Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/467

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HUNT


HUNTER


Hunt secretary of the navy in his cabinet. When President Artlmr reconstructed the cabi- net in April, 1883, Secretary Hunt was suc- ceeded by William E. Chandler, and Presi- dent Arthur appointed him U.S. minister to Russia, as successor to John W. Foster, resigned. He died in St. Petersburg, Russia, Feb. 27, 1884. HUNT, Williatn florris, artist, was born in Brattleboro, Vt., March 31, 1824; son of Jonathan and Jane Maria (Leavitt) Hunt and grandson of Got. Jonathan and Lavinia (Swan) Hunt. He was a student at Harvard, 1840-42, but left the college on account of impaired health and travelled in Europe, where he was led to enter the Royal acade- my at Diisseldorf, in 1846, with the pur- pose of devoting him- self to sculpture. Af- ter a few months he abandoned the chisel for the palette and brush. He studied painting with Cou- ture in Paris, and subsequently with Millet at Barbizon. In 1855 he returned to the United States and set up his easel in Newport, R.I. He removed to Boston, Mass., and there painted and taught with great success. He was a leader in shap- ing American art, and his more important ex- amples include portraits of Chief-Justice ShaV, Justice Horace Gray, Mrs. Charles Francis Adams, Archbishop AVilliams, William M. Evarts, John A. Andrew, James Freeman Clarke, Abra- ham Lincoln and Charles Sumner. His single figure compositions include: The Prodigal Son, The Jewess, The Hurdy Gurdy Boy, Priscilla, Tfie Drummer Boy, The Cotter's Saturday Night, Fortune Teller, Marguerite, and The Bathers; and his landscapes of Gloucester Harbor and Ploicing attracted wide attention. He executed two mural paintings: The Flight of Night and The Discoverer, for the state capitol at Albany, N.Y. His Talks on Art were written out and published by Helen M. Knowlton (q. v.) (2 vols., 1875). See also, The Art Life of William Morris Hunt, by Helen M. Knowlton (1889). His name in " Class K, Musicians, Painters and Sculptors," received thirteen votes for a place in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, October, 1900, plac- ing him fourth in the class of seven names in which Gilbert Stuart received fifty-two votes, Hiram Powers thirty-five, and John S. Copley thirty-three; Stuart alone received a place. He died at Appledore, Isle of Shoals, Sept. 8, 1879.


HUNTER, Andrew, chaplain, was born in Virginia in 1752; son of Andrew Hunter, a colonial ofiicer in the service of the king. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1772, studied for the ministry and was licensed by the first presbytery of Philadelphia in 1773, and preached in the colonies of Pennsylvania and Virginia. He was brigade chaplain in the American army, 1775-83, receiving the public thanks of General Washington for his services at the battle of Monmouth. He distinguished him- self at Elizabethtown, in 1779, when the British at- tempted to capture Governor Livingston. Hunt- er's prompt alarm saved the governor, but he was himself taken prisoner, though he managed to escape shortly after. He taught school at Woodbuiy, N.J., in 1794, and in 1803, on account of ill-health, engaged in farming on the Delaware river, near Trenton, N.J. He was trustee of the College of New Jersey, 1788-1804, and 180.S-11, and professor of mathematics and astronomy, 1804-08. He was principal of an academy at Bordentown, N.J., 1808-10, and chaplain in the U.S. navy, being stationed at the navy yard, Washington, D.C., 1810-23. He was married to Mary, daugliter of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He died in Washington, D.C.. Feb. 24, 1823.

HUNTER, Andrew Jackson, representative, was born at Greencastle, Ind., Dec. 17, 1831; son of John and Nancy Hunter; grandson of John and Susan (Kellam) Hunter, and a descendant of John Hunter, born in Williamsburgh, Va. He removed in infancy with his parents to Edgar county. 111., was educated in the jjublic schools and at Edgar academy, and engaged in civil en- gineering for tln-ee j'ears. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1854, and practised in Paris, 111. He was a member of the state senate, 1865-69; Democratic nominee for congress in 1870 and in 1882; county judge of Edgar county, 1886-92, and Democratic representative from the state at large in the 53d and c5th congresses, serving 1893-95 and 1897-99.

HUNTER, Charles, naval officer, was born in Newport, R.L, in 1813; son of the Hon. William and Mary (Robinson) Hunter, and grandson of Dr. William and Deborah (Malbone) Hunter. He entered the U.S. navy as midshipman in 1831, was promoted lieutenant in 1841, and was retired at his own request in 1855. At the outbreak of the civil war he volunteered his services, and was commissioned commander and assigned to the steamer Montgomery, of the Gulf squadron. While on blockading duty in 1862 he chased a British blockade runner into Cuban waters and there fired upon her. As this was a breach of the neutrality with Spain the act was investi- gated, and Commander Hunter was placed on the