Archie Hunter of Florence belonged to the third generation of a family of traditional chairmakers. His grandfather began selling his handmade chairs to supplement the meager income from his Kershaw County farm. Handhewn of poplar, his grandfather’s chairs became well known throughout the region for their sturdiness and stout construction. Following his family tradition, the young Archie Hunter was recognized by crafts authority Allen Eaton in a 1946 U.S. Department of Agriculture survey of rural crafts.
Hunter’s son, James, a fourth generation chairmaker, continues the tradition, making his own white oak rocking chairs with corn shuck seats, just as his great grandfather did, entirely by hand. Hunter received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 1993.