John Dunn Hunter

John Dunn Hunter (ca. 1796–1827)[1] was a leader of the Fredonian Rebellion.

Dunn Hunter claimed to be ignorant of his birthplace[2] and that he was taken prisoner with two other white children by Native Americans who either belonged to or were associated with the Kickapoo nation.[3] Dunn Hunter lived with the Kickapoo until 1816[1] but he traveled widely during that time and received a good education,[1] meeting Robert Owen[4] and John Neal[5] in England. Not knowing his real name, Dunn Hunter took on the name of an English benefactor, one John Dunn.[1] The "hunter" was later added due to his abilities in that field.[1]

Dunn Hunter arrived in Texas in 1825[6] and in December he was sent by Richard Fields to Mexico with the aim of negotiating for a Cherokee settlement in Texas.[1][6] Dunn Hunter arrived in Mexico City on March 19, 1826[1] but regretfully returned to Texas April 1826 with news of his failure.[7]

Dunn Hunter and Fields then opened negotiations with Martin Parmer which culminated in the Fredonian Rebellion.[1] The Cherokee repudiated the rebellion and ultimately it was decided that Fields and Hunter should be put to death.[8] Dunn Hunter escaped but a Mexican militia headed by Peter Ellis Bean was tasked with tracking him down.[8] Dunn Hunter was caught and executed in early February 1827.[1]

References
  1. "Hunter, John Dunn". Texas State Historical Association.
  2. Dunn Hunter, John. Memoirs of a Captivity Among the Indians of North America. p. 3.
  3. Dunn Hunter, John. Memoirs of a Captivity Among the Indians of North America. p. 4.
  4. Lamborn Wilson, Peter (2003). Pirate Utopias: Moorish Corsairs and European Renegadoes. Autonomedia. p. 30. ISBN 1-57027-158-5.
  5. Richards, Irving T. (May 1936). "John Neal's Gleanings in Irvingiana". American Literature. 8 (2): 170–179. doi:10.2307/2920210. JSTOR 2920210. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  6. Everett, Dianna (1995). The Texas Cherokees: A People between Two Fires, 1819–1840. Civilization of the American Indian Series, v. 203. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-585-16884-5.
  7. Everett, Dianna (1995). The Texas Cherokees: A People between Two Fires, 1819–1840. Civilization of the American Indian Series, v. 203. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-585-16884-5.
  8. Everett, Dianna (1995). The Texas Cherokees: A People between Two Fires, 1819–1840. Civilization of the American Indian Series, v. 203. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-585-16884-5.


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