John C. Hunton
Colonel John C. Hunton (January 18, 1839 - September 4, 1928) was an American Confederate veteran, pioneer and rancher. He was the founding president of the Wyoming Pioneer Association.
John C. Hunton | |
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Born | January 18, 1839 Madison County, Virginia, U.S. |
Died | September 4, 1928 Torrington, Wyoming, U.S. |
Resting place | Lakeview Cemetery, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S. |
Occupation | Rancher |
Spouse | Blanche Taylor |
Early life
John C. Hunton was born on January 18, 1839, in Madison County, Virginia.[1] During the American Civil War of 1861–1865, he served in the 7th Virginia Infantry of the Confederate States Army.[1][2] He was also in Pickett's Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg.[3] Later in life, he became known as "Colonel" Hunton.[3]
Career
After the war, Hunton worked in freighting in Missouri and Nebraska until 1867, when he moved to the Wyoming Territory and became a clerk to the post-trader at Fort Laramie.[1] From 1888 to 1890, he took over as the post-trader.[1]
Hunton established a ranch along the Chugwater Creek in Bordeaux, Wyoming, where he raised cattle.[2] He was the first president of the Wyoming Pioneer Association.[2] He was also "an authority on Indian warfare,"[4] and a diarist.[2]
Personal life, death and legacy
Hunton married Blanche Taylor.[2]
Hunton died on September 4, 1928, in Torrington, Wyoming.[1] He was buried in the Lakeview Cemetery in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[2] In 2010, the United Daughters of the Confederacy added a Confederate marker to his grave.[2]
Further reading
References
- "WYO. PIONEER DIES AT HOME. John Hunton Succumbs to Paralysis at Age of 89". The Billings Gazette. September 5, 1928. p. 4. Retrieved August 21, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- Barron, Joan (September 5, 2010). "Wyoming pioneer John C. Hunton gets Confederate gravestone". The Billings Gazette. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
- "Visiting Old Fort Laramie". The Nebraska State Journal. Lincoln, Nebraska. December 19, 1909. p. 26. Retrieved August 22, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "WYOMING AUTHORITY ON INDIAN WARFARE IS DEAD". The Independent Record. Helena, Montana. September 5, 1928. p. 12. Retrieved August 22, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.