Robert Jeter Hundley

Robert Jeter Hundley ("Pop") was born in Mathews County, VA on May 5, 1878. He was the son of Andrew H. Hunley and Julia Callis. The family lived in Red Art. The Hunley family (two brothers) originated from Mathews and Essex counties.

"Pop" was a fisherman most of his life. He started fishing with his father at Fitchett's Warf in Mathews when he was 12 years old. He left home at age 18 to take a job on a steamboat that traveled from Norfolk to Baltimore. (He carried his belongings in the big round-top truck that now belongs to Moomaw.) He became first mate at age 19 (he claimed he was 21 to get the job), and kept the job until he got married (November 1898).
He married Lena Jarvis in North, VA and lived in a home near Cricket Hill near Lena's mother's house. Cricket Hill is the area just before the bridge to Gwynn's Island. The house was eventually torn down and Uncle George Powell built another home on the site.

***pic: LaSalle Home

In Cricket Hill, Pop opened an engine shop to install boat engines on fishing vessels. This was relatively successful, but at his brother's request, he and Lena moved to Hampton to go into partnership with Will in the seafood business. This business was short lived, but the family stayed in Hampton (lived on Lauderdale Ave.) and eventually built the house at 339 LaSalle Avenue (this was around 1912, about the time Emmett and Weldon became old enough to attend school - ages 6 and 5).

Butter bean stand at Gwynn's Island. View of the Piankitank River (notice how the river is tinted green)

Pop worked next out of Petersburg as a seafood dealer, shipping fish to Baltimore, New York, and Washington. Later he worked as a captain for J. S. Darling on ocean trawlers (he was sometimes gone for 6 weeks). The fish were packed at Chincoteague and then sent out. The Depression put an end to this job as nobody had money to buy fish. But Pop's fishing helped keep food on the table at home. Eventually he bought a place on the York River at White Marsh and there sold fish, crabs, oysters, and diamond back turtles. He made his own fieck nets (Indian design), and other types of nets, using linen thread and corks (seine nets, as in "hauling seine"). Fieck nets were saturated in tar to preserve their strength. Moomaw remembers he had large, strong hands.

Pop and Marjorie
sitting on the front porch.

Left:
Pop and Gertie (Emmet's wife) when the family visited Emmett and Gertie in Brooklyn, NY.

Right:
Pop enjoying a cigar at the house in Hampton.

Pop loved growing things. At home he had a large garden, many fruit trees, and a chicken house. Once he lost the first joint of his left middle finger in a car accident in Washington when Weldon went there for ear surgery. The car was so badly damaged it had to be sent home by boat. This was a serious injury, considering there were no antibiotics in those days. (Moomaw was 10 years old and didn't go on this trip but was babysat by Aunt Jo.) The family had a car called a "Franklin" -- a touring car with ising glass curtains. They attended the Christian Church on Chapel Street.

Pop's father, Andrew H. Hunley, was 35 when he married his second wife Julia Callis (she was 25) on January 23, 1876. Andrew was an oysterman by trade. His parents were Thomas and M. H. Hunley. Julia's parents were James and E. Callis.

Pop had many brothers and sisters. He had three half brothers (by his father's first marriage).
1) Charlie -- children: Randolph (married Delamae), Lillie James (married name), Leon. [Philadelphia]
2) John-- died in the 90s
3) Dan--had a daughter whose child Winona Bill was raised by Dan. They called his wife "Sis"

He had two brothers:
1) Rufus-- lived in Newport News, married to Mattie, had 2 sons, 2 daughters
2) William--youngest sibling, lived in Mathews, Hampton, Washington. Worked as a carpenter.Went into ministry. He married Iva Sadler

He had four sisters:
1) Fannie
2) Kate--lived in Mathews until husband died
3) Carrie
4) Grace--youngest, was premature and put in the sleeve of long underwear. Went to Baltimore to get a big city job.

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