Hunt Family Tree – GOODSPEED HISTORIES

The Hunt Family was well-known in Hunterdon County from its earliest years, both in the county as it is known today, and in the part of it that was divided off to become Mercer County. For proof of that, just check out the index for Dr. Eli F. Cooley’s Genealogy of Early Settlers in Trenton and Ewing “Old Hunterdon County” New Jersey. You will find Hunt names filling two pages there.

The Index to James P. Snell’s History of Hunterdon County shows about as many Hunts as in the Cooley book. I have chosen to limit myself to residents of Hunterdon County as we know it now, beginning with:

First Generation:

(1) Thomas Hunt (c.1700 – 1790) & Mary, widow of John Heath

Thomas Hunt was the son of Samuel Hunt and Mary Burroughs. He was born in the town of Maidenhead (now Lawrence, NJ). In the 1730s he acquired land in Hunterdon County, where he spent the rest of his life. Note that he was about 90 years old when he died.

Fred Lathrop was of the opinion that Hunt’s first wife was Hannah Pierson of Long Island, whose daughter Margaret (adopted by Ralph & Margaret Hunt) married Adam Ege. There is reason to think that was a different Thomas. I had originally assigned Thomas’ children to one Abigail Wood, but a second look (prompted by Martha Heywood) has persuaded me that Hunt’s children were born to Mary, widow of John Heath.

Many of these Hunts are not known to me. It is really only the family of Samuel Hunt (1755 – 1825) & Mary Reeder (1752 – 1839) who were significant in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County. Abigail Hunt and husband Charles Reading also lived in Hunterdon County, but it will be necessary to check on the Reading family tree for their descendants.

I will list the children of female Hunts, but not their grandchildren, as this is a Hunt family tree and none other. Please add additions and corrections in the comments section below.

Second Generation:

|     (2) Rebecca Hunt (c.1735 – 1821) & Gershom Lee (c.1735 – 1821), left Hunterdon Co.
|     (2) Mary Hunt (c.1740 – ) & William Robins (c.1740 – 1811)
| (2) Edward Hunt (1744 – 1786) & Mary Shewell (c.1738 – ?), ), left Hunterdon Co.
|     (2) Abigail Hunt (c.1755 – c.1800) & Maj. Charles Reading (1753 – 1820)
|     (2) Samuel Hunt (1755 – 1825) & Mary Reeder (1752 – 1839)
|     (2) John Hunt (c.1760 – bef. 1789)

Third Generation:

|     (2) Rebecca Hunt & Gershom Lee
|     |     (3) Rebecca Lee (c.1756 – ?) & Wheldrin Rouze (c.1755 – bef. 1797), left Hunterdon
|     |     (3) Mary Lee (c.1757 – ?) & Nathaniel Lowrey (c.1755 – ?), left Hunterdon
|     | (3) John Lee (1760 – 1837) & Margaret Lowrey (1762 – ?), left Hunterdon
|     |     (3) Thomas Lee (c.1761 – ?), no information
|     |     (3) Joseph Lee (1762 – 1837) & Eleanor Davidson (1770 – ?), left Hunterdon
|     | (3) Levi Lee (c.1768 – 1827), left Hunterdon
|     |     (3) Gershom Lee (1770 – 1851), left Hunterdon
|     |     (3) Nathan Lee (1771 – 1860), left Hunterdon
|     |     (3) Hannah Lee (1778 – ?) & Elias Smith (c.1775 – ?), left Hunterdon

|     (2) Edward Hunt & Mary Shewell
|     |     (3) Ann Hunt (c.1763 – 1780) & Benjamin McCullough (1734-1789)
|     |     (3) Rebecca Hunt (c.1764 – 1805?) & Andrew Sproul (c.1762 – ?), left Hunterdon
|     |     (3) Edward Hunt (c.1765 – c.1800?)
|     |     (3) Keturah Hunt (c.1767 – 1788) & Lt. Daniel Vaughn (c.1763 – ?)
|     |     (3) Hannah Hunt (1769 – 1851) & John Empy (c.1765 – 1850)
|     |     (3) William Hunt (1771 – 1820) & Rebecca Beavers (1771 – 1833)
|     |     (3) John Hunt (1773 – 1851) & Ann Taylor (1775 – 1846)
|     |     (3) Mary Hunt
|     |     (3) Amelia Hunt (c.1780 – ?) & Peter Creveling (c.1775 – ?)

|     (2) Abigail Hunt & Maj. Charles Reading
|     |     (3) Henry Reading (c.1776 – aft 1812) & Susan Dilts (c.1780 – ?)
|     |     (3) Sydney Reading (c.1777 – ?)
|     |     (3) Bernard Reading (c.1778 – ?)
|     |     (3) John Reading (c.1779 – ?)
|     |     (3) Thomas Reading (1780 – 1853) & Mary King (1783 – 1845)
|     |     (3) Maria Reading (c.1781 – ?) & Robert Anderson (c.1780 – ?)
| |     (3) Charles Reading (c.1785 – ?) & Gordiana Wyckoff (c.1785 – ?), left Hunterdon
|     |     (3) Jemima Reading (1788 – 1853) & George Risler (1789 – 1826), had nine children.

|     (2) Samuel Hunt & Mary Reeder
|     |     (3) Elizabeth Hunt (1780 – 1794)
|     |     (3) Nehemiah Hunt (1782 – 1823) & Elizabeth Butterfoss (1780 – 1837)
|     |     (3) Benjamin Reeder Hunt (1784 – 1794)
|     | (3) John P. Hunt (1787 – 1860) & Esther Hester Dilts (1794 – 1879)
|     |     (3) Wilson Hunt (1790 – 1794)
|     |     (3) Mary Hunt (1793 – 1868) & John Hunt
|     |     (3) Samuel Reeder Hunt (1795 – 1840) & Huldah P. Brown (1794 – aft 1850)
|     |     (3) Charles Hunt (1811 – bef. 1825)

| (2) John Hunt
| | (3) Jane Hunt, no further information

Fourth Generation:

|     (2) Samuel Hunt & Mary Reeder
|     |     (3) Nehemiah Hunt & Elizabeth Butterfoss
|     |     |     (4) Wilson Hunt (1811 – 1886) & Sarah Ann Wolverton (1821 – 1862)
|     |     |     (4) Susan Hunt (1816 – 1865) & William Mettler (c.1815 – ?)
|     |     |     (4) Daniel B. Hunt (1822 – ?)

|     |     (3) John P. Hunt & Esther Hester Dilts
|     |     |     (4) Edward H. Hunt (1815 – 1881) & Elizabeth Higgins (1815 – 1882)
|     |     |     (4) Robert D. Hunt (1817 – 1881) & Sarah Sutton (1821 – 1888)
|     |     |     (4) Cornelius L. Hunt (1823 – 1884) & Mariah Salter (1824 – 1878)
|     |     |     (4) Mary Catharine Hunt (c.1826 – ?)
|     |     |     (4) Samuel R. Hunt (1829 – 1897) & Mary A. Bowne (1832 – 1882)
| |     |     (4) John L. Hunt (c.1833 – 1834)
|     |     |     (4) Hannah R. Hunt (c.1837 – 1842)
| |     |     (4) Lambert Hunt (c.1838 – ?)
|     | |     (4) William D. Hunt (c.1851 – 1852)

|     |     (3) Samuel Reeder Hunt & Huldah P. Brown
|     | |     (4) Sarah Maria Hunt (c.1821 – aft 1850) & Joshua N. Carter (c1820 – aft 1850)
|     |     |     (4) Samuel B. Hunt (1824 – 1824)
|     |     |     (4) Rebekah L. Hunt (1827 – 1829)

Fifth Generation:

Sixth Generation:

7 Comments

Martha Heywood
May 24, 2019 @ 3:18 pm

Hi Marfy,
Although it is 6 months old, I just came across this posting. I am a direct descendant of Thomas Hunt of Amwell and his wife Mary. (She was the widow of John Heath and her maiden name is unknown, as far as I know. See John Heath’s probate file.) I’ve done a lot of research on this family and would like to know your source(s) for this information. Is it the two secondary sources you mention in the introduction?
Why do you think that Thomas had a first wife named Hannah? I don’t think this is true. There was another, much younger Thomas Hunt (the son of Thomas Hunt of Hopewell) who had a wife named Hannah Pierson. They lived in northern Hunterdon County as I recall.
I also question the statement that Thomas’s last wife was Abigail Wood. I personally have never seen any proof that her name was Abigail and certainly no indication of her surname prior to marrying Thomas. (There may be deeds in Sussex County that include her name, but I have not seen them.) Also, how do you know that he was married to Abigail by 1735? I think that date is too early.
I have many questions about the information posted here. But if it is just something that came from secondary sources it will suffice to say that much of it is questionable. I think it possible that the author(s) confused Thomas Hunt of Amwell and Thomas Hunt of Hopewell (who were first cousins).
Thomas Hunt of Amwell is a most infuriating ancestor and any information about him you can turn up is most gratefully received. He almost never recorded his deeds which are usually the best genealogical resources for this era.
- Marfy Goodspeed
  May 25, 2019 @ 7:22 am
  
  Martha, I will try to answer your questions, but I know you won’t be satisfied by them. I’m not either. First of all, as to sources, there are many, some secondary and some not. It would be too much work to compile them into a list. As to Hannah Pierson, I based this on Fred Lathrop’s opinion that a certain Margaret Hunt was the adopted daughter of Ralph Hunt & Margaret Furman, and the real daughter of Thomas Hunt and Hannah Pierson. I put her with the Thomas of Amwell because of her presumed age, since she married Adam Ege, born 1725. However, the connection with Ralph Hunt makes me think you are right, that Thomas married to Hannah Pierson lived in Hopewell, not Amwell. (I just checked my notes and see that you have already expressed a negative opinion of Fred’s research.)
  As for Abigail Wood, I’m not sure where I got her name from. Whoever his wife was, she died before Thomas wrote his will in 1789. He named his grandson Henry Reading, son of his daughter Abigail, but that doesn’t prove anything. And when Henry sold Hunt’s property, he never mentioned his grandmother. There is supposedly a 1779 deed from Thomas Hunt of Amwell and wife Abigail to his son Edward, according to Jesse Sinclair’s Hunt Gen’y, which says he was “of Amwell, but owned several hundred acres in Greenwich, Sussex (now Warren).” The Gen’y could find no information on any child other than Edward, though Jesse and John Hunt may have been his sons. This suggests to me that Sinclair also got his Thomas Hunts mixed up.
  I think I will put the two extra wives into a footnote. Thanks for calling my attention to this.
Martha Heywood
May 26, 2019 @ 1:32 pm

Hi Marfy. Back again. Two comments. And then I’ll let this go.
1) Just to clarify, I do not think that Mary, widow of John Heath, was the only wife of Thomas Hunt. I think he had at least two wives, perhaps more. I just question the “fact” that he had a wife named Abigail Wood. This may be true, but I have never seen any proof. Over the years, as I have researched my Hunt and Lee ancestors, I have found that my own ancestors were not above fabricating information. Thus the “fact” that Gershom Lee, father of the Gershom who married Rebecca Hunt, came from Ireland.

2) I strongly disagree with your conclusion that Samuel Hunt (b. 1755) was the son of Thomas Hunt of Amwell.

a) Your Samuel was too young to be the son of Thomas. The will of Thomas disinherits the children of Samuel, save his “eldest daughter by his first wife”. (Grandchildren who had left the area did not inherit.) This means that in 1789 Samuel the son of Thomas had children who were grown up and had left NJ. Samuel (b. 1755) had young children in 1789, according to your information. Samuel the son of Thomas was probably born ca. 1735-36, based on what we know about the birth dates of his siblings.
b) Nathan Stout (b. ca. 1748), a fellow resident of Hunterdon County of about the same age as Samuel (b. 1755), says in his history of the Stout family that the Samuel Hunt who married Mary Reeder, daughter of Benjamin, was the son of John Hunt. No further information is provided and I am unable to identify this John. However, I do not doubt that Stout is correct. He had a prodigious memory and was related to most of the people in the Hopewell-Marshall’s Corner-Woodsville-Wertsville area.
c) Several of the names found among Samuel’s children, assuming that the information is accurate, suggest a connection to the Hopewell descendants of John Hunt and his wife Joanna.
Joyce
October 2, 2019 @ 2:44 pm

To Martha & Marfy,
I do believe that Thomas Hunt did have a wife Abigail Wood. I found a record in the Quaker meeting minutes that said Abigail widow of Job Robin married Thomas Hunt. He was not a Quaker and they were wanting Abigail to stay in the Quaker religion. I am not sure though which Thomas this is. My ancestors in more recent years were from around Finesville, New Jersey. I hope this can be helpful.
Lindsey Finken
October 24, 2019 @ 1:01 pm

Abigail Wood Married Robert Hunt. His first wife. Second wife was Martha Ward.
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2189/40525_1821100519_2272-00043/8725052?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/114330545/person/130144377856/facts/citation/560349730473/edit/record
________________________________

New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965
View Record

Name
Robert Hunt
Gender
Male
Marriage Date
1733
Marriage Place
Monmouth, New Jersey, USA
Spouse
Abigail Wood
Film Number
000802943
Household Members

NameAge
NameRobert Hunt
NameAbigail Wood
above marriage from Ancestry.com
__________________________________________________________
also marriage was noted on page 23 of the
https://archive.org/stream/genealogicalhist00hunt/genealogicalhist00hunt_djvu.txt

Family History Book written by Charles Cummings Hunt in 1906 of Pancoast and Hunt families. My line.

I hope some of this is helpful to others.
Lindey Finken
October 24, 2019 @ 1:09 pm

Robert Hunt 1709-1764 married 1733. They had 3 children.
Abigail Wood 1716-1747. Burlington NJ
Abigail died 1747.

With second wife Martha Ward he had a daughter named Elizabeth who was born in 1750. To add to the confusion.
- Marfy Goodspeed
  October 26, 2019 @ 7:15 am
  
  Lindey, Does Robert Hunt connect at all with the Thomas Hunt on this three? I do wonder why Abigail has been connected with Thomas.