THE HUNTERS OF NAKED CREEK
AUGUSTA COUNTY VIRGINIA
Meet the Hunters (above) left to right, back row: Brown B. Hunter, Laura Etta Hunter (Landes), S. Hensel Hunter, Verdie Anna Hunter (Good), Louella Callie Hunter (Baker). Middle row: Halcyon Elizabeth Hunter (Lowman), David S. Hunter Jr., Sarah Ann Young (Hunter), Euphrasia Caroline Hunter (Boyers). Front row: David E. Hunter, Meade Franklin Hunter. Picture was taken at the turn of the century probably in Staunton, Va.
THE NAKED TRUTH
Why do they call you Naked Creek
When you will never bare
The age-old secrets you possess
And cover up with care
We are not strangers, little creek,
You can confide in me.
Who built those old homes near your banks?
You lived then did you see?
Naked Creek, you're peaceful now,
But have you always been?
Or were you given this strange name
Because of some past sin?
You lie uncovered in the sun,
Yet mysteries you hide,
Is it shame that keeps you silent, or
A fierce, inherent pride?
I've searched and learned some answers,
But long to know much more,
Tell me, are there hidden treasures
Buried near your barren shore?
Scandals, weddings, separations -
Ancient records tell of those,
But little things I long to ask you -
Like who stripped you of your clothes?
Was it early settlers clearing?
Indians camped along your shore?
Do not whisper, little creek,
Raise your voice and tell me more.
I sat and fished along your bank
One long forgotten day - -
But now, when I draw near you,
You always run away.
Marjorie Foster
Lexington, Kentucky
WELCOME to my website! My name is Tracy Hunter. I presently live in Richmond, VA. but I was born and reared in Augusta County. In fact, four generations of my ancestors lived in North Augusta and the Waynesboro area. In a genealogical sense, I have been fortunate that most of the HUNTERS didn't leave the area where they were born and reared. There is much data on them in the Courthouse in Staunton and I plan to use this site to display as much of that information as possible. Concurrently it is my intent to bring to the Internet some insight on the area where my HUNTERS lived, worked, died, and were buried, namely the Naked Creek area of Augusta County. An entire chapter was devoted to the plantations, farms, churches, and villages of this area in C.E. May's book My Augusta, A Spot of Earth Not a Woman. It is truly the most peaceful and pastoral place in the Shenandoah Valley with it's rolling hills and lush green pastures, quint little villages with whitewashed fences, and emerald green rivers and streams that meander down an endless funnel of green trees and farmland. It has been referred to as "the Hills of Judea", and I for one couldn't think of a better way to describe it.
I hope you enjoy your visit to my website. It will be continuously updated with HUNTER information as well as information on families that they were associated with during their life and times on the waters of Naked Creek.
The HUNTER family
descendency chart
Wills
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Text file of Last Will and Testament of Elizabeth Sites, old-maid aunt of David S. Hunter Sr., who raised him in Rockingham County and then came to live with him in Augusta County when he got married. Associated names in this document are: Bryan, Craun, and Kinney.
Text file of Last Will and Testament of David S. Hunter Sr. made in 1889. Associated names in this document are: Rymel, Good, Landes, Ocheltree, Hollar, and Burnett.
Text file of Last Will and Testament of John T. Hunter made 1893. Associated names in this document are: Wine, Switzer, Moneymaker, and Burnett.
An Inventory and Appraisement of the Personal Property belonging to the Estate of Cyrus Hunter in 1899. Associated names in this document are: Glasgow, Taylor, Kerr, and Landes.
Sale Bill of the Personal Estate of David S. Hunter Jr. in 1909. There are over 70 names of Naked Creek residents living at the time in this document.
DEEDS
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Text file of a deed of Bargain and Sale of 106 acres of the Bryan Tract to David S. Hunter Sr. in the year 1835. Associated names in this document are: Highland, Windle, Bryan, Allison, Krahn, Griffith, Lewis, Benson, Kinney, Dennison, and St.Clair.
Text file of a deed of Bargain and Sale of 100 acres of land in North Mountain on the waters of North River to David S. Hunter Sr. in the year 1845. Associated names in this document are: Wetsel, Nebergall, Craun, Bryan, Harnsbarger, Moorman, and Kinney.
Text file of a deed of Bargain and Sale of 114 acres of land known as the Dennison Farm to David S. Hunter Jr. and Sarah A. Hunter from David S. Hunter Sr. heirs in 1894. Associated names in this document are: Cochran, Curry, Young, Harshbarger, Barnes, and Burnett.
Text file of a deed of Bargain and Sale of 100 acres of land from the estate of William and Addison Lamb to David S. Hunter Jr. in the year 1903. Associated names in this document are: McCutchan, Brown, Grove, Yancey, Lamb, Nebergall, Kerr, and Burnett.
Text file of a deed of Bargain and Sale of 100 acres of land in North Mountain on the waters of North River to David S. Hunter Jr. from David S. Hunter Sr. heirs. in 1905. Associated names in this document are: Blease, Braxton, Craun, and Wetsel.
Text file of a deed of Bargain and Sale of 106 acres of land on the waters of Naked Creek to S. Hensel Hunter and Brown B. Hunter from David S. Hunter Jr. heirs in 1909. Associated names in this document are: Boyers, Good, Lowman, Landes, Crosby, and Kagey.
Text file of Chancery Court proceedings of the partition of land belonging to David S. Hunter Sr. dec'd among his heirs. Associated names in this document are: Rimel, McCutchin, Peale, McFall, Baker, McCue, Landes, Switzer, Burnett, Neff, Woodward.
Text file of a Deed of Bargain and Sale of the estate of Abraham Switzer to David Alexander to include approx. 1 1/2 acres conveyed by David S. Hunter Sr. Associated names in this document are: Seawright, Burnette, Mills, Echard, Wine, Alexander, Switzer.
CEMETERIES
Salem Lutheran Church Cemetery - Just west of Mt. Sidney on the Seawright Springs Road Click here to download file (file size is 188K, approx. download time @ 56K is 4 min.)
Augusta Stone Church (Oldest Cemetery) - Ft. Defiance, Augusta Co., Va. East side of Route 11 across from Church. Click here to download file (file size is 88.5K, approx. download time @ 56K is 2 min)
Menonite Cemetery - 1 mile north of Seawright Springs on Seawright Springs Road. Cemetery in back of abandoned church. Click here to download file
Landes Cemetery - 2 miles west of Burketown above Meadow view on Tracy Croushorn Farm. Click here to download file
Old Salem Lutheran Church Cemetery - Across from entrance to Seawright Springs. Click here to download file
THE CIVIL WAR
My great great grandfather, David S. Hunter Sr. had four children by his first wife Jane, three sons and a daughter. When Virginia withdrew from the Union, Cyrus was approximately 22, John T. was 20, and David S. Jr.(pictured above) was 19. They were prime candidates for the war. Indeed, they enlisted in the summer of 1861. John T. and David S. Jr. enlisted at Staunton in July and became members of the 52nd VA infantry as privates. Their older brother Cyrus enlisted in August and also became a member of the 52nd VA infantry as a lieutenant. The 52nd VA trained at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton and lived in the dormitory there. The Hunter boys had their first exposure to Yankee soldiers at Camp Alleghany in Highland County during the winter of 1861. The Army of the Northwest made their camp on top of Alleghany Mountain and the Union made their camp on top of Cheat Mountain. Both camps were in plain view of each other but out of rifle and cannon range. The winter of 1861-62 was extremely harsh especially on top of a mountain and there was much sickness in the Southern camp. All three Hunters came home in November on sick furloughs and did not return to their units until the early spring of 1862. In May the Army reorganized and all three Hunters re-enlisted. Major battles inwhich the Hunter boys participated were the Battle of McDowell, May 6, 1862, the Battle of Port Republic, June 9, 1862, and the battle of Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862. John T. was wounded in the leg in the Battle of Port Republic and sent to Staunton to convalesce. John T. desserted from the hospital in Sept. or Oct. 1862 and joined Capt. McNeil's Co., 18th VA Cav. David S. Jr. desserted in July 1862 and joined the 14th VA Cav, Capt. William A. Lackey's Co. No further record is available for John T. Hunter. Records indicate that David S. Hunter Jr. was present up to May 1863. After that no further record is available. As for Cyrus, no further record is available after the Army re-organized in May 1862. He was not re-elected to his previous rank of Lieutenant at that time.
In C.E.May's book My Augusta A Spot Of Earth Not A Woman one possible scenario is offered as to why there is no further record of the Hunter boys in the Civil War. Check it out.
CHARLES CURRY LETTER
Charles Curry was a prominent lawyer of Augusta County in the early 1900s. More importantly he was a native born son of Augusta County who spent his childhood in an area of North Augusta affectionately known as the Hill Country of Judea. In 1907 he wrote a letter to a friend, Mr. A.C. Gordon, inwhich he describes what the Civil War was like in Augusta County. He also writes about the well known features of the area such as Seawright Springs, Misner's Hollow, and the lakes at Mossey Creek. Also included are the fables and superstitions of that era as well as the colorful characters who touched the life of a young boy living on the waters of Naked Creek. Experience this priceless bit of information for yourself . Charles Curry Letter
KATHERINE G. BUSHMAN PAPERS, 1961-1997 AT LVA
Downloadable MS-Word 97 document of the complete Inventory Index to Family Research Files for Accession #35743 located in the Archives Research Room at the Library of Virginia. This document has all of the surnames, from A to Z, that Mrs. Bushman worked on while living in Staunton, Virginia plus other holdings of hers such as Subject files, Compilations, charts and maps, etc. Click here to download
For older versions of Microsoft Word download this file instead Bushman2.doc
MY PHOTO
ALBUM
check it out - a potpourri of family, farms, and features of my genealogy research
This site is lovingly dedicated to my father, Raymond Tracy Hunter Sr.
Children hardly know or guess
the love their fathers can't express
With thoughts he seldom says aloud,
his heart is warm, his feelings proud...
They do not fully understand
his wisdom and his guiding hand,
They do not know each helpful word
holds love unspoken, hope unheard...
Yet as the busy years roll past,
they come to understand at last
The worries and the fears he knew,
the problem times
he's pulled them through
They finally learn the full extent
of what a father's love has meant
and realize how great it's been
to have a father just like him
PLEASE LET ME HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE HUNTERS OR ALLIED FAMILIES OR SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS WEBSITE