In 1866-67 he was elected to represent Dallas and Bradley Counties in the State senate and was president of that body. In 1866 he was also elected to the United States Senate, but could not take the oath and was disqualified, A. H. Garland taking his place instead. He was married at York, Penn., in 1844, to Anna M., a daughter of William and Leah Jones, of Welsh and German descent, respectively, and became the father of four children, of whom three are yet living: William P., Florence (wife of W. P. Field, of Little Rock) and Andrew J. (chief clerk of the United States marshal’s office at Little Rock, and a graduate of Jones’ Commercial College, at St. Louis, Mo.) Mrs. Hunter has been a member of the Methodist Church since her thirteenth year, and is just as devoted to the cause as her husband. The Doctor’s parents were John and Rachel (Densmore) Hunter, of Scotch origin, but born in Ireland. The father died in York, Penn., after coming to this country, and some years later the mother was married to Joseph McPhearson, also a native of Ireland. She died at York, Penn., in 1837. Dr. Hunter had a brother, William, who was also a man of great talent and a graduate from the Madison College, at Uniontown, Penn. He was for some years professor of Hebrew in Alleghany College, Meadville, Penn., and later was editor of the Pittsburgh (Penn.) Christian Advocate. He was also presiding elder of the Cleveland (Ohio) district, where he died. Another brother, who is now deceased, named John, was a prominent manufacturer of Ohio, and the sister, Margaret, is the widow of Abraham Wells, a large manufacturer of Wellsville, York County, Penn., before his death. This lady, with her son-in-law, is carrying on the immense business of her husband at that place with great success, and is widely known for her business ability. Dr. Hunter owns 152 acres of very fertile land on his home place, about one mile west of Collegeville, and two other tracts, one of 280, the other of 200 acres.