Hunter of Nansemond

William Hunter of Nansemond Co., Va., and his Descendants

“The first of this family,” reports John Bennett Boddie in Historic Southern Families (Vol. 7, pp. 100-104), “was William Hunter. It is not known when he first appeared in Virginia.  The first public record pertaining to him is a patent dated 21 April 1695 for 200 acres ‘on the east side of the main cypress swamp that leads out to Bennett’s creek’ in the upper parish of the colony (Patent Book 8, p. 431 [rather, Virginia Patent Book 8, p. 309].  On 25 April 1702 he was granted 240 acres in the upper parish on the southeast side of the Meherrin Swamp adjoining his earlier patent for the transportation of himself, his wife, his daughter Alice, his son Nicholas, and Mary Cahon.  In 1704 William Hunter appeared on the Nansemond Rent Roll with 800 acres.  He was styled as ‘Capt.’ which indicates that he was probably captain in the county militia at that time. As the Nansemond records have been destroyed, there is no record of the division of the estate.”

An earlier record (Virginia Patent Book 7, p. 487) reports that Charles Rowntree (Rountree) was granted 350 acres in the upper parish of Nansemond County on 4 November 1685 for the transportation of seven persons: “Willm. Hunter, Nicho. Hunter, Joane Hunter, Rebecka Hunter, Charles Rountree, Robert Rountree, and John Sayer.”

Before 1729 William Hunter, a weaver by trade, died in the part of Nansemond County now designated as Chowan County, N. C. His will, mentioned in his son Nicholas’s legal papers, is lost. One source cites William’s daughter Alice as the wife of Job Randall. The Battle family of North Carolina claims descent from William Hunter’s daughter Sarah and William Battle.  

^ back to top

Sons of William Hunter of Nansemond

Nicholas Hunter, m. Rebecca (Hardy?), d. 1749 in Carteret, N. C. Will dated 3 January 1749 and recorded in March court 1749. 

    1. Isaac Hunter, evidently named for Nicholas’s brother Isaac of Chowan County, died between 1739 and 1749 and thus is not mentioned in his father’s will, 1749.  See Chowan Deed Book C 2, pp. 45 – 47, for an indenture in which Isaac Jr. sells his uncle (called “Isaac Senr.,” who is the son of William) 164 acres that had been an original tract of  William Hunter.  Isaac Jr. was for a time a justice of the peace in Northampton County (see the will of John Cotton, 1742). His son Isaac Hunter of Wake County is the notable “Tavern Isaac” who owned the popular inn at Raleigh.  Tavern Isaac’s brother Theophilus Hunter was married to Jane Lane. The city of Raleigh was established on former Lane land.. 
    2. Stephen Hunter, b. ca. 1708, d. 1796, N. C. 
    3. Ezekiel Hunter (1769, 1779 tax records in Carteret Co.; 1769, 1771 tax records in Onslow Co.) 
    4. Lebbeus Hunter, b. ca. 1719, served as an ensign in Capt. Thomas Lovich’s company, Carteret, n. d.., and died in 1798 in Carteret Co., m. Sarah Hadnot, and their son Lebbeus m. Clarky Davis in 1795. 
    5. William Hunter, b. ca. 1710 in Nansemond Co., Va., m. Sarah Hardy in ca. 1730. William’s will, signed 21 Mar 1749 and recorded in April court 1750, mentions wife Sarah and sons John Hunter, Nicholas Hunter, Hardy Hunter, William Hunter, Job Hunter (who m. Martha Hardy and migrated to Lincoln Co., Ga.), James Hunter, Timothy Hunter, Charity Hunter, Sarah Hunter, and Priscilla (who m. Walton). 
    6. Joab Hunter, b. ca. 1710 in Nansemond Co., Va., served in Col. John Starkey’s regiment, 1754, m. “Sabra” in Duplin Co., N. C., 1745 
    7. E. Hunter (daughter) 
    8. Zillah Hunter 
    9. Kisiah Hunter 
    10. Elizabeth Hunter 
    11. Ruth Hunter 
    12.  Rachel Hunter m. Logan Daivs, 1796, Carteret 
    13. Sarah Hunter 

William Hunter

d. 1733. His will was signed 4 January 1732 and recorded 18 January 1733, Chowan County, mentioning wife Ann, sons William and Ephraim, and daughters Judith, Allise, Mary, Ann, and Easter.  William reportedly was captured at sea by the French and taken to a French prison, from which he gained release. His wife Ann’s will, dated 24 May 1749, was recorded in October court 1751 in Chowan County, with executors being son William Hunter and son-in-law Edward Arnal.  

1. William Hunter 

2. Ephraim Hunter, b. ca. 1732?  On Bertie Co., N. C., tax list in 1757, inherited his father’s water mill.  

3. Judith Hunter, m. Bland 

4. Ann Hunter, m. Winbourne 

5. Easter (Hester) Hunter, m. Knight 

6. Allise (Alice) Hunter, m. Edward Arnal (Arnold?) 

7. Mary Hunter 

Robert Hunter, d. 1753 in Bertie Co., N. C., m. (2) Mrs. Elizabeth Bryan Whitmell (widow of Thomas Whitmell). Will signed 3 June 1752 and recorded in August court 1753 in Bertie County.  

1. Henry Hunter, b. 14 Mar. 1725, d. 1760 in Bertie Co., N. C., m. Sarah Whitmell, his stepsister 

2. Moses Hunter, b. ca. 1737 (son of Robert Hunter and Elizabeth Whitmell) 

3. Sarah Hunter, b. ca. 1730, m. Jacob Docton 

4. Mary Hunter, m. Gordon 

5. Judith Hunter, m. Perry 

6. Susannah Hunter, m. Benton 

Isaac Hunter, the earliest Isaac Hunter in this family and a planter and vestryman of Chowan Co., N. C.,  m. Elizabeth Parker, daughter of Richard Parker of Chowan, and d. 1753.  Will: Chowan County, April 17, 1752, recorded in April court, 1753. (James A. Hunter of Abbeville Dist., S. C., and Choctaw Co., Miss. (1796 – 1844) is a descendant in this line). 

1. Elisha Hunter (1723 – 1786) served as a private in the Chowan militia company of John Sumner, 1754. m. Ann Walton and had 8 children: Thomas Hunter, who m. Mrs. Mary Walton in 1771. A Thomas Hunter served as a private in Col. Robert Murden’s regiment, Pasquotank. Mary Hunter, who m. Benjamin Sanders on March 2, 1775, Christian Hunter, Celia Hunter, who m. David Harrell, Elizabeth Hunter, Rachel Hunter, Asenith Hunter, who m. Abraham Eason, and Sarah Hunter, who m. Amos Freeman. Elisha Hunter’s Brick House Plantation is mentioned in a deed of John, Josiah, and James Granbury of Gates County, N. C. (Deed Book A-5, p. 295). 

2. Col. Jacob Hunter (1737 – 1784) served in the N. C. General Assembly 1777, inherited his father’s water mill in 1753, m. Sarah Pugh Hill (d. Nov. 19, 1793), dau. of Abraham Hill,  and had 3 children: Rev. Isaac Hunter of Gates County, who m. Sophia Riddick, Leah Hunter, who married Seth Riddick on Jan. 6, 1772, and Elizabeth Hunter, who married Robert McCullough 

3. Jesse Hunter (1736 – 1786), m. Ann Alston, daughter of Solomon Alston and Ann Nancy Hinton, in 1758 in Bute Co., N. C., and resided on his plantation on Shocco Creek in Warren Co., N. C., before migrating to Wilkes Co., Ga., and dying in Wake Co., N. C., in 1786. Jesse and Ann had four children: Philip Hunter, who served in North Carolina Continental Line during the Revolutionary War and who migrated to Wilkes Co., Ga., marrying (1) Mary Watson and (2) Mary Jackson,  Elisha Hunter, who m. Rebecca Sparks and resided in Wilkes Co. and Greene Co., Ga., Ruth Hunter, who married William Green, Jr., in 1784 and resided in Greene Co., Ga., and Nathaniel Hunter. 

4. Isaac Hunter (1735 – 1815), who married Martha Alston, daughter of Solomon Alston and Ann Nancy Hinton, in 1760 in Bute Co., N. C., resided on his plantation on Shocco Creek in Warren Co., N. C., and had seven  children: Solomon Alston Hunter, James Alston Hunter, Ann Alston Hunter, Martha (Patsy) Hunter, Sacky Clark Hunter, and Sarah (Sallie) Hunter.  (James A. Hunter of Abbeville Dist., S. C., and Choctaw Co., Miss. (1796 – 1844) is a descendant in this line). 

5. Hannah Hunter, who married (1) Joseph Riddick and had two children: Joseph Riddick and Mary Riddick, and (2) Benjamin Perry and had two children: Benjamin Perry and Drucilla Perry 

6. Jane Hunter, who married Philip Perry and had four children: Jesse Perry, Philip Perry, Sarah Perry, and Rachel Perry 

7. Elizabeth Hunter, who married Joseph Perry and had three children: Elisha Perry, Hannah Perry, and Susan Perry 

8. Rachel Hunter, who married William Walton and had nine children: Timothy Walton, a vestryman in St. Paul’s Parish of Chowan, William Walton, a vestryman in St. Paul’s Parish of Chowan, John Walton, Isaac Walton, Sarah Walton, Rachel Walton, Mary Walton, who m. Jacob Eason, Nancy Walton, and Celia Walton 

9. Sarah Hunter, who married Charles Moore of Perquimans County on Feb. 1, 1753, and had nine children: Nancy Moore, Isaac Moore, Millicent Moore, Elizabeth Moore, Charles Moore, John Moore, Edwin Moore, Leah Moore, and Sally Moore 

10 Daniel Hunter (bachelor), d. intestate in Granville Co., N. C., 1797. 

^ back to top