John Hunt, Sr. Deceased Wednesday morning, June 20, at 1:10 o'clock

John Hunt, Sr. passed peacefully away at the family residence in this city in his 77 year.
The subject of this sketch was born in Ireland Aug. 28, 1828, and hence had he lived till August 28, 1906 would have been 78 years old. Coming with his parents to the country when 14 years of age, settled at Baltimore, Md. where he resided five years; thence to California in 1850, where he lived four years; thence to Clarksville, Arkansas, where he was united in marriage; served through the Civil War in the U. S. Army, and received an honorable discharge. Moving to the Indian Territory in 1879, he first settled at Monroe, and in 1895 removed with his family to Hartshorne, where he had since resided.
The late Mr. Hunt had been a consistent member of the Baptist church for over 40 years, serving many years in the capacity of deacon. A widow 66 years old, 10 children, 40 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren survive him. All of the children except one, Mrs. Louise Williams of Howe, being present at the funeral. Thus endeth a long and useful life of a good man.
The funeral services were conducted at the First Baptist Church by the pastor, Rev. C. H. Charleton, Wednesday afternoon at 4 o'clock, interment taking place in the city cemetery at 5:30, in the presence of many sympathizing friends and loved ones. He is interred at Elmwood Cemetery in Hartshorne.
(The Hartshorne Sun, Thursday, June 21, 1906)
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John Austin Hunt was born August 28, 1828 in Northern Ireland; the names of his parents and the place of residence are not currently known. At age 16, and after the death of both parents, he immigrated during the winter of 1844/45 to the United States where he said to have joined siblings in Philadelphia or perhaps New York City.
At a later date, he separated from his family and went to the California gold fields where by chance he became acquainted with his future father-in-law, Able C. Caudell. He returned to Johnson County, Arkansas, with Mr. Caudell. In 1855 he purchased farmland, and on October 20, 1855, he married Caudell's oldest daughter, Amanda Jane. In 1858 he became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
When the Civil War began John Austin Hunt remained neutral, but in the fall of 1963 he enlisted in the 2nd Arkansas Infantry of the army of the United States. As a Pvt. in Company A, he served along side his brother-in-law George W. Caudell at Clarksville, Little Rock, and in combat engagements of the Camden Expedition. In the spring of 1964, after his family was robbed and the home was burned by southern sympathizers, he returned home to protect and support his family. He later rejoined his unit at Clarksville and at war's end was granted honorable discharge and later on would receive a pension.
In 1871 John Austin Hunt took his family from Johnson County to southwestern Sebastian County, Arkansas, where various family farms and businesses were established in Indian Territory as well as in Arkansas. They joined other families there to establish a community and cemetery called West Harmony. The community building served as both a church and a school for the children.
In all, fourteen children were born to John Austin and Amanda Jane: one died as an infant and one died at age 17, but the remaining twelve men and women married and children of their own. The various family units operated farms and businesses in Indian Territory in what is now LeFlore County, Oklahoma, for almost 35 years.
In 1889, John Austin and Amanda Jane Caudell Hunt participated with missionary C. L. Alexander and the Lucas families in establishing the Mountain View Baptist Church in present-day Glendale, Oklahoma. These names are on the cornerstone of the current building.
In 1895, most of the family groups moved to Hartshorne in what is now Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. In 1906, John Austin Hunt died at Hartshorne, Indian Territory; his obituary was published June 21, 1906. His funeral was held at the First Baptist Church of Hartshorne. The following is quoted from the church bulletin:
"It is with sadness that we chronicle the death of Brother Hunt. He was by birth a native of the Emerald Isle, but in spirit and life a loyal American, a devoted father and husband, a lovable Christian always loyal to his church and his denomination. He served in the U.S. army in 2nd Regiment Arkansas Infantry, M. L. Stephenson commander. He was a true soldier having received an honorable discharge at the close of the civil war. He was 77 years and ten months old when the summons to come up higher came. He was for over forty years a faithful and devoted member of the First Baptist church in Hartshorne, where he held the responsible position of senior deacon until disabled by disease. For weeks his spirit has been fluttering against the bars of his earthly tabernacle longing for release, that came, and enabled him to enter that haven of rest that he has longed for these many years. He leaves behind him a large family with a devoted and earnest wife, who watched him faithfully by his side until the last and expects to meet him on the sunny banks of sweet deliverance, when life's battles have been fought.
"It has never been the lot of the pastor to be associated with two more devoted Christians than Grandpa and Grandma Hunt.
"Father's gone, but not forgotten / Never will his memory fade / Sweetest thoughts will ever linger / Around the grave where he is laid.
"We will all miss Grandpa Hunt. The pastor wonders which one of Brother Hunt's sons his mantle will fall upon."