John Hunter

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This so ...

(7 September 1746 – 18 January 1837) was a Scottish

classicist Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

and

horticulturalist Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

. In 1783 he was a joint founder of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

Life

The grave of Prof John Hunter, St Andrews Cathedral Churchyard

Hunter was born in Closeburn, Dumfries and Galloway on 7 September 1746. He was educated nearby at Wallace Hall School. He was then attended the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

, graduation with an MA in 1768. His first role was as private secretary to Lord Monboddo. In 1775 he then accepted the role of Professor of Humanity at the United College in

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

, continuing in this role until 1826. In 1826 (aged 80) he took on the role of Principal of the twin colleges of St Leonards and St Salvators at the University. The University of Edinburgh awarded him an honorary doctorate (LLD) in later life. He died at

St Andrews St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's four ...

on 18 January 1837, and is buried in St Andrews Cathedral churchyard.

Family

He married twice, firstly around 1770 to Elizabeth Miln and together they had a son, James Hunter (1772-1845) who was Professor of Logic and Rhetoric at St Andrews University. He was also minister of St Leonards Church in

.Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana by Hew Scott On the death of Elizabeth, Hunter married Margaret Hadow.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, John 1746 births 1837 deaths People from Dumfries and Galloway Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Academics of the University of St Andrews Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh