John Hunter (1795 - 1869)

Born 27 Nov 1795 in North Carolina

Husband of Mary (Johnson) Hunter — married 30 Dec 1808 (to 1869) in Lawrence County, Indiana

Descendants

Died 11 Apr 1869 at age 73 in Lawrence County, Indiana

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Biography

John was born 27 Nov 1795 in North Carolina to parents Robert and Phoebe Dyar Hunter.

A man of medium build, height, and weight, erect and active,dark hair in early life, tinged with gray as he grew older. He had steel gray blue eyes, and a pleasant disposition that frequently smiled, but seldom laughed aloud. The devastation of the War in his early life, and struggles of pioneering in the wilderness, made him sober and thoughtful. "His offspring made their mark before his time on earth was ended, and a kindly wife, softened his cares as the shadows of life lengthened his path 'ere his maker called him home." Quoted from the writer of the old journal.

Robert Hunter, son of John and Frances Hunter was born in 1765 in Augusta County, Va. Robert married Phoebe Dyer in Rutherford County, North Carolina on August 22,1791. They lived for a time in Buncombe County, North Carolina, then moved to Knox County, Kentucky and from there they moved to Lawrence County, Indiana. They came to Lawrence County late in 1816 or early in 1817. They settled on the North-East Quarter of Section 1,Township 5, North:Range 1 East where Robert Hunter and his sons built the first Hunter residence in Lawrence County, Indiana. This land was purchased from the U.S.Government for $2.00 per acre, and the deed was signed by James Monroe, President of the United States. Robert and Phoebe Hunter both belonged to the Gilgal Church, probably being Charter Members. Shortly after the Robert Hunter home was built, his son John Hunter, bought some of the land on which to build his home. The home was erected in 1817 and 1818,on Leatherwood Creek, on the Old Salem and Bloomington Road--later known as the Leeville-Heltonville road, about 2 miles southeast of Heltonville,Indiana. At the old or first Robert Hunter home, they cut a silver dollar in half: and a half-dollar in two, and a quarter to make change, using a block of wood, and sharp axe and a maul, as was the custom in Kentucky and North Carolina--each pioneer's home was a "tavern" of sorts, where travelers might stop to "put up" over night, eat and obtain a drink--so it was at the first Hunter house in Lawrence County,Indiana.

Robert Hunter's son Jediah Hunter, born in Knox County, Kentucky served in the Civil War in Company P 50th Indiana Volunteers.

Robert Hunters's son John Hunter married Mary "Polly" Johnson in Lawrence County, Indiana. From this point on they are referred to as Uncle John and Aunt Polly Hunter. They were known in their community and were widely respected.

John Hunter, just prior to his marriage to Aunt Polly, started to erect his home, on the banks of the Leatherwood Creek, a little ways southeast of where his father built his home. A good job of it he made, the home a "mansion" in it's day was nearly completed when he married in 1818, still stands in good order, and is used now, as it has been used continuously since it was built as a comfortable dwelling house .....'tis a pleasure, now 118 years after this home was built to sit before the big fireplace and look upon the old hand-carved mantel, and ponder now, as this writer often pondered in his youth, while he listened to Aunt Polly Hunter talk of the days "long ago". Half a century has rolled on into eternity since this writer, then a boy, just big enough to ride a bag of corn to the "old mill" in the cold springtime, and go to the house while the corn was being ground into good old-fashioned corn meal, to warm and to listen to Aunt Polly and her friend "Aunt Mary Denniston": bent with some ailment-yes and to be offered some "cookies" from the old stone jar with a wooded lid so polished that it was in use and good care for a long time.--and my reveries would be at and end, as Aunt Polly would say, "Well Charley, I expect they have your corn ground now and maybe you had better go, so your father and mother won't wonder what has happened to you." The "old mill" continued in operation, I believe until sometime in the 1880's or the early 1890's, but like all things must sooner or later go to the memory books of long ago, and now only a pile of stones stand at one end of the "old mill" dam, like a Cairn of old to mark the spot. There was no "prohibition" days with the pioneers. Turning good corn into good BOURBON WHISKEY was common, and the legend of Lawrence County, says that "Uncle John Hunter" made good whiskey at his distillery, which was located at the spring across Leatherwood Creek, just south of the old home, we mentioned above, but now there is nothing left to show just where the distillery was located. The old home, built first,has outlasted all the other handy-work of the early maker--and it is this writers opinion that the"Uncle John Hunter" old home, described above, is the oldest residence in Lawrence County, Indiana. Certainly, the oldest residence still standing on the original foundations and continuously used as a dwelling and still used-- by the descendants of the man who built it, having never passed out of "Hunter"hands. This along with a list of descendants of William Hunter of Scotland have been passed down through our family and was first written of C.H."Charley" HUNTER 1214 Grant Street,Evenston,Il on July 15,1936. As of December 1997, I have no idea if the HUNTER HOUSE is still standing in Lawrence County, Indiana after all this is 179 years later since it was erected and 61 years since C.H."Charley" Hunter wrote this. Please be sure to stop and check out our family genealogy. (Courtesy of David V. Hughey).

• Married Mary Polly Johnson 21 Jan 1819 in Lawrence, Indiana, USA.

Indiana, USA 44.5 ACRES AND MOVED ALONG WITH FAMILY, BUILT HIS MANSON NEXT TO FATHER HOUSE, CONSTRUCTED A DISTILLERY AND MILL ON LAND AT LEATHWOOD CREEK

• Child
• 1. Andrew Hunter (1833-1865)

Sources

• 1820 United States Federal Census [1]
• 1830 United States Federal Census [2]
• 1840 United States Federal Census [3]
• 1850 United States Federal Census [4]
• 1860 United States Federal Census [5]
• Indiana Marriages to 1850 [6]
• Indiana, Marriage Index, 1800-1941 [7]
• U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 [8]
• Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999 [9]