Atherton Nash Hunt (1802 - 1865)

Born 19 Dec 1802 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Susan Curtis (Hobart) Hunt — married 9 Jun 1821 in Weymouth, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 8 Jan 1865 at age 62 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, USA

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Biography

Atherton N. Hunt was State Senator in 1860, and his son, E. Atherton Hunt, was a Representative, and a State Senator in 1875.

Text. ^[1]

The 1830s

Deacon Hunt, Colonel Minot Thayer and Deacon Ncwcomb, were prominent in organizing the Union Church, — Mr. Hunt being its first deacon with Mr. Newcomb. He was a farmer and worked on the farm in the summer, and in the winter manufactured shoes. His family was noted for its fine musicians, the Deacon being the first treasurer of the Union Church choir from 1817 till 1823. His sons, Ebenezer and William, were in 1817 president and vice-president, continuing five years. His son Elias was president thirteen years, and his grandson, A. N. Hunt, was president fifteen years.

Mr. David Cushing, Deacon Hunt's nephew, the brother of Mr. Simeon Cushing, was no doubt the best singer the town had ever seen.

Daniel Webster said on this occasion that for the leader of the Free Spoils party to become the leader of the Free Soil party would be a joke to shake his sides. From the time of Jackson's administration down to 1845, the town was Democratic. At this time the new party, made up of the old Anti-Slavery Whigs who had followed Henry Clay, and many disaffected Democrats, were so strong in town as to be able to defeat the candidates nominated by the Democrats, and after much balloting it was decided to send but one Representative to the General Court. James L. Bates was chosen at this time.

In the two following years the town was not represented, the new party being strong enough to prevent an election of their opponents, but not strong enough to choose one of their own. In 1848 came the Presidential election, and the Free Soil party was but just organized. There was a great political right in town between them and the Democrats. After this date the Whigs were of little note.

The fall town-meeting for the choice of Representatives to the General Court was held in the Universalist Church in this village. It was the largest town-meeting known up to that time, and it was so large that the house could not be polled but adjourned to the street, and a long procession was formed from Washington Square to the Academy Hill, and then was counted. On the question of dividing the town there was no choice.

The next year John C. Rhines, Sr., and Noah Vining, Jr., both being Democrats, were chosen Representatives. Foremost in the political campaigns in the village were Atherton, Charles, Richard, and Elbridge Hunt, Thomas and Whitcomb Porter, Adoram Clapp, and as I remember him, Nathaniel Blanchard, the most active man of all. He always seemed to be working lor someone other than himself, for I do not find his name among the town officers. I have not included my crly occupied by Luke Bicknell, but now by the heirs of the late Mr. John E. Hunt.

Thomas Davis, called "Tinker" Davis, was the tinman who mended the milk-pails and pans for the village folks. His little shop stood just by Caleb Hunt's, near Smelt Brook.

Atherton N. Hunt, of the firm of A. N. Hunt & Co., had removed from the Deacon Hunt place to Front street, where his people have since lived. Darius Smith moved into the Deacon Hunt house, and occupied the "Old Light House" for his manufactory. R. E. & C. Loud were doing an increasing business. Stephen Nash had now his brother Erastus with him, under the name of S. W. & E. Nash.

In the shop of A. N. Hunt & Co. the question of politics was always at the front and continually talked over. Aside from Charles Sumner, who was regarded by the Free-soilers as far above anyone else, came Henry Wilson, the Natick cobbler. Without Henry Wilson, Sumner could never have been chosen to the United States Senate. Wilson did the political work needed, and no one did more to build up the Republican party than he ; but Sumner held himself aloof from political work.

In the "fifties" it was customary to have a course of lectures each winter. These were gotten up by subscription, and usually given in the Union Church. Many noted men were engaged in lecturing in those years. Of these I remember Bayard Taylor, a fine, handsome man and a poet of note, who gave a lecture on his travels in the East, Dr. J. V. C. Smith, former Mayor of Boston, gave a lecture on the same subject Dr. Ezra S. Gannett gave a lecture on " Conversation." I can now see the old gentleman limping up the aisle to the pulpit. His lecture was so dry, or scholarly, that few were interested, and the folks when going out of the church afterwards kept very quiet, no one daring to express an opinion, for fear of showing his ignorance to his neighbor.

One of the most interesting lectures was by Professor Lowell Mason on the "History of Music." His idea was for all the congregation to sing in unison, and my impression is that he tried exercises in the old church. Mr. A. N. Hunt, president of the choir, was a great enthusiast over Mr. Mason.

Having been refused admittance to one " Know-Nothing " Lodge, but persisting, Henry Wilson afterwards succeeded in being regularly initiated into another. Horace Greeley, the editor of the "New York Tribune," was foremost in the formation of the Republican party. He was anti-slavery and prohibitionist, but strongly opposed to Know-Nothingism. The "Tribune" was an authority in the "Tammany Hall " of our village, and Greeley was always being quoted. With the " Tribune" was the " New York Independent," which was always taken by Mr. A. N. Hunt. In it Henry Ward Beecher's political writings appeared, and he and the "Independent" were also opposed to the principles of the "Know-Nothing" party.

Late in the fall of 1853, as the firm of Richards & Hunt was dissolved, I went with my brother Ebenezer to Boston, where he took the store at 30 Central street. This store was formerly occupied by Alexander Strong, and before his time by Isaac Jackson, who afterwards came to Weymouth and was in business on the wharves. I found in the loft his old sign. Here it was my part of the business to get to town early in the morning, open and sweep out, build the fires, if in winter, and dust off the goods on the shelves. I tell thus much of my work in the Boston store, as there was the turning point of my life.

In addition to the care of the store, I kept the books and occasionally sold to a customer. The business was small, and at this time my brother was building his dwelling-house, but little in town, coming late and going early. I was alone most of the time, and a dull place it was, occasionally enlivened by some one coming in from Weymouth. At that time business seemed to be done wholly on credit; the leather was bought on six months' time, and sold in the same way. A man would come in to sell a few hundred dollars' worth of boots and take a six months' note. At the same time he would buy about the same amount of calfskins or sole leather, and give a six months' note. There was little cash business done.

One morning, after sweeping out and dusting, a gentleman came into the store. He was from New York State and wanted to buy boots and shoes to stock his store. Before my brother Eben arrived from Weymouth I had sold him about all he wanted. He settled the bill by paying some 0 cash. This was a red-letter day in the old store, for cash was needed when a note had to be paid.

At that time, when one had a note to pay, he took all the bills to the Suffolk Bank and had them exchanged for their money. The officers would always throw out all that was in any way doubtful, as for example a note from Rhode Island, or perhaps from some country bank. This always caused much trouble, as one would have to go back to the store to get other bills, and time was short, the banks closing at two o'clock. As I had to do this work, I well remember it.

In this old store I was as lonesome as Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner," and it was a great pleasure to see the folks from Weymouth come in on Saturdays to sell and buy. Among them I remember Atherton Hunt, Charles Hunt, Richard Loud, S. W. Nash, and others from the Landing; Joseph Totman and his brother Eben Totman, Marshall C. Dizer, and Henry Loud, from East Weymouth.

The Congress boot had just come into the market at this time, and was manufactured at East Weymouth.

At the time of which I am writing, my brother Fred came to Boston as a boy, and was employed in Holden & Cutter's fancy goods store on Kilby street. This firm was agent for Sanderson & Lanergan, the noted pyrotechnists of that time. This fact was of great interest to me, as I had always been interested in the art.

In 1854, the School Board was composed of these men: Dr. Appleton Howe, Noah Vining, John W. Loud, James Humphrey, Dr. J. H. Gilbert, Benjamin F. White, and Lemuel Torrey. These were men of note in the town.

The Selectmen were Noah Vining, Jr., James Humphrey, and Prescott Lathrop; Treasurer, Thomas Nash; Town-Clerk, Oran White. The three Selectmen were paid for their services 3.49 ; the Treasurer, ; the Clerk, ; and the School Committee, 6.

Abner Holbrook and Daniel Dyer were chosen Representatives, and Henry J. Gardner Governor. There are still some amongst us who will remember the great Gardner inauguration ball, held at the Town Hall, which was given by the Weymouth Band.

As I remember our townsmen fifty years ago, Adoram Clapp was our Representative in 1839 > mv father, Major Elias Hunt, in 1851 ; Charles E. Hunt was a delegate to the State Convention in 1852-3 ; Atherton N. Hunt was State Senator in 1860, and his son, E. Atherton Hunt, was a Representative, and a State Senator in 1875 ; Richard A. Hunt and Freeman Hollis were also Representatives. Strange to say, Nathaniel Hlanchard seems to have been the only one of the coterie who obtained no office. I am inclined to think that he cared little for office, but enjoyed going to the old shop, " Tammany Hall," and working for others than himself. The reader will notice that those who held the town offices seemed to be of our best people.

'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view, And robes the mountain with its azure hue.

Fifty years ago was our first meeting in the Town Hall, then just completed. Noah Vining was chairman of the Board of Selectmen, with Atherton N. Hunt and Samuel French, 2d; Oran White was our Town Clerk, who served for many years, being a good man whom all liked to meet. Cotton Bates was our pleasant Collector of taxes. He was a character. Well do I remember him ; coming into the shoe shop and finding a seat empty, he would put his hand on it and say, " The nest is warm, the bird is not far away," and then quietly sit down to wait for the delinquent, who was short of money to pay his taxes. For all his being a tax collector, every one greeted him pleasantly.

In 1832 the old church was sold and removed. It was purchased by Whitcomb Porter, who erected it again on the corner of Broad and Washington streets, on the site now occupied by the Baptist Church. Merc it was used as a bakehouse, and I remember the great brick ovens in the rear. Thus the old church, that for eighty years had fed men's souls spiritually, was now used to feed men's bodies physically. The old timbers and boards that for eighty years had echoed the eloquence of noted divines rebelled, and the bake-house was a failure. In 1836 it was changed to a dwelling-house, and occupied by my cousin, Atherton N. Hunt.

In 1865, when the Baptist Church was built, the house and stable were moved back on Broad street, where they now stand, — the larger house, the old bake-shop; the smaller, the stable. The columns of the portico lately removed were those that were under the gallery of the old church.

Sources

1. ↑ Edmund S Soper's Weymouth Ways and Weymouth People - Reminiscences, pub 1907.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #95295915

• Genealogy of the name and family of Hunt: early established in America from Europe, https://archive.org/details/genealogyofnamef01wyma/page/258 State Senator.

• https://archive.org/details/genealogyofnamef01wyma/page/266.

• https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/art/154753 Title: Untitled (bust length portrait of clean shaven man with long sideburns, labeled Atherton Nash Hunt); Classification: Photographs; Work Type: photograph, cabinet photograph; Date: 1886-1887; Culture: American.

Acknowledgment

WikiTree profile Hunt-1448 created through the import of oldweymouth families072011.GED on Jul 5, 2011 by Alyson X.