John Wilson Hunter, retired capitalist and pioneer citizen of Jetmore, Hodgeman county, Kansas, was born September 29, 1836, on a farm in Perry county, Pennsylvania. He is the son of John and Sarah (Yocum) Hunter. John Hunter was born in Ireland, December 20, 1787, and came to America in 1789 with his parents, who located on a farm in Perry county, Pennsylvania. The subject's grandfather died in Pennsylvania in 1844, and his father removed to Van Buren county, Iowa, where he farmed until his death, in June, 1855. The mother was born in Pennsylvania August 11, 1798, the daughter of Isaac Yocum, of German ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. John Hunter were married in Perry county, Pennsylvania, in 1817. They had eleven children: Robinson, born March 13, 1818, died June 18, 1902, at Keokuk, Iowa, leaving two children, John and Vangie Angeline; Eliza Jane, born February 12, 1820, died January 31, 1895, in Republic county, Kansas; Isabella, born April 15, 1823, died July 22, 1825, in Perry county, Pennsylvania; David, born September 22, 1825, died December 23, 1904, in Texas; Sarah Ann, born March 29, 1828; Margaret, born September 16, 1830; Joseph, born May 2, 1833; John Wilson, born September 29, 1836; Samuel, born February 14, 1841, died February 9, 1844; Enoch, born January 24, 1839, deceased; Lucinda, born February 14, 1841, died March 15, 1873, in Van Buren county, Iowa.

John W. Hunter was educated in the public schools of Van Buren county, Iowa, and worked on his father's farm until 1857, when he began farming for himself, and lived for the first few years on rented property. He then bought land in Davis county, Iowa, where he farmed on a large scale until 1878, when he removed with his family to Hodgeman county, Kansas, and located on government land in section 12, on Sawlog creek, in the southern part of the county. He was one of the first settlers in the county. Mr. Hunter is now retired and lives in Jetmore, but is the owner of a number of improved farms, and several business houses in Jetmore. He was one of the organizers of the county. He has been a successful stock raiser and farmer on a large scale. He is a Democrat, a member of the Congregational church, and has been police judge of Jetmore.

Mr. Hunter was married March 19, 1853, in Van Buren county, Iowa, to Miss Joanna D. Trebilcock, daughter of Frank and Ann (Doronick) Trebilcock. Mrs. Hunter was born October 4, 1840, on a farm in Vinton county, Ohio. Her father was born December 24, 1798, in England, and her mother was also born in England, February 25, 1800. They were married in their native land, and came to America in 1818, locating in Morgan county, Ohio, whence they removed in 1853 to Van Buren county, Iowa, where they both died—Mrs. Trebilcock October 3, 1869, and Mr. Trebilcock August 2, 1870. They had six daughters and seven sons: William D., born May 12, 1882, died September 3, 1860; Francis, born October 10, 1823, deceased; John, born November 18, 1824, died in 1909; Joanna D., born May 28, 1828, died December 28, 1837; Catherine D., born May 2, 1833; Joseph D., born May 6, 1834, died in 1910; James H., born July 6, 1835; Mary Jane, born December 31, 1836, died November 21, 1894; Jeffery, born July 3, 1839, died July 23, 1839; Joanna D., born October 4, 1840, named for her deceased sister; Margaret, born January 28, 1842; George Jeffray, born January 26, 1845, died in 1882; Harriett, who died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have the following sons: John Monroe, born February 16, 1858, died January 10, 1892; Fernandez Marion, born October 14, 1859, has two sons, Lowell Christian and Forest Morrel; Freland Huysen, born February 1, 1866, has two children, Floyd Wilson and Helen Hester; Joe Alva, born September 28, 1865, died September 20, 1866; Othella Jackson, born March 20, 1880, died in 1882. There is also one adopted son, Elmer North Hunter, born May 15, 1897.