Col. James Madison Hunter

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA with the rank of MAJOR. DAR Ancestor # A060478

Hunter of Rockingham, North Carolina http://www.geneajourney.com/hunter.html

James Hunter b 4 Jul 1666, Scotland, d 1738. He md Isabella Currie abt 1792. She was b 1660. Child of James Hunter and Isabella Currie was:

Alexander Hunter b 30 Oct 1698, Antrim Co., Ireland, d Mar 1768, Bedford, VA. He md Elizabeth Steele abt 1733, daughter of Alexander Steele. She was b abt 1715, Ireland, d aft 1770, Bedford, VA.

Children of Alexander Hunter and Elizabeth Steele were:

• Alice Hunter b abt 1735, Easton, PA or VA; md Nicholas Hays 18 Nov 1751.
• John Hunter b abt 1736; md Rachel McFarland abt 1756.
• Samuel Hunter b abt 1738; md Sally Whitworth 27 Dec 1773, Guilford, NC.
• Sarah Elizabeth Hunter b abt 1739; md Charles P. May.
• James Hunter b 8 Apr 1740.
• Alexander Hunter b 1745, Henry, VA, d 1804, Henry, VA; md Martha Hairston 3 Jun 1769, Bedford, VA.
• Elizabeth Hunter b 1750.
• James Hunter b 8 Apr 1740, Easton, PA, d 30 Jan 1821, Rockingham, NC. He md Mary McFarland 13 Sep 1762, Rockingham, NC, daughter of John McFarland and Mary Montgomery

Children of James Hunter and Mary McFarland were:

• Mary Hunter b 7 Sep 1768, Rockingham, NC, d 22 Feb 1833; md William Dearing.
• John Hunter b 2 Mar 1769, Rockingham, NC, d 22 Jan 1789; md Miss McNairy.
• James Hunter b 2 Mar 1769, Rockingham, NC, d 1788 Comb Island River, TN.
• Alexander Hunter b 8 Nov 1772, Rockingham, NC, d 26 Dec 1821, Milledgeville, GA.
• Rachel Hunter b 30 Nov 1774.
• Samuel Hunter b 4 Feb 1777, Rockingham, NC, d 22 Oct 1846; md Rebecca Bruce.
• Elizabeth Hunter b 3 Sep 1779, Rockingham, NC, d Jun 1787, Rockingham, NC.
• Robert Hunter b 16 Jun 1782, Rockingham, NC, d 13 Mar 1812; md Frances Martin 1808, Stokes, NC.
• Pleasant Hunter b 18 Jun 1785, Rockingham, NC, d 22 Nov 1830.
• Nancy Hunter b 29 Nov 1788, Rockingham, NC; md Rice Whitaker 1804, Grainger, TN.
• Rachel Hunter b 30 Nov 1774, Rockingham, NC, d 23 Aug 1863, Rockingham, NC. She md Nicholas Dalton 24 Jun 1793, Rutherford, NC, son of Samuel Dalton and Charlotte Gallahue.

NOTES: a. The will of James Hunter, dated 10 Sep 1817:

In the name of God Amen. I James Hunter of the county of Rockingham and state of North Carolina calling to mind the uncertainty of life and that all mankind sooner or later must die have thought proper now being in sound mind and memory to make this my last Will and Testament.

Imprimis Order and direct all my just debts be paid and my funeral expense which I wish to be plain and decent out of my estate, I have lately given some of my property away to my children, that is to say, to my daughter Mary Dearing one negro girl named Jinny and to my daughter Rachel Dalton one negro girl named Grace, both daughters of old Grace; to my son Samuel Hunter one negro woman named Amy and four of her children, Mucky, Caroline, Frank and the young sucking child; three hundred and fifty of the property of Amy and her children. I give to my grandchildren, James and Robert Hunter, heirs of my son Dr. Robert Hunter and the said three hundred and fifty dollars is in the hand of their Guardian-Samuel Hunter for their use to help their schooling; also I give to my two grand sons-James H. Dearing and Samuel Dalton a land warrant for 1,000 acres in the hands of Pleasant Henderson or Boling Fisher, in the state of Tennessee to be equally divided between them; also I give a negro boy named Shepherd to my grand son-James Hunter, son of Samuel Hunter.

All above given is to them and to their heirs forever and all accounts and claims of every description prior to this date with my children and legatees is fully settled Sept. 8, 1817. All the residue of my estate not above disposed of or given away to my legatees that God has helped me with-that is to say-all my lands one tract with their improvements where I live containing 1,000 acres one trail on Alison(?) River in the state of Tennessee held by a deed from Col. James Martin containing 2,000 acres one part of 1,000 acres a part of an entry of 5,000 acres on the Mississippi in the north west corner of Tennessee joining Kentucky, known by the iron bank held by a warrant from this State-to (?) Martin. The said warrant in my desk, the land given to me by his last Will and Testament.

All my negroes, Dick excepted, and stock of every description, all my plantation utensils of every sort and household furniture of every description and all other things belonging to me not mentioned in my Will and direction is-that all the above property not gave away before this date to be equally divided between my children and legatees and share alike including my two grand children-James and Robert Hunter, sons of my son Robert Hunter died; they are to have their father's full part to be equally divided between them. My servant, Dick Davis, it is my will and direction that he is set free and clear from claims of any person or persons whatsoever for his faithfulness and meritorius service to me and family in my lifetime.

It is my will that my negroes may be kept in the family except those of them that has husbands and wives, as my desire is-if they desire may be sold out of the family so that they may be near their wives or husbands; as my desire is to make their situation as comfortable as the nature of the case will admit, and hope and desire that they may be used as they were in my lifetime, with humanity and that all my property may be sold and divided otherwise as the majority of my legatees may think proper, so that each one may have equal part as above directed.

Also, direct that if my wife, should live longer than me, that she shall have a good and decent maintenance, either in her own home or: with her children as she may choose; that she may be fully supplied with all necessaries of life as well as in my lifetime; also, two negroes to attend on her such as she may choose, and if she choose to live in her own home-she is to have such of the household, and kitchen furniture as she chooses to keep and after her death- all to be divided as above directed.

Lastly, I constitute and appoint my sons Alexander and Samuel Hunter my Executors of this my last Will and Testament, hereby ratifying and confirming this to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 10th day of Sept. 1817. If my son Alexander now in the Mississippi country should not come here soon after my death, Samuel Hunter as above is my whole Executor.

signed James Hunter SOURCES: GJB [31-33]; Hunter Family Album.

GEDCOM Note

The will of James Hunter, dated 10 Sep 1817:In the name of God Amen. I James Hunter of the county of Rockingham and state of North Carolina calling to mind the uncertainty of life and that all mankind sooner or later must die have thought proper now being in sound mind and memory to make this my last Will and Testament.Imprimis Order and direct all my just debts be paid and my funeral expense which I wish to be plain and decent out of my estate, I have lately given some of my property away to my children, that is to say, to my daughter Mary Dearing one negro girl named Jinny and to my daughter Rachel Dalton one negro girl named Grace, both daughters of old Grace; to my son Samuel Hunter one negro woman named Amy and four of her children, Mucky, Caroline, Frank and the young sucking child; three hundred and fifty of the property of Amy and her children. I give to my grandchildren, James and Robert Hunter, heirs of my son Dr. Robert Hunter and the said three hundred and fifty dollars is in the hand of their Guardian-Samuel Hunter for their use to help their schooling; also I give to my two grand sons-James H. Dearing and Samuel Dalton a land warrant for 1,000 acres in the hands of Pleasant Henderson or Boling Fisher, in the state of Tennessee to be equally divided between them; also I give a negro boy named Shepherd to my grand son-James Hunter, son of Samuel Hunter.All above given is to them and to their heirs forever and all accounts and claims of every description prior to this date with my children and legatees is fully settled Sept. 8, 1817. All the residue of my estate not above disposed of or given away to my legatees that God has helped me with-that is to say-all my lands onetract with their improvements where I live containing 1,000 acres one trail on Alison(?) River in the state of Tennessee held by a deed from Col. James Martin containing 2,000 acres one part of 1,000acres a part of an entry of 5,000 acres on the Mississippi in the north west corner of Tennessee joining Kentucky, known by the iron bank held by a warrant from this State-to (?) Martin. The said warrant in my desk, the land given to me by his last Will and Testament.All my negroes, Dick excepted, and stock of every description, all my plantation utensils of every sort andhousehold furniture of every description and all other things belonging to me not mentioned in my Will and direction is-that all the above property not gave away before this date to be equally divided between my children and legatees and share alike including my two grand children-James and Robert Hunter, sons of my son Robert Hunter died; they are to have their father's full part to be equally divided between them. My servant, Dick Davis, it is my will and direction that he is set free and clear from claims of any person or persons whatsoever for his faithfulness and meritorius service to meand family in my lifetime.It is my will that my negroes may be kept in the family except those of them that has husbands and wives, as my desire is-if they desire may be sold out of the family so that they may be near their wives or husbands; as my desire is to make their situation as comfortable as the nature of the case will admit, and hope and desire that they may be used as they were in my lifetime, with humanity and that all my property may be sold and divided otherwise as the majority of my legatees may think proper, so that each one may have equal part as above directed.Also, direct that if my wife, should live longer than me, that she shall have a good and decent maintenance, either in her own home or: with her children as she may choose; that she may be fully supplied with all necessaries of life as well as in my lifetime; also, two negroes to attend on her such as she may choose, and if she choose to live in her own home-she isto have such of the household, and kitchen furniture as she chooses to keep and after her death- all to be divided as above directed.Lastly, I constitute and appoint my sons Alexander and Samuel Hunter my Executors of this my last Will and Testament, hereby ratifying and confirming this to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 10th day of Sept. 1817. If my son Alexander now in the Mississippi country should not come here soon after my death, Samuel Hunter as above is my whole Executor.signed James Hunter

(Research):In September 1776 James renounced allegiance to the King of England and took the "Oath of Allegiance to the Colonies" in Salisbury.He earned the rank of Major inthe militia and fought with his cousin, Col. James Martin, at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, serving under General Nathanael Greene.Greene sent Hunter on "a dangerous and arduous journey" to New Jersey to deliver a message to General George Washington.After the war, James served in the North Carolina legislature, as high sheriff, treasurer, auditor and court justice.He also helped draw the lines for the new Guilford County, and participated in the laying out of lots at Rockingham County Courthouse.After Rockingham County was formed, he was appointed justice of the peace for the county in 1786 at the first session of court.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71206513/james-hunter

https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/hunter-james-1

James Hunter, soldier and legislator, was born six miles above Easton, Pa., in the forks of the Delaware River, the son of Alexander and Elizabeth Hunter. His father was a native of County Antrim, Ireland. In about 1754, James moved with his family to Bedford County, Va., where in 1762 he married Mary McFarland (1743–1821) who was also of Scotch-Irish descent. Moving to North Carolina at the same time as the Hunters were the McFarlands and the Martins. One of James's cousins was Alexander Martin, later governor of North Carolina.

Hunter acquired extensive land on Wreck Island Creek near his father, and all deeds until 1772 list him as living in Bedford County, Va.; in that year, he acquired land on Beaver Island Creek in what became Rockingham County, N.C. In 1778 he was elected to represent Guilford County in the General Assembly and he continued to serve until 1782. In January 1781, as the armies of generals Nathanael Greene and Charles Cornwallis maneuvered prior to the Battle of Guilford Court House, Colonel James Martin was ordered to call out the Guilford militia. James Hunter was a major in the county militia, and he participated in the battle with this unit which was commanded by his cousin, James Martin. Tradition relates that Hunter was selected to carry the official news of the battle to General George Washington. He remained on active duty for the rest of the year and took part in the occupation of Wilmington after the British evacuation.

In 1782 Hunter was selected by the legislature to be auditor for the Salisbury District. He also served Guilford County as treasurer, sheriff, and presiding justice. In 1785, when the county was divided, he became justice for the new county of Rockingham. Two years later he was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the county militia. Between 1790 and 1792 he was justice of the Salisbury District and in the latter year became chairman of the Rockingham County court.

Hunter was a Presbyterian and a Federalist, although not politically active after about 1792. About two miles south of his residence on Beaver Island Creek he erected a large meeting house for the use of any ministers whose theology did not conflict with his Presbyterian concepts. At his death he was buried on the hill above his house where his wife was also buried at her death less than a month later. Their ten children were Mary McFarland (m. William Deering), twins John and James, Alexander, Rachel (m. Nicholas Dalton), Samuel, Elizabeth, Robert, Pleasant, and Nancy.