The Jacob Hunter Trust Newsletter

Volume 13, No. 1 Richard H. Hunter, Editor January 2004

In Search of Jacob Hunter’s Ancestors: Part II

Editor’s Note: Last year we published an excellent article by Ernest E. Hunt, IV discussing the “Delamar Papers” and the possibility that Dempsey Hunter or William Hunter may have been the father of our Jacob Hunter (b. 1755 d. 1806) (see JHT Newsletter, Vol. 12, No. 1, February 2003 at http://www.mindspring.com/~hunter-family/JHTNewsletter/index.htm). This year another hypothesis is suggested based on the research of Thomas Edward Hunter of Carterville, IL. Tom uncovered census documents for the state of Virginia covering the years 1782 through 1790 and reports that Jacob’s father could have been Emanuel Hunter, son of Seth Hunter, Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Tom invites other researchers to join in the challenge of solving this long-time mystery.

Emanuel Hunter Father of Jacob Hunter???

By Thomas Edward Hunter

The Scots, Scotch-Irish, and English had an early custom of naming their children after members of their families. One tradition was that first-born males were named after the father’s father. The second born male was named after the mother’s father (see “What’s In A Name” this issue). This practice has led to much confusion when researching families, since with similar first names it is easy to get generations mixed up. The naming convention of sons can still be found in some families today, but it is not as common a practice as in the period from 1100 through the 1700s.

The Revolutionary War Soldier, Jacob Hunter, named his first son Emanuel (most records to date suggest this). If the early custom was followed (and we don’t know if it was), then Jacob’s father may have also been named Emanuel. If Emanuel was not Jacob’s first son, and the naming convention followed, Jacob’s father could have been named Seth. In the 1790 Virginia Federal Census, that summarized censuses from 1782 through 1786, there is an Emanuel Hunter and a Seth Hunter listed for the year 1782: “Hunter, Emanuel, 9 whites/ 4 blacks, Isle of Wight, Virginia; Hunter, Seth, 8 whites/ 3 blacks, Isle of Wight, Virginia” (p. 30). With families of 9 and 8 people per household one can speculate that neither Seth nor Emanuel were not young men in 1782.

The name Emanuel is an unusual and rare name in the Hunter family. Until recently, I have never found another Emanuel Hunter except for Jacob’s son Emanuel who moved his family to Illinois from Tennessee in the early 1800s. It was a surprise to find the elder Emanuel in the Virginia census of 1782.

The Federal Census of 1790 is not complete. During the War of 1812, the British burned the Capitol and destroyed census records for several states, Virginia included. The Virginia census was recovered from state records found for the years 1782 through 1785 and combined with tax lists from Greenbrier County for the years 1783 to 1786 and termed the 1790 census. These records were estimated to cover about 50% of the actual population of 1790 and only 39 of 80 counties.

Emanuel Hunter was listed in the census of 1782 as living in Isle of Wight County, Virginia and was not reported in other years. This could have been due to missing records because he appears in other court records from the Isle of Wight in later years. Our Jacob is believed listed in the 1790 census of the Camden District, Richland County, South Carolina with 1 male over 16, 2 under 16, and 2 females.

As found in documents listing wills, Emanuel’s father was Seth Hunter and his mother was Mary. Seth died on May 2, 1759. Emanuel had an older brother also named Seth and two older sisters named Francis and Rodith. The listing of Seth’s will was as follows:

Vol. III, Will Book Ten

Hunter, Seth, of Newport Parish. Leg. Wife Mary; daughter Frances;

Daughter Rodith Hunter, the child which I had by Priscella Braswell; son

Seth; son Emanuel. D. May 2, 1759. R. September 6, 1759

Wit. Richard Baker, Benjamin Pynes, John Day, page 511.

This citation was found in a book by Blanche Adams Chapman, “Wills and Administration of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1647-1800.” Genealogical Pub. Co., Inc. Baltimore, MD 1975, page 192. Our Jacob Hunter would have been 4 years of age when the elder Seth Hunter died in 1759 (given Jacob’s birth year was 1755).

There were other references to Emanuel Hunter in the Chapman Volume on Wills. He appraised the estate of Britain Mangum on December 5, 1782, page 147 (Will Book Ten, page 255), signed an estate account of Willis Ward on July 3, 1783, page 169, and appraised the estate of Joseph Womble on May 6, 1784, page 235.

In a book, “Marriages of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1628-1800” by Blanche Adams Chapman (Genealogical Pub. Co., Inc., Baltimore, MD, 1976) Emanuel Hunter witnessed the marriage of Daniel Boyce and Peggy Mangam on March 29, 1783 (page 59).

Emanuel Hunter also had a daughter named Polly. A listing of marriages of Southhampton County, Virginia has the following entry:

30 November 1797, Richard Sharp and Polly Hunter, dau. of Emanuel Hunter Sur. John Pledger. Wit. Samuel Kello, page 117 (Catherine Lindsay Knorr, “Marriage Bonds and Minister’s Returns of Southhampton County, Virginia, 1750-1810,” page 94).

A direct connection between our Jacob Hunter and Emanuel and Seth Hunter, of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, has yet to be proven. But, there is sufficient information to raise the possibility. Only recently did I find the listing of Emanuel and Seth Hunter in the Virginia 1790 Census and have just started searching for a connection. I hope that other people will join me in researching this possible link. If not the father of Jacob, Emanuel and Seth may belong somewhere in the family tree.

What’s in a name?

[From Family Tree Magazine, June 2002, page 54]

Scottish first names typically follow a traditional pattern, which may offer clues to your ancestral puzzles. This naming pattern is a potential guide, but not a hard and fast rule.

CHILD Given name of:

First son father’s father

Second son mother’s father

Third son father

Fourth son father’s brother

First daughter mother’s mother

Second daughter father’s mother

Third daughter mother

Fourth daughter mother’s sister

Abbreviations in Old Documents

Have you ever read old documents in probates or land records and not been sure what they meant? The following are abbreviations taken from old wills and other documents. This is from the October/November 2001 issue of Family Tree, p. 15 and reprinted in The Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois Newsletter, Vol. 31, No. 12, 2003.

a.a.s. (anno aetitis suae)- in the year of his/her age (i.e. 86 years old)

d.s.p. (decessit sine prole)- died without issue

d.s.p.l. (decessit sine prole supersita)- died without legitimate issue

d.s.p.m.s. (decessit sine prole mascula supersita)- died without surviving male

issue

d.s.p.s. (decessit prole supersita)- died without surviving issue

d.unm. – died unmarried

d.v.p. (decessit vita patris)- died in the lifetime of his father

d.v.m. (decessit vita matris)- died in the lifetime of his mother

et al (et alia)- and others

inst (instans)- present month

liber – book or volume

nepos – grandson

nunc – nuncupative will, and oral will, written by a witness

ob (obit)- obituary

he/she died Relict (relicta/relictus)- widow or widower

sic – so or thus, exact copy as written

Testes – witnesses

utl (ultimo)- late

ux or vs (uxor) – wife

viz (videlicet)- namely

Hunter Land Grants in South Carolina

By Ernest E. Hunt, IV

There are three land grants in the South Carolina state records that likely pertain to our Hunter family. These records are important, as all county land records for Richland County and its predecessors were destroyed just after the Civil War.

The first is to Jacob Hunter for 640 acres of land on Savannah Creek, now in Lexington County. This land was granted for Revolutionary War service, in warrant Number 2228, filed on November 30, 1784. Jacob purchased the land from the state of South Carolina for 14 pounds 18 shillings on September 5, 1785:

South Carolina State Grants, Volume 6, Page 407:

“STATE of SOUTH CARLOLINA To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: Know Ye, That for and in Consideration of Fourteen Pounds Eighteen Shillings, Sterling Money paid by JACOB HUNTER into the Treasury for the Use of the State, We have granted, and by these Presents do grant, unto the said Jacob Hunter his Heirs and Assigns, a Plantation or Tract of Land containing Six hundred and forty Acres situate in the District of Orangeburgh on Savannah Creek, having such Shape, Form Marks as are represented by a Plat hereunto annexed, together with all Woods, Trees, Waters, Watercourses, Profits, Commodities, Appurtenances and Hereditaments whatsoever thereunto belonging, To Have and to Hold the said Tract of Six hundred and forty acres of Land, and all and singular other the Premises hereby granted unto the said Jacob Hunter his Heirs and Assigns, for ever in free common soccage.

Given under the Great Seal of the State WITNESS his excellency William Moultrie Esquire, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the said State, at Charleston, this fifth Day of September Anno Domini, One thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty five and in the tenth Year of the Independence of the United States of America.

Wm. L.M.S. Moultrie

And hath thereunto a Plat thereof annexed, representing the same, certified by Ephraim Mitchell Surveyor General, 16^th November 1784.”

From the Plat, South Carolina Plats, Volume 4, Page 152:

“I have caused to be admeasured and laid out unto Jacob Hunter a tract of land containing six hundred acres situate in the District of Orangeburgh and hath such forms and marks, butting and bounding, as the above plat represents. Certified for the 16^th day of November 1784, B. Grubb, D. S., Ephraim Mitchell, Surveyor General.”

This land is now located on the runway of the Columbia Municipal Airport. It is in Lexington County, formerly Saxe-Gotha Township, known for its Swiss, German, and Scotch-Irish settlers. What is interesting is that this is just south of the location of a land grant to William Hunter of 92 acres on the “Broad and Saluda River”. I am writing for a copy of this grant to see if there is a connection to our Jacob Hunter. I believe this William Hunter is the William Hunter of Northampton County, North Carolina, whom I mentioned last year as one possible father to Jacob.

The second grant is a plat dated January 3, 1786, to Dempsey Hunter, for 163 acres of land on Crane Creek, now Richland County, just north of Columbia:

“I have caused to be admeasured and laid out unto Dency Hunter a tract of land containing one hundred and sixty three acres situate in the District of Camden on Crain Creek bounded n or Gasper Koon … Gasper Faust, and on N. E. by Dency Hunter. And hath such forms and marks, butting and bounding, as the above plat represents. Certified for the 3^rd day of January 1786, B. Grubb, D. S., Ephraim Mitchell, Surveyor General.”

Crane Creek lies just north of Columbia, South Carolina, and is in Richland County. It is no doubt the location of Dempsey Hunter when he was on the 1790 census of South Carolina, as he is listed there, as on this plat, as being a neighbor of Gasper Faust.

Please note that Dempsey’s second wife was Catherine, daughter of Jacob Faust, who was probably a relative of Gasper Faust. Note too that Allen Hunter’s wife, Elizabeth Faust, daughter of William Faust, was a granddaughter of Gasper Faust.

The third grant was 150 acres on Deep Creek, for Allen Hunter:

“I do hereby certify for Allen Hunter a tract of land containing one hundred and fifty acres (surveyed for Thomas Wills the 24^th day of May 1790) situate in the District of Camden on Deep Creek Branch waters of Black River and hath such forms and marks, butting and bounding, as the above plat represents. Given under my hand this 3^rd day of September 1792, Jas. Burgess, Dep., Bremard, Surveyor General.”

This land is now in the area near Manning, South Carolina, in Clarendon County.

It is not known if Allen Hunter lived here long; he is listed on the 1800 census as being in Saxegotha Town, Lexington County, which is some distance from Manning.

Conclusion/Future Research

I draw the following conclusions from the three grants. First, since the earliest grant was in Lexington County, namely the Saxe-Gotha area, the history of Saxe-Gotha may hold clues to our search for a father for Jacob Hunter. The William Hunter who obtained 92 acres in this area in 1764 is of particular interest. Please note that the Faust family obtained several land grants in Saxe-Gotha.

However, by the 1790 census, all the Hunters and many Fausts had moved across the Broad River to the future Richland County. This is the area where Dempsey Hunter obtained his grant in 1786. Another possible area of research is Clarendon County, the location of the Allen Hunter land.

Gifts and Bequests to the Jacob Hunter Trust

By Judge Robert S. Hunter, Quincy, IL (1993)

Your gift or bequest can help to assure that the Jacob Hunter Cemetery and the Allen Hunter Cemetery can be restored and maintained for eternity. The easiest way to accomplish this is to make gifts from time to time. You can do so by making checks payable to “Jacob Hunter Trust” where funds will be strictly controlled and used only for purposes that are consistent with the trust objectives.

You can remember the trust in your will. A simple bequest, as follows will suffice: “I give and bequeath to the Jacob Hunter Trust, a trust created to preserve the burial grounds of descendants of Jacob Hunter in Williamson County, Illinois, the sum of $(amount).”

Another simple way to make a gift to the trust is known as the payable on death account (POD). You can open such an account at your bank or savings and loan. You open this kind of account by creating it in the name of “(Your name) Payable on Death to the Jacob Hunter Trust.” The Trustee is Richard H. Hunter, 10202 Briggs Road, Marion, IL 62959-5844.

There are numerous advantages to such an account: 1. you retain full control over it as long as you live, 2. you can increase or decrease the amount or close it out without notifying anyone, 3. you are entitled to the income therefrom as long as you live, 4. it is entirely confidential. The only difference between it and any other account you own is that, upon your death, the balance that is in the account is paid to the Jacob Hunter Trust.

By contributing to the Trust, you will be strengthening our efforts to preserve family cemeteries, compile further historical information, and share information with interested relatives and selected public libraries.

The Jacob Hunter Trust Account for 2003
DATE	ACTIVITY	DEBIT	CREDIT	BALANCE
1/1/2003	Balance Forward			$11,147.39
1/5/2003	Interest on checking account		4.71	$11,152.10
1/6/2003	Thomas E. Hunter		$100.00	$11,252.10
1/6/2003	Richard H. Hunter		$100.00	$11,352.10
1/8/2003	Judith A. Mathews		$100.00	$11,452.10
2/5/2003	Interest on checking account		$4.85	$11,456.95
2/20/2003	Herrin News Litho (printing Newsletters)	$122.00		$11,334.95
2/20/2003	Postmaster (postage for Newsletters)	$66.00		$11,268.95
3/4/2003	Ella L. Abney		$100.00	$11,368.95
3/5/2003	Interest on checking account		$4.14	$11,373.09
4/6/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.49	$11,375.58
4/30/2003	Interest on Federal T-Bill		$137.50	$11,513.08
5/3/2003	Ferrell's Mowing AHC X 3, JHC X 2	$155.00		$11,358.08
5/5/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.26	$11,360.34
6/4/2003	Fred E. Hunter		$100.00	$11,460.34
6/5/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.41	$11,462.75
6/24/2003	Ferrell's AHC X5; Field X1; JHC X3	$290.00		$11,172.75
7/6/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.41	$11,175.16
7/31/2003	William H. Norman		$50.00	$11,225.16
8/5/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.30	$11,227.46
8/15/2003	Ferrell's AHC X4; JHC X2	$190.00		$11,037.46
9/7/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.51	$11,039.97
10/5/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.12	$11,042.09
10/21/2003	Williamson County Treasurer	$9.74		$11,032.35
10/31/2003	Interest on Federal T-Bill		$137.50	$11,169.85
10/31/2003	Federal T-Bil reinvestment refund		$21.90	$11,191.75
11/5/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.35	$11,194.10
12/5/2003	Lawrence & Lettie Hunter		$50.00	$11,244.10
12/7/2003	Interest on checking account		$2.45	$11,246.55
12/30/2003	Ferrell's AHC X 3; Field X1;JHC X 2	$195.00		$11,051.55
		$1,027.74	$931.90

As can be seen by the 2003 income and expense sheet, the Trust did not receive sufficient donations in 2003 to pay for ongoing mowing and maintenance expenses. Mowing expenses were down this year due to a drought during the summer and fall.

The Trust extends a special note of appreciation to all those contributing money and time this past year.

Ernest E. Hunt, IV Updates Hunter Genealogy Website

Ernest E. Hunt, IV continued to add a significant amount of Hunter family history to his website during 2004. He invites all interested in this research to visit the website at: http://www.mindspring.com/~hunter-family/index.htm. The Trust is very appreciative of the work Mr. Hunt has done in researching Hunter family history and in making his work available through his website. He also maintains a website for the Jacob Hunter Trust Newsletter and has available on the web all previous issues of the Newsletter at http://www.mindspring.com/~hunter-family/JHTNewsletter/index.htm. If you have additional information to share with Mr. Hunt, you may contact him by e-mail at: eehiv@mindspring.com, or by mail at 200 E. 66^th Street, # D 1502, New York, NY 10021-9190.

Special Thanks to Contributors

The editor would like to acknowledge and thank Ernest E. Hunt, IV, Thomas Edward Hunter, and Judge Robert S. Hunter for their excellent contributions to this newsletter and for their continuing research into Hunter family history and ongoing support of the Jacob Hunter Trust.

The Jacob Hunter Trust

10202 Briggs Road

Marion, IL 62959-5844

Phone: 618/985-2814 Fax: 618/985/2933 e-mail: rhunter@midwest.net
Website: http:\\www.mindspring.com\~hunter-family\JHTNewsletter\index.htm