THOMAS HUNT 3-5-3-0-0
This is the same Thomas Hunt who is listed in Whitingham, Windham Co., albeit the family composition is listed somewhat different. He was an early settler of Whitingham, VT, where several of his children were born, and had later children born in Bennington shortly before he removed with his family to Butler Co., Ohio, where the village of Huntsville was named for him. Thomas Hunt was born 29 Aug 1745 (by family legend in Nova Scotia where his father, a soldier in one of the early French and Indian Wars, was granted land before the Rev. War but removed back to CT or MA at the time of the Rev. War), son of Thomas-5 and Mary Smith Hunt (William-4 and Sarah Emerson Hunt of Ipswich, MA, and Norwich, CT, William-3 Hunt of Ipswich, MA, Samuel-2 Hunt of Ipswich, MA, William-1 Hunt, the pioneer at Concord, MA).
Subject Thomas Hunt m. Anna Fitch abt 1773 because the 2d oldest son, Nathan, was b. 6 Dec. 1775 at Whitingham, VT, per Vermont Vital Records (VVR). There is family legend that Thomas served at Bunker Hill (June of 1775) and served seven years in the Rev. War. This does not necessarily mean seven continuous years which would appear unlikely from the births of five children recorded at Whitingham, Vt in the period 1775-1784. He was prob. the Thomas Hunt who was on the payroll of Capt. Joshua Hazen's Co. under command of Col. Peter Olcutt, enl. 23 Sept. 1777 and served 34 days--the only Thomas Hunt listed in Vermont Rev. War Records and he appears to be a resident of Vermont at that time.
Although Whitingham records show the birth of five children between 1775 and 1784, this is not conclusive that they were born in Whitingham. It was not unusual for families moving into new areas in the wilderness to record the names and birthdates of their children in the records of the town in which they settled. His sister Lydia m. in 1768 Hezekiah Newcomb of Bernardston, MA, and six years later his sister Hannah m. David Haynes (Haines) at Bennington, Vt, in 1774, and his brother John m. Martha Rider at Bernardston, MA, in 1775. The presence of so many siblings along the MA-VT border shortly before the Rev. War gives some credence to the possibility of Thomas Hunt settling in Whitingham by 1775.
It is reasonably certain that this is the Thomas Hunt who was in Whitingham in the 1791 census of Vermont and the same Thomas who also appears in the same census at Bennington, Vt, where his sister Hannah was m. in 1774 and where his son Isaac is said by family records to be born 14 March 1790. No Thomas Hunts are found in Vermont in the 1800 census and it is clear that before that date Thomas Hunt and his family moved to Butler Co., Ohio (NW of Cincinnati at the Indiana line). He settled with his family on a farm at what became the village of Huntsville, named for him. The farm was near the intersection of Princeton Road (H129) and Yankee Road, between Hamilton and Bethany on the Princeton Road. Local historical notes say there is no mystery where Yankee Road got its name--it was built by the Hunts and they were Yankees. Thomas Hunt was a census enumerator in the 1807 census of Butler Co., Ohio, and died there 25 June 1814, buried in the Hunt burying ground (private) on his farm at Huntsville with his wife Anne who died in 1832. His daughter Ruth and her husband Duran Whittlesey are buried in the same cemetery. Thomas and Anne had at least 12 children and descendants spread around Ohio and in the migration to other mid- and far-western states to the Pacific Ocean. His Will was made 11 April 1814 and proved 3 Aug. 1814. Children:
1. Thomas Hunt, Jr., b. abt. 1773, date not known but there appears to have been one son older than Nathan per the 1791 census of Whitingham, Vt, and is was common practice to give the first son the name of the father (and in this case also the name of the grandfather). He m. Sarah ___, but further not known. Thomas appears to have been given short-shrift in his father's Will and may have moved away before 1814.
2. Nathan Smith Hunt, b. "at Whitingham, VT" (per VVR) 6 Dec. 1775, m. abt 1810 Zephia (or Zelpha)___, died of malaria at Butler Co., Ohio, 2 Oct. 1819 while completing a bridge over the Miami River at Hamilton, Ohio. Had children: a. Nathan F. Hunt (1810-1871 who m. 1830 Sophia Kennedy (or Kinney); b. Zephia Ann Hunt (1812-1869) who m. 1830 James Rolfe (1809-1869).
3. Enoch Hunt, b. 1 Nov 1778 "at Whitingham, VT" (VVR); died at Whitingham 27 April 1785 (VVR).
4. Ruth Hunt, b. 12 Jan. 1781 at Whitingham, VT, m. Duran Whittlesey who was b. 24 Oct. 1775, son of Duran-4 Whittlesey (Duran-3, Joseph-2, John-1 of Saybrook, CT) of Haddam, CT, who removed to Butler Co., Ohio with brothers and sisters abt 1800. The Whittlesey Gen. gives the m. date as 3 Nov. 1799, place not mentioned, but possibly in Ohio. Had a large family of about 13 children.
5. Ira Hunt, b. 28 Nov 1782 at Whitingham, VT (VVR); some family records say he was b. in CT, but he is the fourth child listed as b, at Whitingham in VVR. Ira m. 12 March 1806 at Butler Co., Ohio, Elizabeth Vanduy. He was a bridge builder like his brother Nathan and some reports say he died the same day as his brother, but this is incorrect. He m. 2d in 1814 Mary Graham and had two children by his first wife and six children by his 2d wife:
a. Justice T. Hunt (1809-1892), m. 1828 Hannah McVey, and m.
2d 1870 Mary Conover (Faries) (1816-1885).
b. Ira F. Hunt (b.between 1810 and 1814), m. 1831 Rachel
McVey (b. abt 1809).
c. Phebe D. Hunt (1817-1848), m. 1836 Daniel Currier.
d. Heman R. Hunt (1819-1894), m. Anna Conover (1819-1899).
e. Eliza Jane Hunt (1822-1888?), m. 1843 George Conover.
f. Nancy W. Hunt, b. abt 1824, m. 1848 Abner Staley.
g. Mary E. Hunt (1826-1866), m. 1853 Michael Miller.
h. Rachal A. Hunt (1829-1910), m. 1851 David Sanders.
6. William Hunt, b. at Whitingham, VT, 28 Aug. 1784 (VVR), given land in Butler Co., Ohio, in his father's Will of 1814 but NFI.
7. Enoch Hunt, b. abt 1785 after an earlier son of this name died at Whitingham in 1785, m. 1st Cynthia ___and m. 2d, wife not known, had three children by each wife and died in 1842. Children:
a. Isaac W. Hunt, b. 1814, m. abt 1837-9 Sarah Marrs and m. 2d in 1850 Emmaline Wooley (1823-1908).
b. Thomas C. Hunt, m. in 1843 Mary Clark.
c. Samuel S. Hunt (1819-1895), m. 1850 Eliza Monroe (1830-1911) and m. 2d ____.
d. Sopronia Ann Hunt, b. 1825, m. ____.
e. George Washington Hunt, b. 1827, m. 1850 Nancy McKinnon.
f. John Ransom Hunt, (1829-1892), m. 1850 Nancy Stationer and m. 2d in 1860 Mary Dalton.
8. ?Hannah Hunt who m. James Daniel at Butler Co., Ohio, 26 Feb. 1811. She has not been identified as a dau. of Thomas Hunt and was not mentioned in his Will. However, Thomas had a sister named Hannah (otherwise accounted for) and this was the only Hunt Family in that area at the time of the m. and fits in with the marriages of the other children of Thomas. She may have died before 1814 and therefor not mentioned in Thomas's Will. On the other hand, no proof has been found that she was a dau. of Thomas.
9. Mary E. Hunt, b. abt 1787, m. prior to 1814 Charles West who died in 1878. She was mentioned in father's Will as Mary West.
10. Isaac C. Hunt, b. Bennington, VT 14 March 1790 (per family records, not found in VVR), moved with his family to Butler Co., Ohio, before 1800 and m. there 13 Oct 1808 Mary Squires Woodruff by whom he had at least 12 children (the 1850 census indicates two more) before her death 24 March 1848 at which time the family was living in Miami Co., Ohio. Isaac Hunt was a Methodist minister and lived at various places in Ohio. There are various versions of other marriages, some saying he m. 2d Elizabeth ___ and m. 3rd Jane McKinnon. One record says the 2d wife was Jane McKinnon (possibly the Jane Sharp who m. Uriah McKinnon in Logan Co., Ohio, in 1832--in the 1850 census a William McKinnon was living with Isaac and Jane Hunt). Jane died in Iowa in 1861 and Isaac died 7 Jan. 1874 at Eddyville, Lincoln Co., Oregon, and is buried in an old cemetery west of Eddyville along the river. (Lincoln Co., Oregon, is on the Pacific Ocean, west of Corvallis.) It is presumed that Isaac was living with his son Levi who died 11 June 1904 at Eddyville. The following are the reported children of the Rev. Isaac C. Hunt.
a. Enoch S. Hunt, b. 23 July 1809 at Huntsville, Ohio; m. 25 Dec. 1832 Ruth Ann Franklin at Shelby Co., Ohio; died 1 July 1833. Widow Ruth m. 2d 16 Oct. 1836 at Mercer Co., Ohio, John Miller and they removed to Oregon, where they arrived 16 Oct. 1847.
b. Duran Turl Hunt, b. 7 Oct. 1810 at Huntsville, Ohio, m. 25 July 1833 Sarah Franklin at Shelby Co., Ohio. She was sister of Ruth who m. Duran's brother Enoch. Duran died 4 March 1881 at Bennett City, Lancaster Co., Nebraska, buried in Bennett Cemetery. His will dated 17 Feb 1881 and proved 15 July 1881 lists six children: Vironicy, William, Mary, Duran, Winfield, and Sarah.
c. Silas W. Hunt, b. 24 July 1812, died 24 Sept. 1815.
d. Anna F. Hunt, b. 22 June 1815, m. 5 April 1834 Henry McVey at Miami Co., Ohio.
e. Lewis Jackson Hunt, b. 22 Dec. 1816, m. 8 April 1841 Lydia Dukeshine; is presumed to have died in the Civil War.
f. Sarah Ann Hunt, b. 31 Dec. 1818; m. 20 Jan. 1839 Hamilton Miller.
g. Ruth M. Hunt, b. 24 Feb. 1811; living unmarried in 1880.
h. Elizabeth Ann Hunt, b. 2 Jan.1824, m. April 1843 Simon Morse (or Moss).
i. Levi White Hunt, b. 18 Nov. 1825 at Champaigne Co., Ohio, married 23 Sept. 1847 Mary Priscilla Kenyon; died 11 June 1904 at Eddyville, Lincoln Co., Oregon.
j. Joshua B. Hunt, b. 25 March 1828.
k. Elizabeth Amanda Hunt, b. 27 Dec. 1829, m. 18 Nov. 1851 Isaac Van Horn; died 10 March 1874.
?l. Marion, b. 1834, twin, and ?m. Nancy, b. 1834, twin,living in family of Isaac Hunt in 1850 census.
n. Andrew W. Hunt, b. 3 Jan. 1832, died 3 Jan. 1832.
11. John Hunt, b._____. Was postmaster of Huntsville, Ohio.
12. Ann Hunt, b. abt 1800 as she appears to be the youngest child and was to wait four years before receiving the first installment of the $50 her father left in trust for her to her brother Ira.
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Huntsville
"There are a few graves in Huntsville, Butler Co., Ohio on land once owned by Thomas Hunt. This graveyard is alongside a barn at the corner of Yankee Road and State Route 129 on the southeast corner. He is thought to have been buried there and his wife Anne (Fitch) Hunt was buried there. Her tombstone lies in the grass. Ruth (Hunt) Whittlesey, a daughter, was also buried there and probably her husband Duran Whittlesey."
Whitington, Vt
At the anual Town-meeting of March 26, 1781, Thomas Stearns was chosen INIoderator ; Amos Green, Town Clerk ; Leonard Pike, EHphalet Hyde, Thomas Blodgett, Selectmen ; Thomas Stearns, Treasurer ; Amasa Shumway, and Jabez Foster, Constables ; Thomas Stearns, Benjamin Blodgett, Grand Jurors ; Henry Lee, Eliphalet Gustin, Tithingmen ; Abner More, Jabez Foster, Leonard Pike, Thomas Stearns, John Nelson, Petit Jurors. The records show a town meeting holden on the 9th day of December, 1781, and after choosing a moderator, the record proceeds as follows : " Voted to make allowance to those that have done most in the present war." "Voted that the Selectmen be a committee to treat with Capt. Hambleton concerning his not petitioning the General
to have our provision rate taken of," At the annual Town meeting, JNIarch 4, 17S2, Thomas Hunt was elected Town Clerk, and five Selectmen were chosen, viz : Daniel Wilcox, Thomas Hunt, Jabez Foster, Henry Lee, and Amasa Shumway. Thomas Stearns, Treasurer
; Jonathan Barton, Amos Green, Constables. This meeting was
adjourned to the 2Sth of the same month, when the town, as the record shows :
" Voted to raise two men for the ensuing campaign for eight months."
They also voted at the same meeting, " to raise &aid men bv a town rate,"
It will be seen by these votes of the town at that early
date, that these pioneer settlers in Whitingham, took a deep interest in the
struggle for freedom and independence, al- though Vermont was not a member of
the confederacy of States, that declared their independence more than five
years before. And the inhabitants of this town, as well as other sections of
^"ermont, had absolved themselves from all allegiance to the government of
New York, or any other government, except that of their own creation. At the
annual Town meeting, March 3, 17S4, it was voted "That the Selectmen iind
the Senter of the town, and make report at the next annual Town meeting."
It was also voted at the same meeting, " that Daniel Wilcox, Thomas
Blodget, and James Roberts, be a committee to look out some suitable
We have spoken of Princeton and Bethany, in Liberty township,
but have not mentioned an Important .little village which lies between. This is
Huntsville. A couple of miles east of Princeton is Gregory Creek, a much larger
creek for merly than it is today. It has size able tributaries, one of which
joins it near present Hughes Station. A short distance before coming to the
railroad the Princeton Pike turns to the left and follows this tributary which
is known as Hunt's Run. Where the Princeton Pike crosses Yankee Road is the
group of houses known as Huntsville. It is well known why this road from
Middletown to Cincinnati is called Yankee Road. The Hunts built it and the
Hunts were Yan kees. Thomas Hunt was the first set tler in this neighborhood.
His par ents were refugees from Arcadia, New Brunswick, Canada, made fa mous
by Longfellow's poem "Evan geline." The exact date that Thom as
came is not known, The earliest tombstone date found there is 1816, but the
Hunts came earlier than that. Four Sons, Builders Thomas Hunt had four sons,
all of whom were builders. This was not just in the sense that they were
carpenters, but rather architects. Nathan and Ira were bridge build ers. Their
names stand out dis tinctly in the pioneer annals of Hamilton and Rossville.
Nathan was an original member of the Miami Bridge Company which re ceived its
charter in 1816. There were seven sealed proposals for building the bridge.
Nathan Hunt was awarded the contract at $17,- 000, the work to be finished by
September 1819. The work progress ed finely. In the summer of 1819, Mr. Hunt
employed William Dan iels to erect the superstructure. That summer and fall
were the most unhealthful of any season ever known in fever-infested early
Hamilton. Almost everyone was ill. Work on the bridge came to a standstill—none
of the workmen was able to work. Mr. Hunt himself had the malaria and was among
the number of those who did not recover. He died on October 2. Zel- phia Hunt,
his wife, followed him in death, 36 hours later. They were buried on their home
farm near Huntsville. Ira Hunt assisted Mr. Daniels in completing the bridge—
the old covered bridge, one of the most famed of our early construc tions.
Meeker Birthplace There were natives of Huntsville who became even more famed
than the Hunts—at least their fame spread farther from home. An old red brick
house, still standing con spicuously in the village, is pointed out as the
birthplace of Ezra Mee ker. To how many does his name call up visions of oxen
and old covered wagons! Ezra Meeker was born in Hunts ville on Dec. 29, 1830,
and was a pioneer among those who sought the Oregon Trail. He made several
return trips, telling all who would listen of the wonders of this coun try out
on the Pacific Ocean. He conducted trains of immigrants over the trail. He did
not confine his interests entirely to Oregon. The trail out was always the
same, but he found fine country farther north than the boundaries of Ore gon
were set. He "founded" Puy- allup, Washington, a thriving town near
Tacoma. Ezra Meeker's "Ox Team Days on the Oregon Trail" was a best
seller as a book and as a picture. He is said to have been the oldest movie
star—and director. We must not forget that he was a Butler County boy who dared
to do things. Daniel Vorhees Another note-worthy native of Huntsville was
Daniel Vorhees. His activities were removed from our county. He did not get as
far west as Ezra Meeker went, but was a popular congressman from Indi ana
during the 1860s and 1870s, and is said to have taken a vital part in building
the Library of Con gress in Washington, D. C. It was the custom in the early
days to have family burial plots on CINCINNATI MINISTER TAKES COLUMBUS POST
CINCINNATI WJ—The Rev. Eric L. A. Hill, pastor of the Madison- ville Baptist
Church since 1947, is resigning to become pastor of the Tenth AveViue Baptist
Church, Co lumbus, O. He is to assume his new duties shortly after Jan. 1. Mr.
Hill came here from the First Baptist Church of Ironton, O. RELIGION NOT
SISSIFIED, LAYMAN DECLARES DENVER Wl—Religion is not a sisslfied job, says Dick
Van Voor- his of Mansfield, O. He told mem bers of the United Church Men, a
part of the- National Council of Churches of Christ in the U. S. A., that men
as well as women must contribute to church work. "It's a man's job,
too," the Evangelical Reformed layman said. the home farms. This was
before chapel graveyards were provided. Moreover, the poor condition of the
trails and roads made it next to impossible to reach such places with the dead.
There were no un dertakers, no hearses. Perhaps de votion to the memory of the
de parted caused a continuance of this practice even after there were im
proved conditions. In time, farms exchanged owners. There was no one left who
cared. The old mark ers crumbled to decay or were ruthlessly cleared
away—destroy ing valuable records of many of our pioneers. Going out from
Princeton, just before coming to Huntsville, is Spring Hill a ten-acre chapel
bur ial plot. It is on an elevation with an attractive tree-lined drive
"Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade, Where heaves the turf
in many a mould'ring heap, Each in his narrow eell forever laid, The rude
forefathers of the hamlet sleep." Not just of any hamlet, but of the
country-side for miles around. They were rude only in the sense that they were
farmers, who today are not distinguished from urban- ites. Here the Rev. Arthur
Elliott had his first charge—his parents were "forefathers" here,
although their gifted orator son later made his home near Hamilton. How many
stories are buried here!
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