William Henry Hunt Sr. (1823 - 1884)

Born 12 Jun 1823 in Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Augusta (Ridgely) Hunt — married 19 Oct 1852 in New York, New York

Husband of Sarah (Barker) Hunt — married 2 Jan 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Descendants

Died 27 Feb 1884 at age 60 in Saint Petersburg, Russia

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William Hunt Sr. is Notable.

Preceded by 28th Secretary Nathan Goff Jr.

William Henry Hunt, Sr. 29th United States Secretary of the Navy 1881—1882

Succeeded by 30th Secretary William E. Chandler

Biography

LtCol William Hunt Sr. served in the United States Civil War.
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): Confederate Army

William was born in 1823. He passed away in 1884.

The following was copied from the Wikipedia reference listed below.

"Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Hunt studied law at Yale. He finished his professional training in his brothers' office in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was admitted to the bar in 1844. Hunt opposed secession and favored the Union cause. He was nevertheless drafted into the Confederate Army and commissioned lieutenant colonel. However, he managed to avoid involvement in military operations until Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans. In March 1876, Hunt was appointed Attorney-General of Louisiana, and in July of that year he was the Republican candidate for this office. Both parties claimed victory in the election, but Hunt lost the position when President Rutherford B. Hayes recognized the Democratic government of the State. As compensation, the President appointed him Associate Judge of the United States Court of Claims, May 15, 1878. He served in this capacity until he became President Garfield's Secretary of the Navy in 1881. Secretary Hunt rendered invaluable service by reporting that the Navy, grossly neglected after the Civil War, was no longer able to protect Americans abroad. He appointed the first Naval Advisory Board which undertook the work of rebuilding the Navy, emasculated by public apathy and lack of funds. After Vice President Arthur succeeded Garfield in the presidency, he retired Hunt from the cabinet by appointing him Minister to Russia on April 7, 1882. Hunt died February 27, 1884, while representing the United States in Saint Petersburg, and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C."

Sources

• New York City, Marriages, 1600s-1800s, Ancestry.com Operations Inc. (2005), New York City Marriages - Elizabeth Ridgely
• New Orleans, Louisiana, Marriage Records Index, 1831-1964, Volume: 2; Page: 172 , Ancestry.com Operations Inc. (2002), New Orleans Marriage Records - Louise Hopkins
• 1880 United States Federal Census, Year: 1880; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia; Roll: 122; Family History Film: 1254122; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 023 , Ancestry.com Operations Inc. (2010), 1880 Census
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 November 2020), memorial page for William Henry Hunt Sr. (12 Jun 1823–27 Feb 1884), Find A Grave: Memorial #11846852, citing Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
• Wikipedia:/William_H._Hunt