JosephHunt  

 
JOSEPH HUNT, farmer,of section 2, township 17, range 10, post office Virginia, was born inKentucky, September 19, 1824. His parents moved to Sullivan county, Indiana,when he was one year old. Here he grew to manhood, coining to Illinoiswhen he was twenty-five and stopping two years in Sangamon county. Fromthere he went to Cass county, thirty-eight years ago. His parents wereJohn R. and Hannah (Davis) Hunt. Both were natives of Kentucky, and thegrandfather was also a Kentuckian, who lived to be ninety years old. Bothparents died in Sullivan county, Indiana. They had eleven children, ofwhich large family Joseph was the eldest. Eight of the children are stillliving. John Wesley died in Nashville during the war, being a soldier;Dora was killed accidentally with a scythe, and George died in mature years,leaving a family. Levi, James, Sarah A., Mary, Elizabeth, Martha and Maciaall live in Sullivan county, Indiana. Joseph enlisted in August, 1862,in Company D, One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, and was assignedto duty with the army of the Cumberland. He participated in the siege ofVicksburg under General Grant. From there he went to the battle of Jackson,returned to Memphis, and was in that fight; next engaged in the light atChampion Hills, and from there went to the Black River, where he builta bridge under fire from the enemy. He was under General Thomas at thistime. He guarded a pontoon bridge for about six months, and while thereheard of the surrender of Lee and Johnson. He was discharged in August,1885, having served three years. Joseph was home but once during his service,and that was on a sick furlough. He had the erysipelas while in serviceand it injured his eyes so much that he was nearly blind, and a furloughwas necessary. He has never recovered from the effect of it. He receivesa small pension, on account of heart disease.

He was married on thefarm where he now lives, to Durinda B. Freeman, February 12, 1854. Theyhave had two children: James Henry, the eldest, is married and reside inLeadville, Colorado. He has been keeping hotel until recently. He is nowemployed at the Government Fish Hatchery. He has one child, Bernice. Idamarried John T. Drinkwater, and lives near by. They have two sons, Ralphand Joe. Mr. Drinkwater is a breeder of road and draft horses.

Mr. Hunt is a staunchRepublican, although the rest of the family were Democrats. He and hiswife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and are worthy peopleand are highly respected by their host of friends. Mr. Hunt does not belongto any social orders.
 
 

Biographical Reviewof Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical ReviewPublishing Co., Chicago, 1892, pages 197-198.

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