My Genealogy Hound

RALPH HUNT, farmer, Sec. 5; P. O. Laura, Miami Co. The subject of this memoir was born in Miami Co. March 27, 1824, and is the eldest son of Elijah and Susanna Hunt, old residents of Miami Co., but natives of South Carolina; his father was born Dec. 18, 1800, and was a continuous resident of Miami Co. for nearly sixty years; he removed to Iowa in 1855 or 1856, and died in the winter of 1858; his mother was born Sept. 3, 1806, and departed this life Nov. 29, 1841. In a very early day, the early pioneers of Miami Co. were visited by a terrible and destructive hurricane; their cabins were hurled from their foundation like so much chaff, large trees were uprooted and thrown down, stock and people alike suffered from the fury of this storm. Mr. Hunt’s grandmother was terribly injured by the falling trees, and two of her children were blown in among the tree tops and killed, one was impaled on a limb, and its body was taken down after the fury of the storm. Our subject lived in Miami Co. about twenty-two years, and was engaged in farming, and removed to Darke Co., where he now resides, in 1846. He first settled on 80 acres of wild land, and went to work with his ax to remove the vast quantity of timber and underbrush—to prepare it for the implements of agriculture—and by dint of hard labor he has accomplished his purpose, and now owns 123 acres of choice farming land, well improved. He has a vivid recollection of the great star shower of Nov. 13, 1833, and he informs us the air was full of the descending meteors, and, was literally a rain of fire from the heavens; many people of a superstitious nature thought that the last day had come—that Gabriel with his trump was at hand to speak the summons of departure. He was united in marriage with Sophia Walker, Aug. 30, 1845; they were the parents of seven children, viz.: Henry, born July 25, 1846; Elijah, born Oct. 4, 1848; Abraham, born June 6, 1850; Susanna, born Dec. 18, 1851; Phoeba J., born Oct. 24, 1853; Theodore, born Jan. 18, 1855; Arlistus, born Sept. 18, 1857; Wesley, born March 16, 1859. Mrs. Hunt departed this life April 26, 1859; Elijah, died Aug. 27, 1849; Susanna, died March 21, 1871; Wesley, died Aug. 16, 1859. He was again united in marriage with Lydia Walker, by whom he had eight children, viz.: John W., born Jan. 1, 1861, died Sept. 14, 1861; Ida A., born Jan. 6, 1862, died Aug. 28, 1862; Delmont, born Jan. 22, 1863, died March 27, 1863; Sophia E., born April 11, 1864; James A., born May 18, 1865; Martha A., born Dec. 17, 1866; Charles M., born Feb. 3, 1868; Albert, born Nov. 29, 1869, died Sept. 21, 1870; Mrs. Hunt departed this life May 1, 1874. He was again married, to Rachel Walker, Feb. 19, 1876. Mr. Hunt has been identified in most all the township offices, which is ample proof of his executive ability, and of satisfaction being given to his fellow-townsmen; he is one of our liberal Christians, and believes in doing right, and knows it can be done regardless of creeds or denominations.