James Joseph Heister Hunt 1854-1855-1865-1866-1872-1878-1880-1901
Born August 19, 1821 in Evansburgh, Crawford County, Pennsylvania .

Died February 7, 1905 in Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois.
Married Nancy Converse, on September 28, 1843, in Erie City, Pennsylvania. They had 10 children. Nancy died in Colorado in 1872. He married Lucia A. Davis, September 3, 1874.
Became a citizen of Naperville in 1844. In 1846 he opened a blacksmith shop.
His first public office was that of sheriff of DuPage County, being elected to fill that office in 1856 and again in 1862.
He engaged in the livery business in Naperville as early as 1855, and was identified with the business until about 1861, when he opened a hardware store, which he conducted until 1882.
He served as a Justice of the Peace for over 30 years and was Mayor of Naperville in 1877, 1878, and 1890.
Euclid Lodge held their meetings for several years on the second floor of his building located at the northwest corner of Van Buren Avenue and Washington Street.

He was initiated in Euclid Lodge May 28, 1850; passed June 18, 1850, and raised June 25, 1850. In 1851 he was elected Junior Deacon. In 1852 Junior Warden, and elected Worshipful Master in 1854, 1855, 1865, 1866, 1872, 1878, 1880, and 1901. He also served as Senior Warden in 1862 and 1879, as Senior Steward in 1875, 1896, and 1902, as Junior Steward in 1867 and 1873. He had always been one of Euclid's most active members, and only through his efforts was it that the lodge retained its charter during the crucial test of 1863-1864.

He also served as High Priest of Euclid Chapter No. 13, R.A.M. in 1858, 1859, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1879, 1881, 1882, 1883, and 1884.

The following biography is from "History of DuPage County, 1882," by Rufus Blanchard.

JAMES J. HUNT, hardware and agricultural implements, Naperville, is a native of Crawford County, Penn.; was born in the year 1824, and is the fourth child in a family of nine children born to James N.Y. and Sarah (Jewell) Hunt, natives of Vermont. He, a blacksmith, moved, when our subject was six years of age, to Erie, Penn. Our subject received a common-school education; at eighteen, went into his father's shop, and at nineteen he visited the West, spending one summer in Naperville; then returned home. He married Miss Nancy Converse, a native of Erie County, Penn., in 1843; she died in 1872 in Colorado, where she had gone for her health. After his marriage, he lived in Erie one year, then came, in fall of 1844, with his father, mother and six children to Naperville. Subject worked one year here in plow shop, and, in 1846, opened a blacksmith shop upon the present site of his store, and continued about twelve years. Soon after coming here, his father and mother moved to DeKalb County, where they died. He was elected sheriff in 1856, and has served one term since. He engaged in the livery business as early as 1855, and was identified with the business until about 1861. He then sold out his business, enlisted in the Thirteenth Infantry, and was elected Captain of a company. [He had previously held the office of Captain of a militia company of Naperville, which he had raised.] He took his company to Dixon, Ill., where he turned his office over to Judge Blanchard. He had held the office of Major in militia of Pennsylvania, where he raised a company. He returned home from Dixon and raised another company, and notified Gov. Gates, who answered that he should disband. He bought new stock, having sacrificed his property to go to the army, and continued the livery business about one year. About 1861, he engaged in his present business, buying a small stock of goods from another man. The business was small, and his sons conducted the same, but when the war was over he engaged regularly in the business, which at first was principally a tin shop, but gradually grew to what it is now. In 1858, he built the present building, where he carries on business. He was formerly a Whig, but is now a Republican. Has had nine children, four of whom are living. He was married, September 3, 1874 to Miss Lucia A. Davis, a native of New York; no children from second marriage. The four children living are Frank W., a partner with his father; Charles C., in father's store; James E., now in Dakota; Eva E., now at home. Mr. Hunt has been Justice of the Peace and Police Magistrate over twenty years; during the entire time, never had a verdict changed by Circuit Court, nor lost a prisoner during his term as Sheriff. He has liberally supported the enterprises of this community.

James J. Hunt, a retired merchant of Naperville, claims Pennsylvania as the State of his nativity. He was born in Crawford County, in 1824, and is the son of James and Sarah (Jewell) Hunt. The parents were natives of the Green Mountain State, and had nine children, of whom James J. was the fourth in order of birth. The father was a blacksmith, and in 1830 went with his family to Erie, Pa. In 1844 he came to Naperville, but not long after went to DeKalb County, where he and his wife spent their remaining days.

The educational privileges our subject received were those of the common school. At the age of eighteen he began working at the blacksmith's trade, and the following year visited the West, spending the summer in Naperville, after which he returned home. In 1843 he was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Converse, a native of Erie County, Pa. and the following year they came to this place. For one year Mr. Hunt was employed in a plow-shop, and in 1846 opened a blacksmith shop, where he carried on business for twelve years. In 1855 he engaged in the livery business, but in 1861 sold out to enter the service of his country.

Mr. Hunt had previously served as Captain of a company of militia, which he had raised in Naperville, and was now elected Captain of the Thirteenth Infantry, with which he went to Dixon, Ill. There he resigned his office in favor of Judge Blanchard. He then returned home and raised another company, notifying Gov. Bates, who answered that he should disband. Mr. Hunt had sacrificed his business in order to enter the army, but he bought it back and carried on a livery stable for a year. In 1861 he bought out a hardware and agricultural implement store, which was conducted by his sons until after the war, when he assumed charge and successfully carried on operations along that line for some years.

In 1872, Mr. Hunt was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died in California, whither she went for her health. She left four children: Frank W. and Charles C., hardware merchants of Naperville; James E., now of Dakota; and Eva E. On the 3rd of September, 1874, Mr. Hunt was again married, his second union being with Miss Lucia A. Davis, a native of New York.

In early life, Mr. Hunt was a supporter of the Whig Party, and has upheld the banner of the Republican party since it's organization. In 1856 he was elected sheriff of the county and served one term. For over twenty years he has served as Justice of the Peace and Police Magistrate, and has never had a verdict changed by the Circuit Court during that time. His rulings have been wise and just, and his long continuance in office shows that his fellow townsmen repose the utmost confidence in him and appreciate his ability and fidelity. He has always been a friend to those enterprises calculated to benefit the county, which finds in him a valued citizen. Mr. Hunt is now living a retired life, enjoying the rest he has so truly earned and richly deserves.

Obituary reprinted from "The Naperville Clarion", Wednesday, February 15, 1905.

About one o'clock Tuesday morning, Feb. 7, 1905, at his home in Naperville, James J. Hunt, aged 83 years, 5 months and 16 days, one of the most prominent and respected residents of Naperville, passed away after an illness of two weeks.

The funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at two o'clock, and was largely attended, many coming from other towns to pay a last tribute to the memory of their departed friend. The remains were interred in the Naperville Cemetery, where the last sad rites were conducted by Euclid Lodge No. 65, A.F. & A.M., of which he was a member for fifty-four years, having been initiated May 28, 1850; passed June 18, 1850, and raised June 25, 1850. In 1851 he was elected J.D.; in 1852 J.W., and served as W.M. in 1854, 1855, 1865, 1866, 1872, 1878, 1880 and 1901. He was one of Euclid's most active members and only through his efforts was it that the Lodge retained it's charter during the crucial test of 1863-64.

The pall bearers were F. A. Kendall, C. P. Dorn, D. D. Barnard, E. H. Tillson, F.C. Goodrich and A. M. Royce. Honorary pall bearers were Willard Scott, Samuel E. Shimp, A. McS. S. Riddler, Alvin Scott, Daniel Strubler and W. M. Crampton.

James Hunt was a native of Crawford County, Pennsylvania; was born Aug. 19, 1821, and was the fourth child in a family on nine children born to James and Sarah (Jewell) Hunt, natives of Vermont. He married Miss Nancy Converse, a native of Erie County, Pa., in 1843; she dying in 1872.

In the fall of 1844, with his father and mother, he came to Naperville, and worked a year in a plow shop, and in 1846, opened a blacksmith shop upon the present site of the store corner Washington and Liberty Sts., and continued about twelve years.

His first public office was that of sheriff of DuPage county, being elected to fill that office in 1856 and again in 1862.

He engaged in the livery business as early as 1855, and was identified with the business until about 1901. He then sold out his stock, enlisted in the Thirteenth Infantry, and was elected Captain of a company. He took his company to Dixon, Ill., where he turned his office over to Judge Blanchard. He had held the office of Major in militia of Pennsylvania, where he raised a company.

About 1861, he engaged in the hardware business, buying a small stock from another man. The business was small, and his sons conducted the same, but when the war was over he engaged regularly in the enterprise, which at first was principally a tin shop, but gradually grew to a prosperous concern until his retirement in 1893.

He had nine children, three of whom are living. He was married September 3, 1874 to Miss Lucia A. Davis, a native of New York, who survives. The three children living by his first marriage are Charles C., James E. and Eva E.

In politics Mr. Hunt was formerly a Whig, afterwards a republican. For forty years he held the position of Justice of the Peace, during which time he never rendered a decision which was reversed; and has also served the people as Police Magistrate, school trustee for thirty years and when Naperville was organized as a city, was elected our first Mayor in 1890. He was also a member of the village board, being a trustee in 1862, and President for two terms - 1877 and 1878; all of which positions he filled with honor to himself and the people. His life work was certainly an uplift to the community.

Among those attending the funeral were: Judge and Mrs. Batten, Mrs. A. Wetten, Mr. and Mrs. LeBaron, A. B. Cody, Mrs. H. E. Bell, Miss Mertz, of Chicago; A. J. Christie, Wheaton; T. S. Rogers, Geo. Heartt, Wm. Beidelman, Downers Grove.