“H” is for Hunter, John (d. 1802)

“H” is for Hunter, John (d. 1802). Congressman, U.S. senator. Little is known about Hunter’s early life, but he pursued agricultural interests near the present-day town of Newberry and owned considerable real estate. In 1785 he won election to the General Assembly from Little River District (modern Laurens County).  In 1788 he was a delegate to the state convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution and attended the state constitutional convention in 1790. In 1791 Hunter was elected as the first representative to the General Assembly from the newly-created Laurens County. In 1793 he was elected to Congress by the voters of Ninety Six District. He was chosen by the General Assembly to complete the unexpired term of U.S. Senator Pierce Butler and took his seat in January 1797. John Hunter resigned from the U.S. Senate in 1798.