 "Nathaniel
King Hunt, a retired resident of St. Cloud, was born January 23, 1837,
in Tumbridge, Orange county, Vermont, son of John and Eliza Harvey (King)
Hunt, the former of whom was born in Vermont in 1804 and died in 1888 and
the latter of whom was born in 1806 and died in 1901. In 1837, when
Nathaniel was but four months old, the family started west, going by boat
to Detroit, and thence by stage to within twelve miles of Kalamazoo, Mich.,
where they located on a farm. Here Nathaniel was reared, receiving his
education in Antwerp township, Van Buren county, as a boy, and later attended
the "Stone College" in Kalamazoo, Mich. For a time he worked as a clerk in
a store in Lowell, Michigan, and then, in partnership with Simeon Hunt,
engaged in the mercantile business in the same town. Subsequently he took
up farming in Antwerp township, Van Buren county, Michigan, and in connection
with his agricultural operations conducted a brickyard, using the clay
underlying his farm. In 1879 he bought 240 acres of wild land in Haven,
Sherburne county, this state. In 1880 he moved onto this farm, and started
to develop a model place. He broke and developed the land, prospered with the
years, and brought the land to a high stage of improvement. A splendid twelve-room
house, a large barn, 30 by 104 feet, and various sheds and other shelters for
stock, poultry, crops and equipment, are features of his farm landscape. The
place is now occupied by his son, G. S. Hunt.
In addition to the farm, and the home in St. Cloud, Mr. Hunt owns a cottage at
Long Lake, in Haven township, Sherburne county.
"Mr. Hunt deals to a
certain extent in real estate. In his earlier life he took an active part in
the affairs of his township, serving as supervisor and as town clerk. He also
occupied several school offices. For two terms he was an efficient member
of the lower house of the Minnesota Legislature. Since his residence in
St. Cloud he has taken an active part in civic affairs, and was one of the
aldermen before the commission form of government was inaugurated. He is
vice presidenct of the Commercial Club, belongs to the Elks, and has been
a Mason between fifty and sixty years. He is deeply interested in modern and
scientific agriculture, and it was through his untiring efforts that the
Farmers' Institute was established in St. Cloud. As a poultry fancier he
stands high. He is treasurer of the Central Minnesota Poultry Association,
which was organized at St. Cloud in 1911, and his Black Langshangs have never
failed to win blue ribbon prizes whenever he has exhibited them. Mr. Hunt
married for his first wife, Annetta Spencer, by whom he had two children,
Lena and Spencer. Lena married
Fred Scherfenberg and they have four children, Anetta, Clara, Myra and King.
Spencer married Ceola
Keller, and they have eight children, Freed, Nathaniel K., Florence,
Nellie, Viola, Harty, Lee and
Harry. Freed and Nathaniel K. are graduates of the agricultural department,
and Florence and Nellie from the domestic science department of the University
of Minnesota. Annetta Spencer Hunt died in 1866. For his second wife, Mr.
Hunt married her sister Jane,
who died in 1894. For his third wife he married Rose Mix, daughter of Orange
and Elizabeth S. (Hogan) Mix, the former of whom spent his life as a carpenter
and also operated an extensive fruit farm in Michigan."
-- from History of Stearns County Minnesota Vol I. (1915)
Chicago, H. C. Cooper Jr. & Co.
pp. 294-295
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