Marshall County, West Virginia Biography of MAJ. H. W. HUNTER This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 390 MAJ. H. W. HUNTER. The career of the late Major Hunter of Moundsville was intimately associated with the big things in the commercial expansion of that locality for practically half a century. He was one of the first city officials, and for over thirty years was prominently identified with banking. He became the first cashier of the Marshall County Bank when it was organized in 1881, this being the first bank in Marshall County. He was an active official of the bank for nearly a quarter of a century, and in 1905, with other local men, he established the Mound City Bank and was its cashier until his death on April 11, 1914, when he was succeeded by his son, Carl H. Hunter. The presi- dent of the Mound City Bank from the beginning has been J. C. Bardel. The first vice president was C. E. Had- docks, who was succeeded by John A. Bloyd. The Mound City Bank is an institution with resources of nearly $750,000. Its capital is $50,000, surplus and profits, $40,000, and it has over $600,000 on deposit. Major Hunter was born on Wheeling Island, March 7, 1837, son of Robert Bruce and Artemisia (Shepherd) Hunter. He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry and in direct lineage from Robert Bruce. Major Hunter had a common school education, supplemented by a commercial course. At the age of sixteen he went to Moundsville, and up to the time of the Civil war was a clerk and connected with the river traffic. In June, 1861, he assisted in recruiting a company, and became first lieutenant of Company I of the Third West Virginia Infantry, was promoted to cap- tain, and when the regiment was changed to the Sixth West Virginia he became its major and served until his discharge in August, 1864. Major Hunter for three years following the war was in mercantile business at Mounds- ville. Moundsville was incorporated in 1866, and at the first election he was chosen clerk and treasurer of the corporation. From 1867 to 1871 he was deputy sheriff, and for one year was assistant internal revenue collector for the district embracing Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler coun- ties. Then for four years he was county assessor, and in 1876 was elected sheriff. Soon after he retired from the office of sheriff he entered upon his duties as cashier of the Marshall County Bank. Probably no man in Marshall County had more friends than Major Hunter. He was a true gentleman, modest in manner, frank and courteous, always speaking kindly and spoken of kindly. He enjoyed success in his business affairs, and his integrity of character won him the highest esteem of all who knew him. For more than half a cen- tury he was ever responsive to the broader commercial and industrial advantages of his city. He was not only a banker but interested in coal operations and industrial organiza- tions. He was connected with the Fostoria Glass Com- pany, the United States Stamping Company, the National Bed Company, the Moundsville Land Company, and was a half owner in the Paris Run Coal Company, tliese inchid ing some of the organized institutions that havu given character to Moundsville as a commercial center. At the time of his death he was the oldest bank cashier on the main line of the Baltimore & Ohio between Wheeling and Grafton and on the Ohio between Wheeling and Parkers- burg. On February 22, 1865, Major Hunter married Jane E. Edwards. They became the parents of three children; Daisy, Mrs. Lottie B. McDonald and Carl H. Carl H. Hunter, who succeeded his father as cashier of the Mound City Bank, is the present state senator for the district comprising Marshall, Tyler and Wetzel coun- ties, and he represented Marshall County in the Lower House of the Legislature in 1916. The important law giving state aid to fair associations may be credited to him, and its value has been demonstrated in larger and better fairs and has greatly stimulated the agricultural and livestock development of the state. Senator Hunter is a member of the Board of Directors of the State Fair Association at Wheeling. He was prominent in all local war work, and the Mound City Bank over subscribed its quota at every occasion.