William J. Hunter was born in 1853 in Illinois to David and Sarah Hunter. By 1900 he was already living at “Ft. Kenai” with his wife “Eve” Odoyiah Backof. At the time he listed his home address as Baker City, Oregon. He was working as a miner in Alaska but was a farmer in Oregon. In 1905 he was appointed US Postmaster in Kenai. They were still in Kenai in 1910, with children William, Mary, Theodore, Alice, and Lizzie. He died in 1917 in Kenai, leaving his wife with seven young children. She married Wassilie Bayou in 1925.
Eva ODOYIAH BACKOFF Hunter Bayou b. 1882, d. 1937, married 1st William Hunter, 2nd Wassilie Bayou. Eva and Wassilie are buried beside each other in Seldovia City Cemetery, Plots #90 and #91.
Children of Eva and William Hunter include:
Mary Hunter married, first, James (Jimmy) Wilson, and had two children, Anna and Albert. They divorced and she then married Robert Mitchell in 1933. After his death in 1934, she married Michael George McDonough. Michael was born in Saganaw, Michigan March 28,
- He and Mary were married in Seldovia on October 29, 1939. He was a fisherman and died from a wound from a gunshot “fired with murderous intent”. Mary and Michael McDonough are both buried in Seldovia City Cemetery, Plots #85 and #156.
William Hunter b. 1920, d. 1966, William and two Seldovia friends were killed in a house fire in Seldovia in 1966. He is buried in Seldovia City Cemetery, Plot #552.
Sam Hunter, b. Aug. 20, 1916, d. May 1951; buried in Seldovia City Cemetery, Plot #106.
Theodore Hunter (1906-1980); was a railroad employee
Alice HUNTER McMeeken (1908-1989); married Edward Gordon McMeeken; died in Washington
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Hunter (1910-?)
Mildred HUNTER Scrape (1915-1956), married Grover Scrape, died in San Rafael, California
Nicholas Hunter (1913-?)