Robert A. "Bob" Hunter
1867 - 1938 (70 years)-
Name Robert A. "Bob" Hunter Nickname Bob Birth 7 Aug 1867 Greenbrier Co., WV 
[1] Gender Male Census 30 Nov 1870 Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier Co., WV [2] - She was 31 years old and keeping home. Also living in her household were her children, Elizabeth (age 14), Mathew A. (age 12), Nancy A. (age 9), Alex (age 7), and Robert B. (age 3).
- Role: Household Member
Census 17 Jun 1880 Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier Co., WV [3] - She was 41 years old, widowed, and keeping home. Also living in he household were her daughter Betty (age 23, at home), son Arthur (age 21, working farm), daughter Nancy A. (age 19, at home), son Robert (age 12, works on farm), and granddaughter Monte J. (age 10/12, born in Aug).
- Role: Household Member
Census 15 Jun 1900 Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier Co., WV [4] - He was 31 years old (born Aug 1869) and a farmer. He and his wife Mary K. (age 41, born 1859) had been married for 12 years and had 4 children, all living. Also living in his household were his sons Garner (age 12, born Jul 1887), Sam W. (age 9, born Aug 1890), and Robbert J. (age 6, born Jul 1893), and a nephew, Boatwright McClung (age 25, born 1875).
Hunter, Robbert & Sarah - 1900 - Greenbrier Co., WV.jpg Census 2 Jan 1920 Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV [5] - He was 53 years old and a farmer. Also living in his household were his wife Eliza C. (age 49), daughter Annie R. (age 11), and son Wade H. (age 8).
Hunter, Jennings, Robert, Sara - 1920 - Greenbrier Co., WV.jpg Occupation horse trader, timberman, and farmer Death 2 Jan 1938 East Rainelle, Greenbrier Co., WV [6] Cause: traumatic, 4 licks across the head/burn on head Burial 4 Jan 1938 Walkup Cemetery, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV [6, 7] Person ID I12856 Meadow Bluff Meanderings Last Modified 6 Sep 2017
Father Robert B. Hayslett, b. 1825, Rockbridge Co., VA d. Feb 1891, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV (Age 66 years) Mother Sarah Jane Kelly, b. Aug 1837, Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., VA d. 1924, Greenbrier Co., WV (Age ~ 86 years) Family ID F6428 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Mary Kathryn "Kate" Crane, b. Nov 1854, Greenbrier Co., VA d. 10 Mar 1943, McRoss, Greenbrier Co., WV (Age ~ 88 years) Marriage 28 Dec 1887 Greenbrier Co., WV [8] - 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.
Divorce Yes, date unknown Divorced 28 Jun 1911 Divorce Greenbrier Co., WV Children 1. Garner Ray Hunter, b. 26 Jul 1888, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV d. 22 Feb 1938, Hinton, Summers Co., WV (Age 49 years)2. Samuel William "Sam" Hunter, b. 1 Oct 1890, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV d. 18 Nov 1970, Rupert, Greenbrier Co., WV (Age 80 years)3. George Washington Hunter, b. 20 Mar 1892, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV d. 14 Sep 1986, Fairlea, Greenbrier Co., WV (Age 94 years)4. Jennings Ray Hunter, b. 28 Jun 1894, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV d. 31 Aug 1982, Clifton Forge, Alleghany Co., VA (Age 88 years)Family ID F5644 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 May 2016
Family 2 Eliza Catherine "Kate" Shawver, b. 9 May 1867, Clintonville, Greenbrier Co., WV d. 20 Aug 1926 (Age 59 years) Marriage 13 Jul 1911 Greenbrier Co., WV [9] - Robert Hunter and Eliza Catherine Shawver Crane were married by W. B. F. Ball.
Children 1. Anna Rose Hunter, b. 10 Aug 1909, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV d. 17 Jan 1973, Rainelle, Greenbrier Co., WV (Age 63 years)2. Hampton Wade Hunter, b. 19 May 1912, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV d. 1 Aug 1985, Fairlea, Greenbrier Co., WV (Age 73 years)Family ID F5645 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 30 May 2015
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Event Map 
Birth - 7 Aug 1867 - Greenbrier Co., WV 
Census - 30 Nov 1870 - Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier Co., WV Census - 17 Jun 1880 - Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier Co., WV Marriage - 28 Dec 1887 - Greenbrier Co., WV Census - 15 Jun 1900 - Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier Co., WV Marriage - 13 Jul 1911 - Greenbrier Co., WV 
Census - 2 Jan 1920 - Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV 
Death - Cause: traumatic, 4 licks across the head/burn on head - 2 Jan 1938 - East Rainelle, Greenbrier Co., WV 
Burial - 4 Jan 1938 - Walkup Cemetery, Kieffer, Greenbrier Co., WV = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
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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."
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. - (Research):Robert A. Hunter was an illegitimate child. According to my grandfather, Bob was the son of "a Hayslett." When asked about a first name, I was given "John Hayslett... maybe." After looking at records, I found that John Franklin Hayslett would have been about 16 at the time of Robert A. Hunter's conception - not impossible, but highly improbable. I then thought Bob's father to be George Hayslett, father of the aforementioned John F. However, this too seems somewhat improbable - I have no record of George Hayslett in Greenbrier Co. Which brought me to my next theory - Robert B. Hunter's father was Robert Bradley Hayslett - the oldest son of George Hayslett. At the time of Bob's conception, he would have been about 21 years old. I have no record of Robert B. Hayslett in Greenbrier Co., much like his father. This would fit the other story I was told by my grandfather - Bob Hunter's father was murdered (as Grandpa put it, "they (who they were was never specified) took the sonuvabitch out in the woods, made him dig a big hole, shot him, shot his horse, and buried both on the spot." The similarity in the names of alleged father and son would also seem to be a link as Robert is not a name found in either the Hunter or Kelly families. I have since discovered that Robert Bradley Hayslett remained in Rockbridge Co. where he was married and had a family. Which led to my final theory - Robert B. Hunter is the son of Robert Hayslett, brother of George. Robert Hayslett would have been about 42 at the time of Bob's birth, and died single (no record of his death exists, but it was sometime after 1887 - so much for my grandfather's story). Note: All Hayslett(e)s found in Greenbrier Co. are the descendants of George Hayslett.
According to my grandfather, Roy M. Hunter, his "Granddaddy Bob" was... what was his word... a "sonuvabitch." In no way could he be considered "kind." At some point, as the story goes, Kate left Bob for a period of about a week, running away to Indiana with a Mr. Burns (probably part of the Benjamin F. Burns family from Kieffer). Kate returned home, only to be greeted by her loving husband, gun in hand. Bob took a shot at her, aiming for her head, but missed his mark, only grazing her scalp (and ruining her bonnet). They were divorced shortly thereafter.
Bob was later married to Kate Shawver Crane, inheriting a large number of stepchildren. It was no secret that Bob did not care for the Crane children - they were not properly cared for and at times went hungry. Bob died in 1938 from massive head trauma resulting from having a seizure and falling into a fireplace. My grandfather discovered Bob after the accident, and along with a friend, took him to a doctor in East Rainelle where he was pronounced dead after some time. Foul play for some reason was suspected and Bob's death was investigated. My grandfather was even considered a suspect, but was never arrested. - (Medical):Bob was about 6'-2" tall, weighed 180 lbs., had black hair and gray eyes.
- Robert Hunter's birth record lists his middle initial as "B," however, every record found after his birth indicates his middle initial as "A."
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Sources - [S529] Greenbrier Co., WV BB 1A.
- [S1681] West Virginia, Greenbrier County, FCR: Greenbrier Co., WV 1870, (http://www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2009), 28 May 2016, M593, roll 1687, Meadow Bluff, p. 420B, dwelling 187, family 187, Sarah J. Hunter, accessed 28 May 2016 (Reliability: 3).
- [S1521] West Virginia, Greenbrier County, FCR: Greenbrier Co., WV 1880, (http://www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 1999), 28 May 2016, T9, roll 1402, Meadow Bluff, enumeration district (ED) 35, p. 342C, dwelling 196, family 197, Sarah J. Hunter, accessed 28 May 2016 (Reliability: 3).
- [S1478] West Virginia, Greenbrier County, FCR: Greenbrier Co., WV 1900, (http://www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2004), 27 May 2016, T623, roll 1759, Meadow Bluff, enumeration district (ED) 34, sheet 8A, p. 157, dwelling 120, family 120, Robbert Hunter, accessed 27 May 2016 (Reliability: 3).
- [S1458] West Virginia, Greenbrier County, FCR: Greenbrier Co., WV 1920, (http://www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2010), 20 Jul 2010, T625, roll 1953, Kieffer, enumeration district (ED) 60, sheet 1A, p. 213, dwelling 4, family 4, Robert Hunter, accessed 20 Jul 2010 (Reliability: 3).
- [S1384] West Virginia State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, WV State Department of Health Death Certificate, (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ :2009.), 6 Sep 2017, death certificate 286 (1938), Robert Hunter, accessed 6 Sep 2017. (Reliability: 3).
- [S786] Newspaper Article: The Charleston Daily Mail, Volume 90, page 1, Tuesday, 4 January 1938 (Reliability: 3).
- [S1475] West Virginia. Greenbrier County., Greenbrier Co., WV Marriage Register, (Digital images. West Virginia Division of Culture and History, \i West Virginia Vital Research Records\i0 . http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ : 2010.), 30 May 2015, marriage register, 1B: 100, line 106, Hunter-Crane, 1887; accessed 30 May 2015. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1475] West Virginia. Greenbrier County., Greenbrier Co., WV Marriage Register, (Digital images. West Virginia Division of Culture and History, \i West Virginia Vital Research Records\i0 . http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ : 2010.), 30 May 2015, marriage register, 1B: 194, line 15, Hunter-Crane, 1911; accessed 30 May 2015. (Reliability: 3).
- [S529] Greenbrier Co., WV BB 1A.