Hunton

Marye (Brent) Hunton, was born in Fauquier
County, Va., where his family had been promi-
nent for a hundred years. He studied in New
Baltimore Academy, taught school three years,
read law under Judge John Webb Tyler, was
admitted to the Virginia bar in 1843, and at once
settled in Prince William County. Inheriting a
bent for military service from his father, he was
soon a colonel in the Virginia militia and four
years later (1847), a general. In June 1848, he
married Lucy Caroline Weir of Prince Wil-
liam, whose father, a Scotchman of the second
generation, had formerly been a merchant at
Tappahannock, Va. From 1849 to 1861 he was
commonwealth attorney of his adopted county.
As a member of the Convention of 1861 he ad-
vocated prompt secession, believing that a sat-
isfactory reconstruction of the Union without
war would ensue. Resigning, on the unanimous
petition of the convention's members he was ap-
pointed colonel of the 8th Virginia Regiment,
which he was ordered to recruit and equip
among his neighbors. Acting promptly, he was
at Manassas three days in advance of the battle;
and his knowledge of the country and military
intuition, it is said, contributed much to the Con-
federate success there (Southern Historical So-
ciety Papers, XXXII, 1904, 143). In command
of this regiment he participated creditably and
sometimes brilliantly in many Virginia battles.
Wounded in Pickett's charge at Gettysburg, he
was soon afterwards made brigadier-general,
promotion having been previously deferred, it
is alleged, because of his bad health; and with
this rank he finished the war. He surrendered
Apr. 6,1865, and was held at Fort Warren until
July. His home having been destroyed during
the war, he resumed the practice of law at War-
renton in his native county. During Reconstruc-
tion days he followed the orthodox course of
Virginians. For his ability and his services the
people sent him to the United States House of
Representatives three times (1873-81); then
he gave way to the astute and active politician
John S. Barbour, Jr. [#.#.]. Subsequently he
practised law successfully in Washingtotir—
among his clients being the Orange & Alexan-
dria Railroad. On the death of Barbour, who
had entered the Senate in 1889, he was appoint-
ed his successor by Gov. McKinney; but the leg-
islature in December 1893, though continuing
him for the remainder of the term (to Man 3,
1895), that he might round out his career, at the
sai*ie time chose as his successor Thomas S.
Martin [£.*>.], the new leader of the Virginia
Democracy (Richmond Dispatch, and Times,
Dec 8, 9, 1893). In Congress he

Hunton

was known for solid sense, hard work, uniform
fairness in debate, and undeviating support of
his political party. Perhaps he was most con-
spicuous as a member of the committee that ar-
ranged for the electoral commission of 1877 (of
which he did not altogether approve), and as the
only Southern member of that commission; quiet
influence, however, rather than activity marked
this service (P. L. Haworth, The Hayes-Tilden
Disputed Presidential Election, 1906). His
work in connection with the "Mulligan Letters,"
for the better governing of the District of Co-
lumbia, and in behalf of a national university,
for which, as chairman of a congressional spe-
cial committee, he made an elaborate argument,
received the commendations of his friends.
Against his retirement from the Senate he seems
to have made no protest; but he never forgave,
it is said, the manner in which Fitzhugh Lee
[#.#.] was prevented from becoming his suc-
cessor. He died in Richmond; his only child,
Eppa, survived him.

[L. G. Tyler, Men of Mark in Virginia, vol. I (1906),
and Encyc. of Va. Biog. (1915), vol. IV; Biog. Dir.
Am. Cong. (1928) ; House Misc. Doc. 761 44 Cong., i
Sess.; Proc. of the Electoral Commission ... 0/ ...
1877 (1877); Times Dispatch (Richmond), Oct 12,
1908; Confederate Veterant Nov. 1908.] C.C.P.

HUNTON, WILLIAM LEE (Feb. 16,1864-
Oct 12, 1930), Lutheran clergyman, editor, and
author, was born at Morrisburg, Ontario, Can-
ada, the son of Rev. John H. and Lavinia
(Baker) Hunton. He attended Thiel College,
Greenville, Pa., from which he received the de-
gree of A.B. in 1886, and graduated from the
Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia,
Pa., in 1889. That same year he was ordained to
the ministry of the Lutheran Church by the Dis-
trict Synod of Ohio, and became pastor of the
church at Amanda, Ohio, where he remained un-
til 1891. Subsequently he served Grace Church,
Rochester, N. Y. (1891-94), the Church of
the Atonement, Buffalo (1894-98), St. John's,
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (1898-1901), and Holy Trin-
ity, Chicago, 111. (1901-06). During the last
four years of this pastorate he was also instruc-
tor in the Lutheran Theological Seminary of
Chicago.

After 1906 he lived in Philadelphia and his
energies were directed to editorial work and
general denominational activities. When the of-
fice of literary secretary of the General Council
Lutheran Publication Board was established in
1906, he became the first incumbent, serving tm-
til 1917. He then assumed the management of
the Council's publication house. His leadership
was helpful in the period of transition preceding
and following the merger of the General Synod

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