John and Ann(a) Hunter
Pension Number W 4-32      Virginia

 

STATE OF KENTUCKY: LEXINGTON KENTUCKY.  December 7-1833, personally appeared the above soldier before C Hunter (sic), esquire, Mayor of the city of Lexington. John Hunter was a resident of Jessamine Co, Ky about 74 years old. States he was born in Rowan Co, N.C, August 1760, states that there was a family record taken by one of his brothers, but that he has no doubt that the age given above is true and correct. He removed from North Carolina in 1779 or 1789 (A.B. notes that it is impossible to distinguish which date is correct, being illegible and seven is written over the eight) to Boones Station, Ky with his father’s family where he remained and at other stations, until peace with the British and Indians when he settled in what is now called Jessamine County, where he has remained. He resided at Boone Station when he first entered the service in Captain Hays company in 1780 marched under him on the expedition under General Geo. Rogers Clark to the Chillicothe towns, he served on that occasion four months and in all the particulars of the expedition he agrees with the statement given by Peter B/F Adams in his application for a pension of the state hereof, who was a cousin and comrade in that expedition and in his subsequent service, generally he served at least five months in the years 1780 and 1781. He merely served on detachments and gard service but was  not in any battle during that year, although he served then at least four months as he verily believes and in very hard service too. In 1782, he was a private in Captain Hazelrigg’s Co in Boone’s or Logan’s regiment when the siege of Bryant’s Station took place, which was in the month of August. This applicant was not in the station nor was he at the Battle of the Blue Licks, which followed directly after the siege, but he was with the party which buried the dead on the battle ground. Afterwards, he accompanied the expedition to the New Chillicothe towns, as detailed in ______ application and (Adams application) and returned with it to Ky. In all the services named by said Adams in 1782 he participated with the expedition already given and in addition thereto he repeatedly crossed the Ohio River on scouting expeditions of the most hazardous kinds under the command of Col Robert Todd and Col Will Russell. In the year 1782 or 1783, up to April of that year, he served in those various expeditions at least ten months, making in all up to the period of 1783, at least nineteen months. He refers to the details given in said Adams statement as containing the facts which he knows to be true and services in which he participated. He never was wounded in the battle but was shot through his right leg on North Elkhorn, near Bryant’s Station in 1782, he never received a discharge nor has he any documentary proof to support his claim nor any living witness except his cousin, the said Peter B/F Adams, - he first came to Lexington to have his application prepared and to obtain the aid of said witnesses, who was coming to that place for the same purpose.  Signed John Hunter.

 

     Also came Peter B/F Adams, who being duly sworn doth state that he is a cousin of John Hunter, that he came to Kentucky with his father and mother, that he lived in their family during the whole of the remainder of the war and served with him in almost all of his services as detailed above and that he has told the truth.

 

     Affidavits: That Moses M Price and David Shucks residents of Estill and Jessamine counties, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the aforesaid John Hunter; that we believe him to be of the age which he said he is, that he is reputed and believed in his neighborhood to have been in the Revolutionary War.

 

     The widow of John Hunter, whose name was either Ann or Anna Hunter made application for pension July 1st 1839 aged about 81, states that she was married to said John Hunter in Fayette Co, Ky near the town of Lexington at that time, almost unsettled in the month of September in the year 1786 or 1787, that she has no record testimony of her marriage as the clerks office of Fayette Co, Ky was destroyed by fire many years afterwards he was married and in time was burned every legal proof thereof that her husband was an unlettered man and kept no written register of their marriage nor of their children’s births. That her husband died March 23, 1838.

 

     Affidavit of High Chrisman, made affidavit that he knew John Hunter and his wife, Anna Hunter in 1793 living in Jessamine Co, Ky and that they were then living together as man and wife, and having the universal reputation of having been lawfully married; that they then had several children, the oldest of whom Charles Hunter now living is about age 50. This statement made July 8th 1839.

 

     Ann Hunter appeared in Jessamine Co, Ky in 1843 May 8th, saying she was age 84 years old who after being first duly sworn. Affidavit made September 1846, Jessamine Co, Ky, Moses Hunter was appointed administrator of the estate of Ann Hunter. The children of John and Ann Hunter are As____ Charles Hunter, Rebecca Portwood, Mary Stafford, John Hunter Jr., and Moses Hunter. Also one Samuel Hunter of Jessamine County, (no relationship stated), that the names of above children are true and correct.

 

 

Source: Records of Revolutionary War Pensions of Soldiers who Settled in Fayette County Kentucky

Annie Walker Burns, compiler, Washington DC, 1936

Copy held by the Kentucky Room, Lexington Public Library

Call number: R976.947 B4128r KY1936