John A. Hunter, of Newton, Kan., county clerk of Harvey county, comes of stanch Scotch ancestry on both the paternal and maternal sides. He was born in Hemmingford township, Montreal, Canada, Oct. 3, 1865, his parents being Hector A. and Delia A. (Morgan) Hunter, natives of Scotland, where the former was born, in the city of Edinburgh, Jan. 17, 1828. Hector A. Hunter came to Canada with his parents in 1842 and was reared to farm pursuits. In 1872 he moved to Kansas and bought a farm in Harvey county, four miles northeast of Newton, which was his home until his death. Nov. 27, 1906, and where his widow still resides. He was a Republican in politics and was a well known and highly respected citizen in that county. The paternal grandfather of John A. Hunter, also named Hector, spent his entire life in Scotland. John Morgan, maternal grandfather of Mr. Hunter, was also a native of Scotland, but subsequently removed to Canada, where he spent the remainder of his life.

John A. Hunter obtained his common and high school education at Newton and also attended the normal at Fort Scott. After completing his normal course he began teaching and was thus employed ten years in the schools of Harvey county. He then engaged in farming and stock raising and in 1896 became an interested principal in the retail grocery business, with which he was actively identified about ten years. Following his identification with this business he was for some time in charge of the circulation department of the "Kansas Republican." He is the owner of valuable improved residence property in the city of Newton and a stockholder in various financial and commercial enterprises. In 1908 he was elected to the office of county clerk and was reëlected to that office in 1910, which is sufficient evidence that he has given efficient service in that office. He has always given his allegiance to the Republican party and has served as a delegate to both the county and state conventions of that party.

On April 7, 1891, Mr. Hunter and Miss Mary S. Hering were united in marriage. She is the daughter of James H. Hering, a resident of Centerview, Mo., who as a captain in the Union army gave valiant services to his country in the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter are the parents of two children: Gertrude, born Jan. 12, 1892, who is an assistant to her father in the office of county clerk, and Delia, born March 15, 1898, is a student in the Newton High School. Mr. Hunter and his wife are both members of the Presbyterian church of Newton.