Record

Authorised form of nameHunter; Robert (- 1734)
Dates - 1734
NationalityBritish
Place of birthHunsterston, Ayrshire
Place of deathJamaica, West Indies
Date of death31 March 1734
OccupationSoldier
ActivityEducation:
?Apprenticed as an apothecary
Career:
Entered the Army; fought at the Battle of Blenheim, as a major (1704); Lieutenant Colonel (1707); appointed Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (1707), but captured by a corsair on his way to Virginia, taken to France, and exchanged for the French Bishop of Quebec; appointed Governor of New York and sailed with 3000 Palatinate refugees as settlers (1710); returned to England as Brigadier General (1719); succeeded as Governor of New York by William Burnett (FRS 1706), whose post as Comptroller of Customs he was given in exchange (1719); Major General (1729); Governor of Jamaica (1727-death); with Lewis Morris wrote 'Androborus' the first play known to have been written and printed in America
Memberships:
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election04/05/1709
RelationshipsSon of James Hunter and his wife, Margaret Spalding; married Elizabeth, widow of Brigadier-Genera John Hay and daughter of Sir Thomas Orby
SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DAB
References:
'Gentleman's Magazine' 1734, p330
Notes:
From Journal Book 04 May 1709: "Coll Hunter [and others] ... propos'd ballotted for and chosen members of ye Society"
CodeNA7398
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
MS/390/141Bond of Robert Hunter to the Treasurer of the Royal Society18 May 1709
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