Representative from Polk county, was born June 7, 1869, at Dexter, Dallas county, Iowa. His parents, natives of Pennsylvania, moved to Dexter in 1867, thence to Des Moines in 1869. His father, Dr. A. O. Hunter, of Scotch-Irish descent, was one of Polk county's prominent physicians. His mother, Eliza Heaton, of English descent, one of the line of Capt. Isaac Heaton of the Revolutionary War, was a public-spirited woman, known for her work for political rights for women. Attended the public schools of Des Moines, graduating from East High in class of 1887; afterwards graduated from the Capital City Commercial College, working for the newspapers, the Register and the Leader to put himself through; took agricultural and dairy course in the University of California, supplementing with short courses at Ames College, Iowa. Kept a book store in East Des Moines, and read law one winter while managing a collection agency. Was a member of a firm, Hunter, Brown & Fayville, which represented sixty-five Iowa weeklies in the State legislature, and was associate editor with Gov. B. F. Gue of Rural Northwest Farm Publication. Was employed by one of the large railroad lines passing through Iowa, successively as a stenographer, clerk, passenger agent, and subsequently traveling freight and passenger agent; also in the employ of other lines, soliciting and buying right-of-way, voting taxes, etc. Meeting with an accident on a railroad, became an invalid, and retired to the farm to recuperate. Has lived on the farm near Ankeny eight months of each year for the past eight years and the remainder of each of said years has been in charge of an advertising distribution and medicine business in Des Moines, living there with his family during the winter months. Was married in 1892 to Mary Ankeny, daughter of Gen. R. V. Ankeny. They have three children. Elected Representative in 1908. A Republican in politics.