THROUGH
MOUNTAIN MISTS
Early Settlers of
Their
Descendants...Their Stories...Their Achievements
Lifting the
Mists of History on Their Way of Life
By: Ethelene Dyer Jones
Dr.
S. Vanus Hunter, dentist
Dr. S. Vanus Hunter and his wife, Lannie R. Miller Hunter |
From
S. Vanus Hunter was born
Bill Hunter's
parents were John A. Hunter (1844-1913) and Elizabeth Collins Hunter
(1844-1924). Through her lineage, Vanus'
grandmother Elizabeth was a daughter of Francis Collins, known as Frank
(1816- 1864) and Rutha Nix Collins
(1822-1893), and his great grandparents were Thompson Collins
(1785-1858) and Celia Self Collins (1787-1880), first Collins settlers
in Union County.
S. Vanus Hunter's mother, Martha Ann "Mat" Jackson
was the fifth of eight children born to William Marion Jackson
(1829-1912) and Rebecca Jane Goforth
Jackson (1833- 1901) who lived in the Old Liberty section of Choestoe
District, Union County. During the Civil War, Vanus's
Grandfather Jackson served in the Union Army from December, 1863
through July, 1865. His service was in
When S. Vanus Hunter's father died in 1894, Vanus was only four years old. He lived most of
his growing up years with his grandfather, William Marion Jackson. Vanus's mother married again to John Pruitt
Collins following her first husband's death. From his Grandfather
Jackson he learned a strong work ethic and a love for education. He was
educated in the local one-room schools of Choestoe and New Liberty, and
probably (though not proven) received his high school diploma either at
Blairsville Collegiate Institute or
On
Lannie
Miller was a sister to Stephen Grady Miller (1891-1932), father of the
Honorable Zell Miller, Governor of Georgia
and US Senator. Lannie and Vanus were related through their Collins
lineage. Her mother, Jane Malinda Collins
Miller, was a daughter of Francis "Frank" Collins and Rutha Nix Collins.
After their
marriage, the couple moved to
He opened his
dental office and practice for awhile before the couple decided to move
to
Vanus and Lannie Miller Hunter did not have children of
their own. Each had a compassionate heart. Vanus
was active in
Dr. Vanus Hunter died
From a rocky
childhood on a hard-scrabble farm, Vanus
Hunter went out from
[Ethelene
Dyer Jones is a retired educator, freelance writer, poet, and historian.
She may be reached at e-mail edj0513@windstream.net;
phone 478-453-8751; or mail
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