Benton Co., AR - Biographies - C. D. Gunter

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Submitted by:
        Date: 20 Jun 1998
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SOURCE:  Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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C. D. Gunter, post office Hico. Among the old and time-honored citizens of Benton County, Ark.,
stands the name of C. D. Gunter, who was born in Middle Tennessee, March 30, 1818. He is a son of
John and Lavina (Thomasson) Gunter. The father was born near Pleasant Gardens, N. C., and was of
Dutch descent. He moved to Tennessee, was there married and there remained until 1825, when he
went to Alabama. He died in this State in 1854. The mother was born in Tennessee, and died
several years previous to her husband. They were the parents of ten children: Telitha T.
(deceased), Augustus, now living at Bridgeport, Ala.; William T. (deceased), C. D., Louisa
(deceased), Edith (deceased), Col. Thomas M., lawyer and ex-congressman of Fayetteville; Milton
D. (deceased), Pearl H. (deceased), and an infant unnamed. C. D. Gunter was reared to farm life,
and received a meager education in Alabama. In the autumn of 1839 Mr. Gunter left Alabama and
traveled through Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, but finally settled in Benton County, Ark., where
he now lives. In 1845 he married Miss Nancy Ward, who was born in Georgia, and immigrated to the
Cherokee Nation when a child. Here she grew to womanhood. She is of Cherokee descent on her
father's side, and her mother was a native of South Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Gunter became the
parents of nine living children: Ann Eliza. wife of Gaither Chandler; Lavina. wife of L. L.
Duckworth; Lucy Jane, wife of Dr. Fortner; John T., farmer and liveryman; Amanda O., wife of
David Mars; Lula, wife of William Curtis; Anna, wife of Samuel Frazier; Nancy, Augusta and Cal.
Dean. During the late war Mr. Gunter espoused the cause of the Confederacy and enlisted in the
Arkansas troops under Gen. Pierce. He was afterward under the command of Gen. Hindman. He was in
the engagement at Oak Hill, besides numerous skirmishes. Mr. Gunter is Democratic in his
political views, and his first presidential vote was cast for Van Buren. He is a member of the
Masonic order. He is the owner of between 900 and 1,000 acres of land situated around Siloam
Springs.