| Notes |
- Some of the following information was given by Roy Hunter the son of Alexander Hunter to Roy's daughter Lillian Hunter/Foutch & son-in law
Burl James Foutch sometime before Roy passed away November I, 1987. & some is Census from Lawrence,Mass. & Rushville, Illinois. I have
searched Vital Statistics at the court House in Rushville, Illinois. Alexander Hunter was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts -Essex Co. July 14,
1861. His family lived there for several years. When Alexander was 13 Years old his family came to Chappell, Nebraska-Duel Co. They also lived in
Juianta, Sidney , Hubbell & Holdrege, Nebraska. Listed on Census June 7 & 8th 1880 Industry Precinct Phelps Co. Nebraska. He met his future wife
Ida Baxter there. Her parents were Thomas Jefferson Baxter & Rosalia Ambrosius they were farmers. There family is listed on June 7,1880
Census Phelps Co. Nebraska . Alexander & Ida were married August 12,1886 in Holdrege, Neb. Ida's uncle Simon Ambrosius was one of their
witnesses. Alexander was 26 years old & Ida was 18 years old. Alex & Ida moved to Chappell, Nebraska where their first two children were born.
Cora Mae, Bertha Dell. The next child Ralph, was born in Holdrege, Nebraska There next move was to Hubbell, Nebraska Thayer Co. Their next
three children were born there; Lydia, Roy, Arthur. They made a big move to South Dakota in a covered wagon. This was their mode of traveling.
Their next child Harold was born in Spencer, McCook Co. S.Dakota. Then came Eva Fern born in Canova, Miner Co. S. Dakota. In the Spring March
12, 1912 Alex & his oldest son Ralph went by train from Canova, S.Dakota to Porterville, California. Alex shipped his farming horses by train to
Porterville, so he would have a start at farming when they got there. Alexanders sister Rebecca & her husband Byron Allison Shaffer were living in
Porterville. On the way-out Alex & Ralph had to layover 15 hours in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ida & the children that were home; Eva 6,Harold 9,
Arthur 12, & Roy 15, went to Ida's mother’s Rosalia Ambrosius/Baxter near Rushville, Illinois. Probably the town of"Industry, Illinois". They visited
her family for awhile. Ida & the children continued by train taking about 4 days to complete their trip to Porterville, Calif. Arriving April 13, 1912.
In the mean-time Alex had found a place for them to live. Alexander also found a job planting Orange trees for a farmer. He, Ralph 20, Roy 15,
Arthur 12 helped plant the grove. This took several weeks. Alexander bought a team of horses & the family migrated by covered wagon up the San
Joaquin valley to ”Cere's" a small town near Manteca & Stockton, California Alexander & Ida's youngest child a son William Thomas Hunter named
after Alex father was born in Manteca, California May 15,1917. Roy 15 was left in Porterville, California for a month to take care of the young
Orange Trees. They required a lot of irrigation as it is very warm in the valley. Roy bought a motorcycle & rode up the Valley to join the rest of his
family in Manteca. His father had bought 10 acres of land in Manteca where they grew tomatoes, sugar beets, & alfalfa Before Roy's arrival his
father Alex, brothers Ralph & Arthur worked in Ceres & the Area picking "Hops" for extra money. They farmed the 10 acres for about eight or
nine years. Alexander Hunter sold the farm in 1920 when William the youngest was about 3 Years old. Alex, Ida his wife & their family went to
Janesville, Calif. from there to Auburn, California. They were there a short time & made their last move to Eureka, California in a " Willys Overland
Touring Car " they went by way of Ukiah & Willits up the coast to Eureka the year was about 1922. There daughter Lydia & her husband Leo
Davenport lived in Eureka. When Ralph was 25 & Roy 21 they went to Montana to home-stead, but they were drafted into the Army in 1917.
World War I had started. Ralph was sent to France; Aragon Valley. Roy went to New-Port News,Virginia for training, but the Armistice was signed
November 11, 1918, so, he was discharged & never left the states. Alexander bought property in Eureka south of town called "Pine Hill". He
farmed strawberries & sold them for several years. Something else I remember about my Grandfather Alexander; he had cut his foot with an ax when he was young & he wore black high top shoes that ended up on the toes. I always remember him with white hair & a white mustache. My
grandmother Ida had long hair that she wore in a bun on top of her head. She let me brush her hair when I was a young teenager . We lived a couple
of blocks from them so, every day after school we visited with them. They were very religious people, so when my brothers Ken, Merle & I stayed at
night with them when our parents went dancing they would read from the bible & sing to us. We thought it was wonderful. My grandmother Ida
made hook rugs & braided rugs by hand. My grandfather Alex whittled me a wooden crochet hook & grandma taught me to crochet. I have very
fond memories of them They continued to live the rest of their lives in the same house. They are buried in the ”Sunset Mem Cem" Alex Section 7-
Grave 4-Row 23- Ida Section 7-Grave 1-Row 22 Eureka, California Humboldt Co.
Lillian Mae Deloras Hunter/ Foutch Dec. 3,1999 (Feb. 9, 2003)
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Our Family History
1861 - 1950 (88 years)
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