W. Godfrey Hunter

W. Godfrey Hunter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 11th district
In office November 10, 1903 – March 3, 1905
Preceded by	Vincent S. Boreing
Succeeded by	Don C. Edwards
United States Ambassador to Honduras
In office January 19, 1899 – 1903
Preceded by	Macgrane Coxe
Succeeded by	Macgrane Coxe
United States Ambassador to Guatemala
In office January 25, 1898 – February 2, 1903
Preceded by	Macgrane Coxe
Succeeded by	Macgrane Coxe
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897
Preceded by	Isaac Goodnight
Succeeded by	John Stockdale Rhea
In office March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889
Preceded by	John Edward Halsell
Succeeded by	Isaac Goodnight
Personal details
Born	(1841-12-25)December 25, 1841 near Belfast, Ireland
Died	November 2, 1917(1917-11-02) (aged 75) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	Union army
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Whiteside Godfrey Hunter (December 25, 1841 – November 2, 1917) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.

Early life

Born near Belfast, Ireland, Hunter completed preparatory studies. He immigrated to the United States in 1858 and settled in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He studied medicine in Philadelphia and was admitted to practice.

Career

Hunter was a surgeon in the Union Army during the Civil War. He moved to Burkesville, Kentucky, at the close of the war. He served as member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1874 to 1878. He served as delegate to the 1880 and 1892 Republican National Conventions. He served as the United States Minister to Guatemala and Honduras from November 8, 1897, to December 8, 1902.

Hunter was elected as a Republican to the Fiftieth Congress (March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1888 to the Fifty-first Congress and for election in 1892 to the Fifty-third Congress.

Hunter was elected to the Fifty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897) and was instrumental in the election of Kentucky's first Republican governor, William O'Connell Bradley, in 1895. His bid for election to the U.S. Senate by the legislature was blocked by Republican factionalism. The winner of the election, William J. DeBoe, got President William McKinley to appoint Hunter as minister to Guatemala and Honduras in 1897 after Hunter was defeated for reelection in 1896 to the Fifty-fifth Congress.

Hunter was elected to the Fifty-eighth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Vincent S. Boreing and served from November 10, 1903, to March 3, 1905. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1904. He was interested in public utilities and the development of oil lands.

Personal life

Hunter resided in Louisville, Kentucky, until his death there on November 2, 1917. He was interred in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.

References

• United States Congress. "W. Godfrey Hunter (id: H000989)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Whiteside Godfrey Hunter at The Political Graveyard

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress