FIFTH GENERATION

328. Robert Alexander Hunter was born on 24 Feb 1884 in Battle, McLennan County, Texas. ⁽⁵³³⁾ He appeared on the census on 15 Apr 1910 in 455 S. Calhoun, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.⁽⁵³⁴⁾ He appeared on the census on 6 Jan 1920 in 908 Evans Avenue, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.⁽⁵³⁵⁾ He was elected as Light Commissioner in Apr 1921 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. He died on 10 Nov 1962 in Anaheim, Orange, California. ⁽³⁴²⁾ He was buried on 13 Nov 1962 in Austin Memorial Park, Travis County, Texas.⁽⁵³⁶⁾

Robert Hunter began his career in 1902 at the Southern Electric Companny in Fort Worth. He was appointed City Electrical Inspector in Fort Worth in 1916. In April, 1919, he resigned to work on the helium plant north of Fort Worth, and then became the city sales manager for the H. L. Carson Company. He was elected Commissioner of Lights for Fort Worth in April, 1921, serving until 1923. He continued to work in Fort Worth until his retirement in 1937, when he built a house just west of Austin, Texas, where he lived the rest of his life. He died in Glendale, California, while returning from a visit to his grandaughter Elsie Beard Hunt and her family who lived then at Gonzales, California.

He was a member of South Side Lodge No. 1114, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Fort Worth, as well as the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of Pithias. Ella was active in the Eastern Star Lodge.

Buckley B. Paddock, History of Texas: Fort Worth and the Texas Northwest Edition
4 vols., Chicago: Lewis, 1922
Page 336


R. A. HUNTER. In the Fort Worth municipal campaign that ended so satisfactorily to those interested in clean, efficient and orderly administration of affairs, one of the successful candidates was R. A. Hunter, present commissioner of lights. Mr. Hunter is in every way highly qualified for his duties in this important city department, since through practical experience and theoretical training he has been identified with electrical engineering and practice nearly all his mature lifetime.

Mr. Hunter was born in McLennan County, Texas, February 24, 1884, son of J. L. and Martha Matilda (Dupuy) Hunter. His father was a native of Tennessee and his mother of Arkansas. J. L. Hunter, now living retired at the age of eighty at Polytechnic, the Fort Worth college suburb, was in early life a saddle and harness maker. He left his work at the bench to join the Confederate army early in the war between the states, but subsequently was assigned to special duty, since his skill as a saddle and harness maker was more important to the Government than what he could do as a soldier. After the war he moved to Texas, and for many years conducted a growing business as a stock farmer near Waco. In 1899 he went to Taylor County and continued stock farming there until 1914, when he retired and has since lived at Polytechnic, Fort Worth. He was very successful in his affairs, is a staunch Democrat in politics, and for forty years has been a leading member of the Methodist Church and has filled every lay office in the denomination. Of his nine children seven are still living, R. A. Hunter being the seventh in age.

R. A. Hunter was educated in the public schools of McLennan County and he supplemented practical experience by courses of instruction in electrical engineering in the International Correspondence School of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He began his career in the electrical business at Fort Worth in 1902 with the old Southern Electric Company. In 1916 he was honored with the appointment of inspector of electrical work under the city government, but after three years resigned, on April 1, 1919, to accept a position with the Government during construction of the helium plant north of Fort Worth. He remained on duty there until the building was nearly completed, and then became city sales manager for the H. L. Carson Company. His election as commissioner of lights took place in April, 1921.

Mr. Hunter is a devoted member of Hemphill Heights Methodist Episcopal Church and president of the Wesley Adult Bible Class. He was formerly affiliated with the Maccabees, and for several years with the Woodmen of the World, being secretary-treasurer of the degree team until a change of affairs came about in that order in 1918, when he dropped his membership. He is affiliated with South Side Lodge No. 1114 of the Masonic Order. He has been in continuous good standing for nearly eighteen years as a member of the Electrical Workers Local No. 116, I. B. of E. W., and has filled every position in that body. His interest in good and practical government measures his interest in politics, and he has been a man of influence in the Fort Worth Democratic party for twelve or fourteen years. He is a progressive in every sense. Mr. Hunter gave his active support to the prohibition movement, voting the White ticket six times, and he stands ready to support that cause and principle again should occasion demand.

On December 24, 1901, Mr. Hunter married Miss Ella Randall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Randall, of Fort Worth. They are the parents of four children, all living. Homer, born September 12, 1904, and a graduate of the Senior High School in June 1921; Leland, born January 24, 1907, in Taylor County, now a student in the Junior High School; Mattie Louise, born May 21, 1910. attending the Fifth Ward School; and Carrie Marie, born November 8, 1917.



HUNTERS OBSERVE 60 YEARS

Mr. & Mrs. R. A. Hunter, Bull Creek Road, have recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

The couple had lived in Austin since 1937, when they moved here from Fort Worth. Mr. Hunter is a charter member of the Masonic Order of Fort Worth, and Mrs. Hunter is a charter member of Eastern Star No. 681 of Fort Worth and is a past matron of the same lodge. She was also mother advisor for the order of Rainbow Girls.

Mr. & Mrs. Hunter, active in church and community activities, are members of the Shettles Memorial Methodist Church and have served as presidents of their Sunday school classes. Mr. Hunter was in the electric business until his retirement 12 years ago.

Their immediate family includes Homer A. Hunter of Dallas, R. Lealand Hunter of Fort Worth, Mrs. J. B. Beard of Bryan and Mrs. Carrie Marie Jones of Houston. They also have eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.


From the Fort Worth newspaper, January 6, 1962:

60TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

AUSTIN, Jan. 5 (Spl) -- Mr. And Mrs. Robert A. Hunter, who lived in Fort Worth until about 1949, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at their ranch home near Austin.

The couple were honored by their children and their families, Mr. And Mrs. Homer Hunter of Dallas; Mr. And Mrs. R. Leland Hunter of 627 Eastwood in Fort Worth; Mr. And Mrs. Jim Beard of Bryan, and Mr. And Mrs. Drahn Jones of Houston. There are eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The Hunters settled in Fort Worth early in the century, after their marriage in West Texas in 1901. Both were prominent in civic and fraternal organizations in Fort Worth and were charter members of the Matthews Memorial Methodist Church, formerly Hemphill Heights Methodist Church. During the early 1920s, Hunter served two terms as light commissioner.




From the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Monday, November 12, 1962, Twelve, Section Three:

R. A. HUNTER, EX-COMMISSIONER OF LIGHTING HERE, DIES AT 78

Funeral arrangements for R. A. (Bob) Hunter, 78, of Austin, Fort Worth Lighting commissioner in the early 1920s, will be announced by Weed-Corley Funeral Home in Austin.

Hunter died in Los Angeles Saturday while on a vacation with his wife and two daughters, Mrs. Jim Beard of Bryan and Mrs. Drahn Jones of Houston.

The former light commissioner, who moved from here in 1939 to Austin, was responsible for the installation of the first white-way lights on N. Main and Camp Bowie Blvd. He had been a concrete contractor.

Hunter was a charter member of Hemphill Heights Methodist Church, now Matthews Memorial Methodist Church and a charter member of Hemphill Heights Masonic Lodge. He was also a Knights Templar.

Other survivors include two sons, R. Leland Hunter of Fort Worth and Homer A. Hunter of Dallas, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.


Also from the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Monday, November 12, 1962:

HUNTER, R. A., 78, of Austin, Fort Worth Light Commissioner in early 1920s, died in Los Angeles Saturday while on a vacation with his wife and two daughters, Mmes Jim Beard of Bryan and Drahn Jones of Houston. Services incomplete at Weed-Corley Funeral Home of Austin.

Surviving also: two sons, R. Lealand of Fort Worth and Homer A. Hunter of Dallas, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.


From the Salinas Newspaper, Salinas, California, about November 12, 1962:

TEXAS VISITOR PASSES AWAY ON TRIP HOME

Houseguests for a week at the home of the Rev. and Mrs. Ernest Hunt and family recently were Mrs. Hunt's grandparents, Mr. And Mrs. Robert Hunter, Mrs. Jim Beard and Mrs. Drahn Jones of Austin, Texas. This was their first trip to California and enjoyed it tremendously.

Word was received this week by the Rev. Hunt that they had a happy trip, only it was followed by tragedy.

Mr. Hunter, who was 79 years old, passed away on the trip home. Rev. Hunt added that the family is thankful that Mr. Hunter got his life-time wish before he had to go. All his life he wanted to make a trip to California and also to visit the Hunt family, and he did.

He was married to Mary Ella Randall (daughter of Albert Randall and Martha Ann Martin) on 24 Dec 1901 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.⁽⁵³⁷⁾ Mary Ella Randall was born on 16 Apr 1884 in Battle, McLennan County, Texas. She died on 31 Mar 1965 in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas.⁽⁵³⁸⁾ She was buried on 2 Apr 1965 in Austin Memorial Park, Travis County, Texas. ⁽⁵³⁹⁾ Robert Alexander Hunter and Mary Ella Randall had the following children:

+815 i. Homer Alexander Hunter.
+816 ii. Robert Lealand Hunter.
+817 iii. Martha Louise Hunter.
+818 iv. Carie Marie Hunter.