Jefferson Hunt (January 20, 1803 – May 11, 1879) was a U.S.
western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
pioneer, soldier, and politician. He was a captain in the
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service, recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation. The volunteers served from July 1846 to July ...
,
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in the California State Militia, a
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The A ...
man, and a representative to the
Utah Territorial Legislature
The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 state representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 state senators. There are no term ...
.
Early years
Hunt was born to John Hunt and Martha Jenkins on January 20, 1803, in
Bracken County, Kentucky
Bracken County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,488. Its county seat is Brooksville. The county was formed in 1796.
Bracken County is included in the Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-I ...
. Some sources cite his full name as Charles Jefferson Hunt, while others cite it as Jefferson David Hunt.
He married Celia Mounts in December 1823. In 1834 they both converted to
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
and were baptized on March 7, 1835.
Mormon migration
The family, which then included six children, started their migration with the Mormons to
Far West, Missouri
Far West was a settlement of the Latter Day Saint movement in Caldwell County, Missouri, United States, during the late 1830s. It is recognized as a historic site by the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, added to the register in 1970. It ...
, in 1837. Other sources say they had moved to Clay County, Missouri first before going to Far West. It took the Hunts four weeks to make this journey. Jefferson Hunt was later called as an Assistant Marshall along with
George M. Hinkle.
The family moved again with the Mormons to Illinois where they settled twenty miles outside of
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its historic importance and its ...
. He served as a major in the
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized militia of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States. With growing antagonism from surrounding settlements it came to have as its main function the defense of Nauvoo, and surrounding Latter Day Saint ...
. Soon after he was ordained to the office of
High Priest
The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious caste.
Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many gods rever ...
and later became an early participant in
plural marriage
Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more tha ...
when he married Matilda Nease.
Mormon Battalion
In 1846, while encamped at
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The city is the most populous in Southwest Iowa, and is the third largest and a primary city of the Omaha–Council Bluffs ...
, he joined the
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service, recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation. The volunteers served from July 1846 to July ...
, which was formed at the request of the U.S. government for participation in the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
.
He was commissioned as a Captain, and was placed in command of Company A. Two of his sons also enlisted, and served under his command.
He temporarily commanded the entire battalion when its commander died, until a replacement arrived.
During the Mormon Battalion's journey Hunt's company made the first known gesture of peace between Mexico and the United States in what was called
The Exchange at the Presidio. The exchange took place very close to what is today
Tucson
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
, Arizona. This event is commemorated with a statue in downtown Tucson. The statue was dedicated in 1996 by
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley (June 23, 1910 – January 27, 2008) was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from March 1995 until his death in January 200 ...
, then President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
His entire family journeyed with the battalion as they completed what may be the longest march in
U.S. military history, ending in San Diego, California.
California expeditions
After being discharged from the Mormon Battalion, Hunt and his family settled in
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
, in 1847.
Soon thereafter, Hunt proposed traveling back to California to bring food and supplies for other recent Utah arrivals. Mormon authorities approved this proposal, and Hunt undertook this journey with
Porter Rockwell
Orrin Porter Rockwell (June 28, 1813 or June 25, 1815 – June 9, 1878) was a figure of the Wild West period of American history. A lawman in the Utah Territory, he was nicknamed ''Old Port'' and ''The Destroying Angel of Mormondom''.
Rockwell se ...
, several former Mormon Battalion members, and two of his own sons.
Later he guided several parties of gold prospectors from Utah to California. One of the groups he led to California became impatient at his slow progress, and many of the party members elected to abandon Hunt's group, and follow their own route to California. They became the infamous
Death Valley '49ers. Those staying with Hunt made the journey without serious incident.
He briefly represented
Iron County in the
Utah Territorial Legislature
The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 state representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 state senators. There are no term ...
in 1851. He was not a resident of Iron County, but he happened to pass through the county as elections were held, and he was chosen by the locals.
California years
In 1851 he was called by his church to help create a
Mormon colony in
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino (; Spanish for "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 cen ...
. This colony was the first American settlement in California after Statehood.
In that settlement he organized the building of a log fort which is the largest log fort ever built in California history.
From 1853 to 1857 he served as a member of the
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The A ...
. Elected to represent
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
, he introduced legislation in his first year in office to create
San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...
, which passed. Upon the creation of San Bernardino County he became the county's first Assemblyman. He is honored as the "Father of San Bernardino County", which is the largest county in the contiguous United States.
In 1856 he was appointed as a brigadier general in the
California State Militia
The California National Guard is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal-state military reserve force. The CA National Guard has three components: the CA Army National Guard, CA Air National Guard, and CA State Guard. ...
.
Later years
In 1860 he founded the town of
Huntsville, Utah
Huntsville is a town in Weber County, Utah, United States. The population was 608 at the 2010 census. It is located in Ogden Valley. It is part of the Ogden– Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Ogden Valley ...
.
He served as a representative to the
Utah Territorial Legislature
The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 state representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 state senators. There are no term ...
in 1863, representing
Weber County.
He died in 1879 in
Oxford, Idaho. Jefferson Hunt is buried at th
Red Rock Cemetery in Bannock County, Idaho, US
Legacy
Jefferson Hunt is the namesake of Huntsville, Utah.
Hunt has a number of noteworthy descendants:
*
John Hunt Udall
John Hunt Udall (August 23, 1889 – March 3, 1959) was mayor of Phoenix, Arizona from 1936 to 1938. He was a member of the Udall political family.
Biography
The son of David King Udall and Ida Frances (Hunt) Udall, he was born and ra ...
, great-grandson, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona
*
Jesse Addison Udall, great-grandson, Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court
*
Don Taylor Udall
Don Taylor Udall (July 20, 1897 – March 14, 1976) was a member of the Arizona State Legislature from the Udall political family.
Born and raised in Arizona, he was the son of David King Udall and Ida Frances (Hunt) Udall.
He graduated fro ...
, great-grandson, Arizona State Legislator
*
Nick Udall
John Nicholas Udall usually called Nick Udall (July 23, 1913 – June 15, 2005) was mayor of Phoenix, Arizona from 1948–52. He was a member of the Udall family, Udall political family and was also a nephew of Spencer W. Kimball, the ...
, 2nd great-grandson, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona
*
Gordon Harold Smith, 3rd great-grandson, U.S. Senator from Oregon
*
Milan Dale Smith, Jr., 3rd great-grandson, Federal Judge, U.S. 9th Circuit
See also
*
Udall family
The Udall family is a U.S. political family rooted in the American West. Its role in politics spans over 100 years and four generations. Udall politicians have been elected from four different states: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon. ...
References
*
External links/sources
Text of speech about Jefferson Hunt's Life*
ttp://www.hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=73983 Exchange at the Presidio*
ttp://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/14/resources/11629 Norma Elliott collection of Jefferson Hunt materials, MSS 8665a
L. Tom Perry Special Collections Brigham Young University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, Jefferson
1804 births
1879 deaths
American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Converts to Mormonism
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Members of the California State Assembly
Members of the Mormon Battalion
Members of the Utah Territorial Legislature
19th-century American politicians
Mormon pioneers
People from Bracken County, Kentucky
Politicians from Salt Lake City
Politicians from San Bernardino, California
People from Huntsville, Utah
California Whigs
Latter Day Saints from Kentucky