Person Page 2,718

Thomas Henry Hunt

Parents

Father	Parker Henry Hunt (b. 1780, d. 1868)
Mother	Anna Pennsylvania ("Penny") Page (b. 1784, d. 1855)

Children with Mary Livingstone (b. 1820, d. 1850)

Son	John Hunt (b. 1841)
Daughter	Nancy Hunt (b. 1845)
Daughter	Marietta Virginia ("Mary") Hunt+ (b. 23 October 1848, d. 15 January 1926)

Person Exhibits

Biography

Anecdote		This is taken from the little booklet; "Three Sisters History, Mollie, Emmaline Clementine, and Nannie - The Hunt - Tidwell Reunion." Descendants in reunion in the Alabama group meeting at Mt. Hickory Church, twelve miles north of LaFayette, Alabama, the first Sunday in August and in the California group meeting at Ganesha Park at Pomona, California, the third Sunday in August, purposed to establish further history of peers to publish and distribute to descendants as a memorial to our deceased and as a record for those living. The HUNT'S history starts with three brothers; PARKER, GEORGE and THOMAS HENRY HUNT, SR. There is conjecture that their father too was named PARKER, this is uncertain. Too, at Salem, the first county seat of Lee County after its formation in 1867 from parts of Chambers, Russell and Macon Counties and near to the first known homesite of the HUNTS, a grave of LUCINDA HUNT and some PAGES add conjecture since the PAGE name could have been the maiden name of the mother of the HUNT brothers. This area was opened to homesteaders during the 1830-1840's after the relocation of the entire Cherokee Indian tribes to the Oklahoma reservation an influx of settlers came in and it is possible the HUNTS were in this number. In the pine lands of Lee County and off the Springvilla-Salem Road some 4-5 miles southwest of Salem two obliterated homesites were pinpointed, that of the HUNTS and JARRELLS (the JARRELLS a part of our history) and nearby the graves of PARKER and REBECCA PATTERSON HUNT. This woodland has long been converted to pulpwood usages and no other homesites are nearby. By traversing the Springvilla Road from the southwest to the northeast and past the ending of the blacktop, across Rocky Brook Creek and approximately one-half mile to a woodland road opening on the right; thence, southeasterly the JARRELL homesite is on the left while the HUNT homesite is on the right and on the right on a knoll in the pinelands some twenty feet from the road with a larger-than-other pines standing between, the two graves can be found. It is possibly three-fourths of a mile from the Springvilla Road. However, this road can become impassible in rainy seasons. (Post-date: In 1991, the property and the gravesites were bulldozed by the Mead Paper Co. employees) - Heflin Rowland The best prior history to the HUNT brothers is found on the grave slab of PARKER, indicating he was born in Upson County, Georgia, in 1822. In Lee County, the three brothers married three sisters; PARKER to REBECCA PATTERSON, GEORGE to LEITHA JANE PATTERSON and THOMAS HENRY HUNT, SR. to MARTHA PATTERSON, the latter two were the parents of the namesakes of the HUNT triangle of our Reunion. The PATTERSON name is interlaced into the early history of Lee County. It is thought that ALBERT PATTERSON, who was assassinated by mobsters in Phenix City and before assuming office after his election as Governor, and his son, JOHN who subsequently served came from this family. Although the graves of GEORGE and THOMAS HUNT, SR. weren't found the grave of the wives add strength to the assumption of correctness; REBECCA 1830-1879, LEITHA JANE 1831-1903, and MARTHA C. 1828-1909. At Union Grove Baptist Church on Lee County Road #44 and 6-8 miles southeast of Opelika, near to the center of the cemetery in a block enclosed lot, the grave of LEITHA JANE can be found with the graves of TERESA and WILLIAM J. HUNT, possibly daughter and son, the son probably the HUNT who was killed by a negro attacker after the Civil War. Also, in the same plot the graves of CHARLIE and GEORGIA MONK are found, giving rise to conjecture that LEITHA JANE was married to a MONK after GEORGE had killed and election day antagonist and run away, probably to Columbus, Georgia and never returned. This accounts for his grave absence there. Since the JARRELL'S name is prominent in the HUNT history, it is well that a note should be added here. In the Union Grove Cemetery is the grave of SMITH JARRELL who was first married to MARY JANE HUNT daughter of PARKER and REBECCA HUNT. In the same plot is the grave of SARAH daughter of THOMAS H. HUNT, SR. and MARTHA HUNT, who was taking care of her cousin in sickness and later married SMITH JARRELL as his second wife. The inter-marriages of these HUNT'S certainly added relationship complexities! (Parker and Rebecca's daughter Mary Jane was adopted. She was actually the daughter of Thomas H. Hunt, Sr. and Mary Livingston. When Mary Livingston died, Thomas Hunt, Sr. adopted out all of her children. Obviously, his brother Parker and his wife Rebecca could not have children so they took Mary Jane. She was the baby. Plus, until Parker married he lived with Thomas H. Hunt, Sr. and his family. He is found in the censuses as part of the household. I imagine that Mary Jane was as much attached to him as she was to her father, maybe, more so. Anyway, I was glad that she did not have to go to strangers). VickiIn the Beauregard Community some 6-8 miles south of Opelika, MARTHA and THOMAS H. HUNT, SR., were to start their family, the exact location wasn't pinpointed. However, it was probably near to Old Chewalla Cemetery, a woodland plot and long abandoned. Here the gravesite of; "MONROE JENKINS (1857-1865) an 8 year old son of THOMAS H. and M. C. HUNT," was found. This woodland plot can be found on the south side of the Phenix City-Auburn Lee County Road, and 2-3 miles west of Whatley's Store. Too, it is past the first blacktop road intersecting from the south, the first woodland plot bordering the highway. This cemetery among the forest trees and the pine land plot of PARKER and REBECCA HUNT certainly add an antiquated aspect to our HUNT history. Before listing descendants of our direct progenitors several of the JARRELLS should be mentioned. ETHEL JARRELL JONES, at age 81, and one daughter of W.P. JARRELL who was a son of MARY JANE HUNT JARRELL, now lives with members of her family two miles northeast of the original HUNT-JARRELL homesite. Too, her brother; W.S. lives nearby. DOC, a son of SARAH HUNT JARRELL, PARKER, and EDDIE JARRELL are dead. A niece of PARKER JARRELL, PEGGY NEWSOME, now works in the Lee County Probate Office. (Post-date: Retired in 1991) - Heflin Rowland Before, MARTHA PATTERSON HUNT'S death, she and THOMAS H. SR. (who in early years was married to a LIVINGSTON) bore two sons other than MONROE JENKINS. They were ROBERT "ROB" and THOMAS HENRY, JR. our direct progenitor, who later married EMMALINE CLEMENTINE JONES, one of the three sisters. They had 3 daughters, MARY who was married to HENRY CHAFIN, MARRIETTA who married RICHARD "DICK" ALLEN and SARAH, aforementioned, who married SMITH JARRELL. (Here I am a little confused by the author of the booklet. First, he says that Mary Jane Hunt was married to Smith Jarrell and now he is saying that Sarah Hunt is married to Smith Jarrell......?) - Vicki "ROB married MARTHA HOWARD. They are buried at LaGrange, Georgia where they lived in later years. A son, ALBERT, was known to have lived in Savannah, Georgia. A daughter, MARY ELLA HUNT HUGHLEY who was married to MARSHALL HUGHLEY of Crawford, is buried at Phenix City. Two of their descendants possibly nieces and of ROB, HELEN SPEERS and MARY OLDS now live in Phenix City. A grandson of ROB, JAMES ROBERT HUNT HUGHLEY, now lives in the Dixie Community of Lee County. MARY CHAFIN has several living descendants in the Lee County area. MARY, age 80, and ESSIE, age 90, now live south of the Beauguard Community with a nephew, DURWOOD CHAFIN, and near to a brother, MONROE "ROE" CHAFIN. CLARICE FULLER of Crawford, a daughter of MARY CHAFIN WALTON and granddaughter of MARY CHAFIN, was found. MARIETTA had a son, LESLIE ALLEN, who had two sons, CECIL and J.D., the latter Mayor of Columbus, Georgia who was killed in a plane crash. ROB and MARTHA had three daughters; MINNIE, CLIO and DAISY, all are dead. The gravesite of MARTHA PATTERSON HUNT is at New Mt Olive. The graves of MARY and HENRY CHAFIN, MARRIETTA and RICHARD ALLEN are there.The migration to Chambers County to the Penton area and away from Lee County was probably made during the 1880's along with that of the TIDWELLS. Both JOHN TIDWELL and TOM HUNT families moved near to Mt. Hickory Church. The TIDWELL homesite is on a knoll south of the church. The HUNT homesite lies about 2 miles east of the church and the first north of the cross road. This house still stands though vacant for years. It is interesting to note that Mt. Hickory Church was founded as an academy by ELDER BENJAMIN LOYD during the early years of Chambers County history. A couple of THOMAS H., JR. and EMMALINE'S children were known to have been born in Lee County, but the others of nine must have been born in Chambers County. Nannie, a daughter, died early and is buried in the HUNT plot at Mt. Hickory. The report that a son, JOSEPH, died earlier could not be verified. It is certain that ADELLA, WILLIAM "BUD", MONROE, ROBERT (a school teacher and later state representative), JIM, LEE, SYLVESTER AND JOHNNIE (the only survivor; and at the age 88, is now living in a rest home in Ogden, Utah), were raised in this area; after the death of their father in 1895, by their mother and with the help of their older sister and brothers. Even before the younger of the brothers had reached accountable ages, EMMALINE died in 1908 and a couple finished their maturity in the home of ADELLA. In the meantime, WWI came and all able bodied men were conscripted into the army but not before ADELLA and JOHN WESLEY ROWLAND had moved in 1910 to Dothan, Alabama, with their family. JIM, JOHNNIE and SYLVESTER had moved to California. JIM married LORENE RICE there. SYLVESTER married RONA WRIGHT of Montgomery, Alabama, while JOHNNIE married MARY STILLWELL, too of Alabama. "BUD" married FANNIE DUKE the first time. (Second, he married EDNA L. UNKNOWN). MONROE married a daughter (must have meant sister) of FANNIE'S, ELIZABETH "LIZZIE." ROBERT married EARLIE LEE JIMMERSON, LEE married LODA ORR. BUD and FANNIE are buried at Hanover and south of Sylacauga. ADELLA and JOHN WESLEY are buried at Little Vine Church on Honeysuckle Road on the west side of Dothan. MONROE , LIZZIE, ROBERT, EARLIE LEE and LEE are buried in the HUNT FAMILY plot at Mt. Hickory Church. In California JIM and LORENE are buried in the Gardens of Reflections at Whittier. SYLVESTER and RONA are buried in Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery at West Los Angeles.Two daughters of ADELLA are dead. (Since this writing all of the children of ADELLA HUNT ROWLAND have died). HESTER IRENE died as an infant. She is buried in the HUNT Family Plot at Mt. Hickory. Another daughter MATTIE CORNELL WYNN is buried in Selma Baptist Church Cemetery in Dothan, Alabama. ANNIE, WILLIAM "BILL", MARION and SARAH all of BUD'S children have died. MARY, ARTHUR and JAY have died since the beginning of this history. HAROLD, a son of ROBERT and EDGAR, a son of LEE, are dead. Two daughters of SYLVESTER, MARIA and ALMA, have died.
DNA Verified		6 DNA matches through Thomas Henry Hunt
Birth	1818	He was born in 1818 in Harris, Georgia, United StatesBGO.
Marriage	1840	He and Mary Livingstone were married in 1840 in Georgia, United StatesBGO.
Residence	1850	He lived Age: 32 in Russell, Alabama, United StatesBGO, in 1850.1
1850 Federal Census	15 November 1850	He appeared in the 1850 federal census on 15 November 1850 in Lee, Alabama, United StatesBGO.
Marriage	1851	He and Martha Patterson were married in 1851 in Lee, Alabama, United StatesBGO.
Military	June 1864	He served in the military in June 1864. he 11th Regiment, Florida Infantry was organized in June 1864, by consolidating part of the 2nd and the 4th Florida Infantry Battalions. Many of the men were recruited in Hendry, Jackson and Bradford counties in Florida. The regiment was assigned to General Finegan's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. So, how did a recruit from Macon county, Alabama wind up in this Unit? As I have studied the recruiting practices toward the end of the Civil War I have found that sometimes the county that the recruit was from was no longer mustering Regiments. The recruits would be mustered into neighboring counties. At this time, the states were calling together there final musters. For some reason; Thomas Henry Hunt, SR. chose to join the 11th. There may have been someone recruiting in Macon county for that Unit. If he joined in 1864 and was in one of the last Regiments to go, it was because of his age. All the younger men had already gone and this was the last draft. Young men who had just reached 16 and older men in their late 30's and older were being taken. One record I found online said that he was first in Company I, then G. He enter the war as a Private and was promoted to Corporal and was believed to have died about 6 April 1865. The 11th Regiment, Florida Infantry was active at Cold Harbor, then saw action in the Petersburg siege south of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign. Those were the last battles of the war and it was some of the worst and most intense fighting that armies had seen. There were huge casualties, especially on the Confederate side. On 6 April 1865 the 11th was engaged in the Battle of Sailor's Creek. Gen. Robert E. Lee lost so much of his army in this campaign that it was here he realized that the Confederate cause was lost. Most of his army was wounded, taken captive, missing or killed. In 72 hours he surrendered at Appomattox. The battles were fought on about three farms in the area of Amelia County, Prince Edward County near Nottoway in Virginia. The Confederate dead was so high that they were buried in mass graves without identification. Eight of Lee's Generals were killed. In April, 1865, at Appomattox the 11th surrendered with 4 officers and 19 men. Officers: Col. Theodore W. Brevard, Lt. Col. James F. McClellan, Major John H. Gee. Battles: Cold Harbor, May 31 - June 12, 1864, Petersburg, June 9, 1864, Sailor's Creek, 6 April 1865, Appomattox, April 9, 1865.  The family said that both the Hunt and the Jones families were left orphans by the war. Martha Hunt, his widow filed for pension in Lee County. By the time he joined up he had already lost two of his brothers in the war, George Hunt and Richard Hunt. I do not know about all of his sons yet. I am sure that Grandmother Martha did not want him to go.
Death	6 April 1865	He died on 6 April 1865 at age ~47 in Lee, Alabama, United StatesBGO.

Citations

1. [S239] Ancestry.com, 1850 United States Federal Census, Year: 1850; Census Place: Beat 6, Russell, Alabama; Roll: M432_14; Page: 49A; Image: 359