Robert A. "Bob" HUNTER

   Cause of his death was head trauma.

  General Notes:

Robert Hunter's birth record lists his middle initial as "B," however, every record found after his birth indicates his middle initial as "A."


Robert and Kate Hunter were divorced in Greenbrier County Circuit Court on 28 Jun 1911.


1900 Greenbrier Co., WV Census
Meadow Bluff District
15 June 1900, Page 157A

120/120 Hunter, Robert 31 W M head Aug 1869 WV WV WV Farmer
Mary K. 41 W F wife ----- 1859 WV WV WV (married 14 yrs., 4 ch., 4 living)
Garner 12 W M son July 1887 WV WV WV Farm Labor
Sam W. 9 W M son Aug 1890 WV WV WV
Robert J. 6 W M son July 1893 WV WV WV
McClung, Boatwright 25 W M neph ----- 1875 WV WV WV


1920 Greenbrier Co., WV Census
Kieffer Precinct No. 5 of Meadow Bluff

#4 Hunter, Robert 53 Head
Eliza C. 49 Wife
Annie R. 11 Daughter
Wade H. 8 Son


1930 Greenbrier Co., WV Census
Meadow Bluff - District 22
30 April 1930

147/147 Sanford, Henry 39 M Head WV WV WV Laborer (md. at 35)
Annie R. 20 F Wife WV WV WV (md. at 16)
Gloria E. 2-11/12 F Dau WV WV WV
Nevel E. 1-9/12 M Son WV WV WV
Hunter, Robert A. 58 M Fath-IL WV WV WV (widower, md. at 22)
Hunter, Wade H. 17 M Brot-IL WV WV WV


GREENBRIER INDEPENDENT, Lewisburg, WV, January 7, 1938 - Number 29

Murder Suspected in Death Of Aged Man
Believed Bob Hunter Was Assaulted For Money in Possession

Robert Hunter, a farmhand 68 years old died on Sunday morning about 5 o'clock at the hospital at East Rainelle. His death has given rise to a mystery which the authorities are endeavoring to solve. Corp. H. E. Locke of the state police detachment at East Rainelle and Deputy Sheriff Les Ferrell believing that Hunter was murdered for the purpose of robbing him of $70 to $80 he is said to have had in his possession.

Hunter lived alone in a three-room house on the farm of Newton Dietz in Meadow Bluff district two miles north of Kieffer. On Saturday morning about 10 o'clock while Joe and Wm. Deitz, son of Mr. Deitz, were hauling corn they stopped at Hunter's house to get the key to the granary, which appears to have been in his possession. There was no response to a call. Then one of the boys went to the front door, found it locked, and peered through a window in the livingroom. He saw Hunter lying on the floor with his head beside and partly under the grate in the room. He was unconscious, was burned on the right side of the face and right side of the head, and as soon as he arrived at the hospital about 11 a.m. it was found that he had four wounds on the top of the head, extending to the skull which appeared to have been made by blows with a club. A stick was found at the place about two feet long and an inch through which may have been used for the purpose of stunning Hunter. The theory of the police is that he was assaulted in the kitchen, dragged into the livingroom and placed under the grate to make it appear that he had fallen from a chair and struck the grate with his head.

Corp. Locke said it would have been impossible for Hunter to have received his injuries by a fall from a chair. One of his feet was found resting on a -------- as he lay on the floor.

-------------and robbed Hunter also based on what Jennings Hunter, one of the dead man's sons, told the officers. He said his father had told him on Friday that he had about $70 or $80 in a truck at his home. Beside the trunk a hammer was found with which the lock is believed to have been broken. No money was found in the trunk, the contents of which appear to have been gone over carefully. A watch in the trunk was not taken. When Hunter's clothing was searched $2.17 were found in a pocket.

It is said that while at the hospital Hunter aroused partially and told the nurse that something had hit him in the kitchen, but he could not remember anything else.

So far, the officers report, no clue has been found that leads to the solution of the mystery of hunter's death.
Funeral services for Hunter were held on Tuesday morning at the Kieffer Baptist church, Revs. T.V. Allen and Homer C. Piercy officiating. Interment was made in the Walkup cemetery near Crawley.

Hunter is survived by several children and his second wife. Among the children are Jennings Hunter of Kieffer, George of Riverside, Sam of Rupert, Wade of East Rainelle. The widow lives at Kieffer and a daughter, Mrs. Sanford, lives at East Rainelle.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Height: 6 ft. 2 in.

• Weight: 180 lb. 0 oz.

• Physical Description: having gray eyes, black hair.

• Occupation: horse trader, timberman, and farmer.

• Census, 2 Jan 1920, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV. ³¹⁴

Bob married Mary Kathryn "Kate" CRANE, daughter of George Washington CRANE Sr. and Jane "Jenny" McCLUNG, on 28 Dec 1887 in Greenbrier Co., WV.³¹⁰ (Mary Kathryn "Kate" CRANE was born in Nov 1854 in Greenbrier Co., VA,¹³ died on 10 Mar 1943 in McRoss, Greenbrier Co., WV ^315,316 and was buried on 14 Mar 1943 in Amwell Baptist Church Cemetery, Rupert, Greenbrier Co., WV ^315,316.). The cause of her death was cerebral hemorrhage.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Divorce: Divorce, 28 Jun 1911.

  Marriage Notes:

Robert Hunter and Mary Kathryn Crane were married by J. L. M. Connack.


Greenbrier County Circuit Court
Kate Hunter v Robert Hunter
Enter Chas. S. Dice
Chy O. B.#20p420

Kate Hunter
v
Robert Hunter

Process returned executed before June 1st 1911 & bill filed at June rules 1911 & set for hearing and this cause came on this 28th day of June 1911 to be heard upon the said process so returned executed bill & filed and upon the depositions of witnesses ??? in the presence of defendant and was argued by counsel.

Upon consideration whereof the court doth order and decree that the plaintiff be absolutely divorced from the defendant and that ther bonds of matrimony heretofore existing between them be dissolved and the plaintiff shall recover her costs which the defendant shall pay forthwith.

Bob next married Eliza Catherine "Kate" SHAWVER, daughter of Isaac R. SHAWVER and Eliza Jane DEITZ, on 13 Jul 1911 in Greenbrier Co., WV.³¹¹ (Eliza Catherine "Kate" SHAWVER was born on 9 May 1867 in Clintonville, Greenbrier Co., WV,³¹⁷ died on 20 Aug 1926 ⁴⁶ and was buried in Amwell Baptist Church Cemetery, Rupert, Greenbrier Co., WV.)

  Marriage Notes:

Robert Hunter and Eliza Catherine Shawver Crane were married by W. B. F. Ball.