December 23, 1820 in Fleming County, KY - August 6, 1884 in Randolph County, IN

John Fletcher Hunt

Died, at his residence four and one-half miles south-west of Winchester, August 6, 1884, at 7 p.m., John F. Hunt, aged sixty-three years, eight months and fourteen days.

The subject of the above notice was sick but a very few days, and on Friday before his death on the following Wednesday, was in Winchester in usual health.  He was taken sick on Saturday, but nothing serious was thought of his condition by himself or friends, until on the morning before his death at seven p.m.

John F. Hunt was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, on the 23d day of December, A.D. 1820.  He came to Randolph County in 1839, and for forty-five years has been identified with the growth and prosperity of our county, being one of the foremost in every public improvement.  He was at one time a director of the Cincinnati, Richmond and Ft. Wayne Railroad, (row the G.R. & I. Ry.) and at his death was a large stockholder in said road, and in the building of turnpikes, churches, and other public improvements he was ready and willing to do more than his share.

He was married to Nancy Hill, March 13th, 1851, with whom he has lived happily for more than thirty-three years.  There was born unto them six children, two of them having preceded him to the better land; he therefore leaves a widow and four sons, three of them grown to manhood.

He united with the M. E. church more than thirty years ago, and remained a constant and active member until death.  He always considered it his duty to relieve suffering humanity, and through life he gave with a lavish hand, his motto being: "He who giveth tot the poor lendeth to the Lord."  He was a zealous worker for the cause of the saviour of mankind, and only a few days before his death, and while the very picture of health, he said to the writer that never from his earliest recollection had he in the least doubted the reality of religion or of a blessed home for the righteous after death, and at the funeral of a little child a few days before his death he reminded his hearers of the uncertainty of life, and to be ever ready when the messenger should come.  Little did that congregation think that the next grave in Huntsville Cemetery would be that of John F. Hunt, but it was.  "He was gone to the grave we no longer behold him;" from a life of useful labor he has gone to Heaven to enjoy the reward promised those who hold out faithful to the end, and while we who are left to mourn our irreparable loss, we feel confident that his pure spirit is safely housed in that blissful existence beyond the grave; he cannot come to use but we may go to him and be greeted with his well remembered smile when we cross the river of death.

The funeral services were conducted in a very able manner by Rev. McDaniels, at the residence of the family, after which the body was taken to Huntsville Cemetery and laid to rest, August 7th, 1884.

And now farewell, it is hard to part with him and know that we shall never see him again in this life, never be directed by his good counsel, never again to go to him for advice in time of trouble.  May God help us in this great calamity, and may all his friends and relatives learn wisdom from his counsel and advice, and prepare to meet him in the paradise of God.

His widow and sons have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community in this their sad loss and bereavement, and that faithful wife and mother who has stood by his side and labored with him so long, and happily looks up to God and says:  "Father, not my will but thine be done."

-Fremont Garrett

John F. Hunt, an old and well-known citizen of Washington Township, died at his residence last Wednesday night of cholera morbus, and his remains were interred at Huntsville on Thursday.  His sickness was very short, having been taken sick the Sunday previous, but his suffering was very great.

Submitted by Bobby Hunt