The territory embraced in this county, contained many true and gallant Whigs during the Revolutionary war.  Sketches of some of these will appear in the present chapter.

REV.  HUMPHREY HUNTER.

[Condensed from Wheeler’s “Historical Sketches.”]

Rev. Humphrey Hunter was born in Ireland, near Londonderry, on the 14th of May, 1775.  His paternal grandfather was from Glasgow, in Scotland.  His maternal grandfather was from Brest, in France.  His descent is thus traced to the Scotch-Irish, and Huguenots of France, forming a race of people who greatly contributed to the spread of civil and religious liberty wherever their lots were cast.  In America, the asylum of the oppressed of all nations, many of their descendants occupy proud positions on the page of history, and acted a magnanimous part in the achievement of our independence.

At the early age of four years, Humphrey Hunter was deprived by death of his father.  In a short time afterward, his mother joined the great tide of emigration to the new world, and in May 1759, embarked on the ship Helena, bound for Charleston, S.C.  After a long and boisterous voyage, the vessel at length reached its destination in safety.  His mother then procured a cheap conveyance and proceeded to the eastern part of Mecklenburg county, (now in Cabarrus) where she purchased a small tract of land, and spent the remainder of her days.

In the manuscript journal of the Rev. Humphrey Hunter, we are furnished with some interesting facts respecting his life and services.  He informs us he grew up in the neighborhood of Poplar Tent, inhaling the salubrious air of a free clime, and imbibing the principles of genuine liberty.  At this stage of his early training, he pays a beautiful tribute to the patriotism of the mothers of the Revolution.  He says: 

“Neither were our mother’s silent at the commencement of the Revolution.”  “Go son, said his mother, and join yourself to the men of our country.  We ventured our lives on the waves of the ocean in quest of the freedom promised us here.  Go, and fight for it, and rather let me hear of your death than of your cowardice.”

In a short time afterward this patriotic advice of his mother was called into action.  “Orders were presently issued,” continues his journal, “by Colonel Thomas Polk to the several militia companies of the county for two men, selected from each beat or district to meet at the Court House in Charlotte, on the 19th day of May, 1775, in order to consult upon such measures as might be thought best to be pursued.  Accordingly, on said day, a far greater number than two out of each company were present.”  Drawn by the great excitement of the occasion, surpassing that of any other preceding it, he attended the Convention on the appointed day.  He was then a few days over twenty years of his age, and mingled with the numerous crowd of interested