William Alfred HUNT

The following bio was taken from pages 252-253 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Gloria Riley

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

William Alfred Hunt was born in 1887 to Samuel Houston and Mary Alice Kellum Hunt in the Chapman Community, Rusk County, Texas. He was the third of nine children. William attended school in the Chapman Community, and also, in approximately 1904, began attending school in the Patrick Community.

William A. (Bill) was married on December 30, 1912, to Anna O. Patrick, born in 1887, daughter of John and Martha Heath Patrick. The wedding ceremony was held on the front porch of the old Mary Patrick Bolding home. This is the home where Anna was raised and resided until her marriage.

Bill and Anna built their first home on land that they purchased from his father, Sam Hunt. The land was adjoining the farm where Bill grew up.

Bill’s main profession in life was that of a cotton farmer. This profession involved many years of hard work with equipment being limited primarily to mule or horse drawn plows. Even though there was hard work, much happiness was shared in this family as they faced their responsibilities of life together. It will always be remembered that Bill made his last cotton crop when he was seventy years old.

While farming was his main occupation, there were other interests that he pursued, such as land terracing, employment in the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, and being Justice of the Peace.

Land terracing was a side profession which intrigued Bill because of his knowledge and skill in the use of surveying equipment. He, in the surveying of contour terraces, used levels, compasses, and rods that were used by his father, Sam Hunt, in land surveying and civil engineering work.

Bill was active in the A.A.A. office and fieldwork in the early 1940’s. This work involved the measuring of farmland and writing reports to the A.A.A. office for individual records.

One of the highlights of Bill’s multicareer was that of being Justice of the Peace of Precinct No. 7, Rusk County, Texas, which was the same J.P. office once held by his father. He held this office for several years, during which time there were many trials that came before the J.P. court. Not only did he administer justice through the J.P. court, but he was also, as Judge, authorized to perform wedding ceremonies, which he did on several occasions in his own home.

While pursuing their life together, Bill and Anna also were faithful members of the Pleasant Springs Presbyterian Church in the Patrick Community. Bill served as Sunday School superintendent for approximately thirty years. During most of this time, Anna served also as a Sunday School teacher in the primary department.

For many years Anna was a correspondent for the Henderson Daily News, covering news items from the Patrick Community. In addition to Anna’s other activities, she was also an active member of the Pine Hill Chapter of the Eastern Star.

Bill and Anna had two sons born to them, Alfred Woodrow (1914-1972) and William Eldon, born in 1920.

On December 30, 1962, Bill and Anna celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with many family members and friends coming into their home to share their joy. This was a time of special reminiscing over many years of happiness and accomplishments.

Bill died March 31, 1965, and Anna died February 5, 1976. They are buried at Shiloh Cemetery in Rusk County, Texas

Written by Sherri Hunt Nelson