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]
White Savage: The Case of John Dunn Hunter. Richard T. Drinnin Schocken Books, 1972. ISBN 978-0805234619.
. Peter Lamborn Wilson. Pirate Utopias: Moorish Corsairs and European Renegadoes. 2003. Autonomedia. 30. 1-57027-158-5.