Francis W. Hunter, an accomplished lawyer and the private secretary of Mayor Perry, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was born in the city of New York, June 3, 1858, the only child of John H. and Jenny (Deere) Hunter.

John H. Hunter was born in New York City and was of English-Scotch descent. He was a man of means, and married Miss DeVere in his native city. He was a member of the famous Seventh regiment, N. Y. N. G.—the crack regiment of the city and composed entirely of gentlemen in the higher walks of life. Miss Jenny DeVere, also a native of New York, traced her descent to France farther back than the days of the Huguenots, and is now a resident of Bridgeport, Conn., being the wife of William A. Day, of that city.

Francis W. Hunter attended the public schools of New York until fourteen years of age, then passed two years in the Peekskill (N. Y.) Military academy; he next passed three years at Cornell university, and then one year in the Agricultural college at Lansing, Mich., from which he was graduated with the degree of B. A., and was admitted to the bar of Lansing in 1878. He at once began practice in that city, and at the same time acted as private secretary to Judge Cooley until 1880, when he went to Pratt county, Kans., passed one summer, and then returned to Michigan and engaged in the lumber trade at Cedar Spring, Kent county. In consequence of a disastrous conflagration, Mr. Hunter abandoned this business in 1888 and came to Grand Rapids, where he has since been engaged most successfully in the practice of the law. From 1892 until 1896 he was assistant prosecuting attorney under Alfred Wolcott, and since then has practice alone. October 10, 1898, Mr. Hunter was appointed private secretary to Mayor Perry. The office was created this year, and, consequently, Mr. Hunter is the first incumbent.

The marriage of Mr. Hunter took place in Lansing, Mich., January 20, 1879, to Miss Emma A. Johnson, a native of that city and a daughter of William and Lucy A. (Nichols) Johnson, of a very old and respectable family of pioneers. One child, Fay, has come to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, and she is now a bright little miss of fourteen years. Mr. Hunter is a member of New York lodge, F. & A. M., of New York City, and as a Knight of Pythias is P. C. of Eureka lodge, No. 2, at Grand Rapids. The family are great favorites in social circles and are universally respected.