SECRET LIFE SECRETS REVEALED

THE BIRTH OF A HUNTER

This chapter is where we find out about Claire Hunter-Helen.  The wife of Benjamin Franklin Helen.

Claire Hunter was the daughter of Capt. Michael and Melinda (Mel) Hunter.  She is the third child born to Mel Hunter, and the second child born to Capt. Hunter.  She has three siblings, Chief Scott Hunter a U. S. Marshall who lives in Montana a few hours away from her.  A sister Capt. Karen Hunter, a U.S. Air Force Pilot code named "THE VALKYRIE".  A younger brother named Howie Hunter, a crazy fire fighter pilot who lives with what ever woman can tolerate him for two months.  

Claire's family are some of the original settlers of Montana, they are descended from Scottish immigrants who left Scotland to escape British rule.  Unlike many after the Revolutionary War, they thought the treatment of their government to the Natives of America was no better than how the British treated them, and retreated away from that type of cruelty.  They found themselves in the uncharted west where they befriended a tribe who lived in the lush fertile, but also cruel land of Montana.  Although many whites were killed for venturing so far inland into the country during that time, they struck a bargain by giving the tribe their most prized heirloom a Silver Shield baring the crest of their family  Two Swords over a fox.  With this gift the tribe offered them land, and protection from other tribes.

However progress continued and so did the progression of whites into Montana.  This brought war, disease, starvation, and an almost complete end to the tribe.  So finally in 1871 before the tribe was sent to live on reservations the Hunter family was given the deed of all that was left of the tribe land.  It was more than 5 1/2 miles of rich fertile land, offering water, grazing, and lumber.  However they made a solemn vow to never over use it, and to respect it.  The family even changed their name from their Scottish Heritage of MacBryan to Hunter which was the name usually given to the Head of the first born male heir of the family.  It was a name given to the first child born in America on the land, which was given by the Chief of the tribe.  The family spent more than a century protecting the land from settlers, miner's,  and just plain bad people.  The constant fighting led to an unfortunate sharp decline in their clan number.  They went from being a clan and family of 112 in 1871 to a mere 21 by the year 1975.  Many of that number had since moved away tired of the fighting over the land.  However in 1990 the trouble ceased when Capt. Hunter received a protectorate over his land from the government because their property had a rare  wolf pack which was known to hunt near their property.  Many didn't believe this tale, but no one could prove other wise so the troubles ceased.

Capt. Hunter is the youngest son of Robert and Elizabeth Hunter, born in 1965.  His father was a famous rodeo star until a fall damaged his shoulder and he retired at the age of 25.  He later worked for "Paramount Picture" playing stunt roles as a cowboy, and working as a set hand.  He also became an animal trainer, and provided them with many horses, and wolves they used in their movies.  In 1957 he met an up in coming movie star on the set of the movie "BIG JAKE" starring John Wayne, he saved the young woman when one of the horses went wild from an explosion.  The two met and fell in love, Elizabeth who was a Hollywood beauty at the time quit acting in order to be with Robert.   Even though her famous actor friends Charleston Heston, and John Wayne thought it was foolish of her being so young to give it all up even  for love.  However she let them know she only starred in movies to see the west as it was even if it was an illusion of pictures, set, and camera, but after going to Robert's ranch she fell in love with it and him and decided to settle there with him.  There she had two son's Victor her oldest who later got the acting bug and followed in his mother's foot steps, and Michael whose feet were destined to fly.

Unfortunately tragedy struck the family when Robert was killed on set when he saved the life of a director when an explosive accidentally went off too soon.  The family grieved and it dampened their spirits, but they stayed strong.