Col. Jonathan Hunt

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA. DAR Ancestor # A060262

BURIAL Eatons Baptist Church Cemetery Mocksville, Davie County, North Carolina

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6361305/jonathan-hunt

from http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~yvonne/lorentz/WC04/WC04_130.HTM:

Note that there are diverse opinions on the Internet concerning his birth year. A placard next to his tombstone says 1707. I think that Mitchell Hunt says 1715/16, dunno.

This is a brief biography of Colonel Jonathan: http://angel-family.com/web_documents/ch3leavingnjtherevolutionaryw...

It looks like his first child was born in 1738, so that makes sense.

occ. Justice of the Peace, Rowan Co., Sept. 10, 1753 Migrated to NC. CA. 1750 Colonel, NC. Militia, Commanded a Co. Rev. War

2nd marriage: Isabella Hampton Marriage aft 1758 Children of Jonathan4 Hunt and Isabel Hampton were as follows: - George Hunt married Catherine Drummond. He married Polly Mason in 1799. - Mary Hunt was born on 9 Apr 1759. She married Samuel Bryan. She died on 9 Aug 1842 at age 83. She was buried at Southport, Indiana.

3rd marriage: Margaret LOWRANCE Birth 28 Sep 1740, Peapack, Somerset Co., NJ. Death ? , Davie Co., NC. Father John LOWRANCE (1717-1781) Mother Mary PERKINS (1720-1760). Marriage 3 Jan 1761

Children of Jonathan Hunt and Margaret Lowrance were as follows: - Daniel Hunt was born on 17 Oct 1761. He married Judith Chaffin, daughter of Nathan Chaffin, on 24 Jan 1792. He married Nancy Jones on 18 Apr 1800 at North Carolina. - Elizabeth Hunt was born on 1 Jan 1763. She married Joseph Pugh circa 1780. She died on 15 Feb 1829 at age 66. She was buried after 15 Feb 1829 at Pugh Family Cemetery, between Paris and Cynthiana, Kentucky. - Gersham Hunt was born on 10 Jul 1765. - Catherine Hunt was born on 26 Oct 1766. - Enoch Hunt was born on 19 Jul 1768. Marriage banns for he and Elizabeth Chaffin were published on 2 Jun 1794. - Susanna Hunt was born on 10 Jun 1771. - Margaret Hunt was born on 18 Oct 1773. - Noah Hunt was born on 1 Oct 1775. He married Elizabeth (--?--). - Cynthia Hunt was born on 16 May 1780. She married David Howell on 15 Jan 1806.

Not sure about the 4th wife: Children of Col Hunt and Rachael Hampton are: Catherine Hunt, born 1771. Susanna Hunt, born 1771. Margaret Hunt, born 1773. Cynthia Hunt, born 1780.

from http://www.geocities.com/baptist_documents/gano.by.benedict.1813.html : "By most of the Kentucky brethren he was honored and esteemed, and by all of them his death was much lamented. In 1793, he made a visit to North-Carolina, where he married, for his second wife, the widow of Captain Thomas Bryant, and daughter of Colonel Jonathan Hunt, formerly of New-Jersey, one of his old neighbours, and unchanging friends. In her he found an amiable help-meet for his declining years. She had been baptized by his son Stephen, three years before, that is, in 1790, when they visited North-Carolina together. She still survives him, and resides at his late dwelling, near Frankfort, Kentucky. While he was waiting for this new companion to arrange her affairs for a removal, he visited Charleston, South-Carolina, and also as far northward as his son Stephen's, in Providence. "

from http://www.stormpages.com/melissagenealogy/Hunt7.html :

       154. Col Jonathan7 Hunt (John6, John5, Ralph4, Thomas3, Richard2, Thomas1) was born 12 Oct 1717 in Hopewell, Long Island, NJ, and died 5 Sep 1782 in Cana, Rowan Co, NC. He md (1) Mary Smith Abt. 1738 in Hunterdon Co, NJ, daughter of Andrew Smith and Sarah Stout. She was born 19 Sep 1720 in Hopewell, Hunterdon, NJ, and died 23 Mar 1757 in Rowan Co, NC. He md (2) Isabelle Hampton 1758 in Hopewell, Hunterdon, NJ. She was born 1732 in Wrightstown, Bucks, PA, and died 9 Apr 1759 in Hopewell, Hunterdon, NJ. He md (3) Margaret Laurence 3 Jan 1761 in Rowan Co, NC. She was born 28 Sep 1740. He md (4) Rachael Hampton 7 Aug 1769 in Rowan Co, NC. She was born Bef. 1755. Jonathan is buried in Eaton Baptist Cem, Cana, Davie Co, NC

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?rowan::hunt::631... :

Will of Jonathan Hunt, from a clipping dated March 29, 1929, Elkin, North Carolina

      Elkin – An interesting old relic of the Revolutionary War period of American history in the form of an old document, recently brought to light by a direct descendant of Col. Jonathan Hunt, valiant soldier of the Revolution and close personal friend of George Washington at the time he was commander-in-chief of the American Army is one of many quaint possessions passed down through the generations of the famous old family

      Jonathan Hunt was born in New Jersey in 1737 (this is doubtful, his tombstone says 1707, other places 1715-1717). At the age of forty-five (wrong), while residing in Rowan County he wrote the quaint document, giving instructions as to the division of his possessions at death.

      Later in life Colonel Hunt moved to Yadkin County near the site of the historic old town of Jonesville, and his body now lies sleeping in an unmarked grave like scores of his fellow soldiers, in the old Jonesville Cemetery.

      His death occurred in October 1813 (wrong). Several sons of the distinguished officer also sleep beneath the sod in this ancient burial ground.

      Direct descendants of Col. Hunt in Elkin are the George, Franklin and Chatham families and a granddaughter, Mrs. R.L. Lovelace.

      The copy of the will and testament of Jonathan Hunt reads as follows:

      “In the name of God, Amen: I, Jonathan Hunt of the County of Rowan, and the State of North Carolina, being very weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be unto God; calling into mind the mortality of my body, and knowing it is appointed to all men once to die. I do on this Eighteenth Day of June, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty two, make and ordain this my last Will and Testament. That is, to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God who gave all and my body, I recommend it to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner, at the discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive that same by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly Estates, wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give divide and dispose of the same in manner and form, following, that is to say,

      In the first place, I give and bequeath to Margaret, my dearly beloved wife, one-third part of my movable estate, also her bed and furniture, and sorrel mare, a sufficient part of privilege of the plantation, whilst she remain my widow.

      Item: - I give and bequeath to my beloved sons, Andrew Hunt, Charles Hunt, Wilson Hunt, Levi Hunt and George Hunt, one entry of land, containing four hundred acres, lying at the mouth of Ebbitts Creek, and my right of land at Kentuckers, to be equally divided between the six.

      Item: - I give and bequeath to John Hunt, my beloved son two hundred acres of land run off the upper entry adjoining the plantation I live on and joining Charles, James, Wilson, and James Forbigs lines.

      Item: - I give and bequeath to my beloved sons, Daniel Hunt, Gersham Hunt, Enoch Hunt and Noah Hunt the plantation I now live on, with the remainder of that four hundred acres entry which John gets his of, to be divided amongst the four, as equally as may be.

      Item: - I give and bequeath to Daniel Hunt, my son, a certain bay English mare, that he has called his; I also give and bequeath to my son Gersham Hunt, a certain two year old filly that he calls his; I give to my son Enoch Hunt a certain mare called Pall, and her colt; I give to my daughter, Elizabeth, the sorrel horse with the bald face, and one cow and calf. I give and bequeath to my daughters, Catherine Hunt, Susannah Hunt and Mariarey Hunt, each of them a feather bed, with furniture sufficient.

      Item: - I give and bequeath to my son, George Hunt, one cow and calf. The remainder of the cow kind, sheep and hogs and the crop that is in the ground to be left for the support of my family under my present care. Item: - I give and bequeath to my sons Andrew Hunt, Charles Hunt, and Wilson Hunt my Negro fellow named Nedd, if ever got. The Negroes London and Toney to be left with my wife and children until the family is raised or as long as she continues my widow, then sold and equally divided between her and all my daughters. Likewise my will is, that after my decease, all my stock after legacies are paid, to be sold, and to be equally divided between my wife and children.

      I do hereby constitute and appoint the Rev. Mr. William Hill and my sons, Andrew and Charles the whole and sole Executors in this my last Will and Testament – Revoking all other whatsoever, ratifying and confirming to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, that day and year above written.

      Signed, sealed, pronounced in the presence of us:

      Ebenezer Frost, David Crawford, Elizabeth Crawford; June 19, 1782

      Signed, Jonathan Hunt, Seal.

His war record is disputed. His birth year ends in a "7" (1707 / up to 1737). from http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?andrew::hunt::32... : Hunt records from McCubbins collection Salisbury public library NC. Jonathan Hunt, was Colonel "in the British Army" (no, in the NC militia, MJH) in the French and Indian War-- he was too old to fight in the revolution, although his farm in Carolina was camped upon by Cornwallis when in pursuit of Gen. Greene in 1781 and from it Cornwallis marched to Guilford court house where he defeated Gen. Greene. this home was on or near the Yadkin river.

from http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/HUNT/1999-01/0915597854 : It is all covered on pages 25 and 26 of the Col . Jonathan MS by Mitchell Hunt who researched it as late as 1996.

Mitchell says, "there is no evidence that Col. Jonathan participated as a soldier during the Rev. War. By testimony of his son Daniel (who did serve in the War) most of the property except the house on Jonathan's farm was destroyed by the army of Cornwallis when it passed through that area on 6 Feb 1781, and Jonathan was taken prisoner but was soon released because he was old and infirm and Cornwallis didn't want to have his march burdened with an old prisoner. Son Daniel obtained release from his army service to look after his aged father who was near the end of his long career and died at his farm on Cedar Creek 5 Sept 1782, "in the 67th year of his age" per his gravestone in the Eaton Baptist Church Cemetery at Cana which was still standing and legible in 1951 and more recently checked in 1984. "

In anticipation of this death, on June 18 1782 he wrote his will as you have outlined it in your message. Without going into detail--he had two wives before Margaret. He had 19 children and many grandchildren. It is all layed out very nicely in the Col. Jonathan Manuscript.

A corrected genealogy of Col. Jonathan Hunt (1716-1782) and his Rowan Co., North Carolina siblings and their descendants by Mitchell J. Hunt Published in 1994, M.J. Hunt (Willow Grove, PA (502 Church St., Willow Grove 19090-2701))

(http://genealogy.patp.us/bio/bmerrill.aspx): The earliest families identified in Jersey Settlement c1745 were those of Jonathan Hunt, Thomas and Rebecca (Anderson) Smith, Robert Heaton, and John Titus. (Hunt and Titus were married to Smith's nieces.

In early 1746, Thomas Smith acquired lands along Swearing Creek. Jonathan Hunt would build a mill there. John Titus and Robert Heaton soon followed, becoming with the others the earliest known settlers of the Jersey Bottoms. Benjamin Merrill would also join them, as would Benjamin Rounsaville. Each of these had been a resident of Hopewell, New Jersey. Each had been displaced by Daniel Coxe’s questionable land practices.

Perhaps reflecting their prior experience with colonial proprietors and land agents in New Jersey, Jonathan Hunt, Benjamin Merrill, Benjamin Roundsopher (sic) and others were charged on October 13th , 1755 with “assault & riot” in preventing a survey party from re-surveying some of the McCulloh tracts. Merrill’s continued experiences with questionable practices by land owners and government would lead to his being one of the Regulator leaders hanged at Hillsborough in 1771

(http://www.oakgrovehistory.com/huntjourneytomissouri2.htm): Jonathan Hunt was born in 1716, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. He was the second child of John and Margaret Hunt. Jonathan Hunt was married three times and fathered TWENTY children. He was first married in about 1737, to Isabella Henderson, but no record has been found. Of his second wife Isabella Hampton, even less is known. It was in about 1760 that Jonathan Hunt married his third wife, Margaret Lawrence, our ancestor.

Jonathan was bequeathed the plantation on which he was dwelling by the terms of his father's will. He was still living in New Jersey in 1742, when his son Charles was born, but by 1751, he had moved his family to Rowan County, North Carolina.

In 1753, Jonathan Hunt was appointed one the original Justices when Rowan County was formed. He was a colonel in the British Army in the French War, and was one of the few to remain in the Yadkin River area after General Braddock's defeat in 1755.

In 1762, he bought 700 acres of land "lying in Rowan County on the waters of Swearing Creek for ten shillings and three shillings per hundred acres annually." A map shows Jonathan Hunt's Mill on Swearing Creek in 1808. This is the first of a long succession of mills owned and operated by the Hunts. Milling became the traditional family vocation.

On October 17th, 1775, Colonial Jonathan Hunt was elected a member of the Safety Committee of Rowan County, North Carolina.