Sir John Hunter, Baronet of St Lucar - WHO WAS SIR JOHN HUNTER, OF ST. LUCAR?

Started by Private User on Sunday, November 13, 2022
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According to Burke’s Landed Gentry for Scotland (2001), Sir John Hunter, of St. Lucar, is the third son of James Hunter of Crichton Dean and East Gordon, who held the dignity of Architect Royal for Scotland, and his wife Jean Nisbet. He is said to have been born on 13 February 1751.

There is a problem with this identification, however. The child who was born on 13 February 1751 was actually the third son and the youngest of the four children of James Hunter, Wright in Edinburgh, and his wife Jean Nisbet. His father is identified as: “James Hunter wright burgess of Edinburgh” in his last will and testament dated 9 May 1758, and it would appear, therefore, that he was not the heritable proprietor of Crichton Dean and East Gordon, or the Architect Royal for Scotland. Moreover, it seems quite likely, probable even, that the child who was born on 13 February 1751 predeceased his father, whose last will and testament made no financial provision for surviving children (as was required by Scots Law). It looks quite likely too, probable even, that John Hunter, the son of James Hunter and Jean Nisbet, was the child of the same name, aged five years, who was buried on 28 August 1756, at Edinburgh in Midlothian, Scotland.

There can be no doubt that Sir John Hunter, of St, Lucar, was Great Britain’s Consul-general at Lisbon during the Peninsula War, 1807-14, his last will and testament identifies him as “His Britannick Majesty’s Consul General in the Dominions of Spain” but who were his parents and when was he born?

Ink to baptismal record of John Hunter:

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000188858440870

Link to the burial record of John Hunter:

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000188858683823

Links to the last will and Testament of James Hunter:

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000188657245894

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000188657893844

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000188657709841

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000188657876826

If anyone has information which identifies or might help to identify the paternity of Sir John Hunter, of St, Lucar, it would be greatly appreciated if they would bring it forward to this discussion.

According to Burke’s Landed Gentry for Scotland (2001), Sir John Hunter was born on 13 February 1751. However, contrary to what is claimed, the birth record referred to does not prove that he was the son of James Hunter of Crichton Dean and East Gordon. It proves that he was the son of James Hunter, wright and burgess of Edinburgh. It is not clear what it was that led Burke’s to believe that the wright was the same person as James Hunter of Crichton Dean and East Gordon, but their proposition could not be more wrong. James Hunter, the wright, is first noticed in Edinburgh’s records on 2 August 1710, when he was booked ‘prentice to George Campbell, and he is last noticed on 12 March 1762, the date upon which he was buried at Edinburgh.

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