E.H.Hunter profile
The lifetimes of our founder, E.H.Hunter.
E.H. Hunter Life Timeline
Dec. 3, 1843
Born the seventh child of John Hunter in present-day Londonderry,Northern Ireland.
Boards a sailboat for Asia with stops at Australia, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.
Lands in Yokohama and works there as a bookkeeper for Dutch businessman M.J.B. Noordhoek Hegt before joining Edward Charles Kirby's E.C. Kirby & Co.
Accompanies Kirby in relocating to Kobe with the opening of the Port of Kobe. Marries Aiko Hirano, the daughter of a medicine merchant.
Eldest son, Ryutaro, is born.
Eldest daughter, Fujiko, is born.
Leaves E.C. Kirby & Co. with Seijuro Akizuki and returns to Yokohama to set up a new business. Akizuki falls ill, however, and the plan is called off.
Launches E.H. Hunter & Co. in Building No. 29 of the Kobe Foreign Settlement.the league was thrilling.
Business thrives on military equipment during the Seinan War.
Starts construction of Osaka Iron Works on the Ajigawa River in Osaka.
April 1, 1881
Osaka Iron Works is completed and hired 200 employees.Theinauguration ceremony leaves guests in awe of all foreign-madecutting-edge equipment.
Business faces a crisis owing to deflation. Hunter transfers the business to one of his investors, Saburobei Kadota, and focuses on managing E.H. Hunter & Co. Second son, Hanzaburo, is born.
Business is transferred back from Saburobei Kadota to Hunter.
Third son, Eitoku, is born.
Hunter retires and hands the business to Ryutaro.
Hunter receives the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, in recognition of his promotion of modern industry in Japan and contribution to the revision of unequal treaties.
Osaka Iron Works is reorganized into a joint stock company for capital enhancement.
Nov. 25, 1916
Hunter statue unveiling ceremony is held at Sakurajima Works
* The statue was donated to the war effort in World War II.
June 2, 1917
Hunter passes away in Kobe.
