The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 264
Town of Sterling / Churches / Biographical Sketches

where he acquired the habits of industry that marked his subsequent life. His educational advantages were somewhat limited, but being attentive and studious he obtained a good common education. Ambitious to acquire a competency he left his native land at the age of nineteen and sailed for America. He found a home in Balitmore, Md., where he learned the stone-cutter's trade. He advanced rapidly in his business and became ere long foreman for a prominent firm. In 1826 he married Miss Isabella Crockett. This union resulted happily, and to them were born five children, four of whom are living. In 1838 he came with his family to Sterling, where he purchased a farm on lot No. 8. There he spent the balance of his life and died November 4th, 1851. He was an honest and useful member of society, and his children and friends still cherish his memory. His wife still survives him at the good old age of eighty years.

JOHN HUNTER

JOHN HUNTER is the oldest child of the late James Hunter and was born in Baltimore, Md., in the year 1828. In 1830, he came with his father to Sterling, where, during his youth, he was employed through the summer months, while his winters were passed in the district schools in a faithful effort to obtain an education. He was not permitted after the age of 18 to continue his studies in school.

The demand for barrels in this fruit-growing country seemed to open to him the cooper trade, and for two years after he had reached the age of 20, he was engaged in that business. When 22 years old he returned to his native State and was for one year occupied as a stone cutter in a soap-stone quarry.

In the summer of 1850, Mr. Hunter was employed on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, in the capacity of foreman, thus commencing his career on public works, which he has carried on so extensively in after years. After one year's service on the O. & A. Railroad he went to Fauquier county, Va., where he accepted a similar position on the famous Manassas Gap Railroad. In 1852 Mr. Hunter made a contract (his first,) with the last named road, for constructing a certain distance and was engaged on that road as contractor till the spring of 1858. He then returned to Sterling, where he has since resided.

Soon after his return he purchased the flouring and saw-mills, at Sterling Valley, which he operated till quite recently, carrying on at the same time an extensive lumber business. In 1859 he built the store at Sterling Valley. After the war of the Rebellion his brother, James, became his partner in the mercantile business. The firm of John Hunter & Co. is widely and favorably known, their house being one of the most prominent in their section of the Country.

In 1871, Mr. Hunter contracted for the grading and masonry on about seven miles of the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad. Since that time he has built, and laid the track on about 70 miles of that road, now a part of the Rome & Watertown Railroad.

In 1873 he did the grading and masonry on 38 miles of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. He also built the Railroad bridge over the Oswego river at Oswego, N. Y., and the tunnel through the Park in that city. Mr. Hunter was one of the contractors for grading and building the locks on sections 8 and 9 on the Welland Canal enlargement. This work was commenced in 1874 and completed in 1878. He had also a half interest in the contract for enlarging the Lachine Canal. At the present writing (September, 1878,) Mr. Hunter is engaged on his largest and most difficult contract, the widening and deepening of the new canal at Port Colborne, the building of the new entrance lock and race-way at that place, and the building of a new aqueduct across the Chippewa River, which is the most extensive and difficult work on the Welland Canal enlargement. The estimated cost of the work on the two sections, is nearly one and a half million dollars.

Mr. Hunter was united in marriage to Miss Mary Conrad, April 10, 1855. To them eight children have been born. All are living but one.

For twenty years Mr. Hunter has been a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, in which, for 18 years, he has been a ruling elder. A view of his beautiful home, together with a steel portrait of himself, appears in this work.

THOMAS HUNTER

THOMAS HUNTER, the fourth child of James Hunter, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the 11th of September, 1834. He came to Cayuga with his parents in 1838, and lived at home with them until after his father's death. He attended the district school winters till the age of twelve years, and from that time to the age of nineteen his attendance at school amounted to ninety-three days. In 1852 Mr. Hunter went to Virginia and worked on the Manassas Gap Railroad for his brother John, who was a contractor on that line, for one dollar a day. In the fall of 1853 he returned to Sterling and attended school during the winter and went back to Virginia in spring of 1854. He remained there till June, 1857, when he again returned to Sterling, and, in connection with his brother John, bought the

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