Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 740
LIVY M. HUNT

The successful farmer has the pleasure of knowing that his efforts benefit not only himself, but his family and everyone who has been connected with the buying or selling of his product, because agriculture is so linked with the other branches of commerce that that which benefits the producer will benefit others of whom the farmer never dreamed, and to the man who lives on the land, produces good crops and rears a happy, healthy family comes a happiness and content which is hardly possible to anyone who is not similarly situated.

Livy M. Hunt, the son of Jason and Mary A. (KING) HUNT, was born in Jefferson township, Harrison county, Iowa, near Jeddo, on April 25, 1852. He is one of a family of six children, of whom he was the second in order of birth. Jason HUNT and his wife were natives of New York state, coming from Saratoga county, where Jason Z. HUNT was a farmer and surveyor, which dual occupation he followed after coming to Harrison county, and it will be understood that there was plenty of work for the surveyor when we remember that Mr. HUNT was one of the early settlers in this county. Coming from New York state to Iowa, the HUNT family came by rail to the Ohio river, then down that river to the Mississippi, and up that stream to the Missouri river. They then traveled up the Missouri to St. Joseph, Missouri, whence they drove the remainder of the distance in wagons, arriving in Harrison county in November, 1851. Not long after their arrival in Harrison county, Livy M. HUNT was born, being among the first children to be born in Harrison county. The nearest market at that time was Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, and Jason HUNT at one time walked all the way to Kanesville to buy an ax, and his son, Livy, occasionally drove hogs to the Kanesville market.

It will be readily understood that opportunities for receiving an education in that frontier country were very limited, consequently Livy M. HUNT received but meager schooling, attending school only a few months in each year. However, since that time Mr. HUNT has educated himself by reading and observation. He made his home with his parents until his marriage, before which event Mr. HUNT's father presented him with one hundred and twenty acres of land in the northwest corner of section 36, of Douglas township, in this county, and after his marriage Mr. HUNT moved to this land, and not long afterwards, bought sixty acres just south of the original one hundred and twenty acres, and thus owned and tilled one hundred and eighty acres. This land was originally bought of speculators at a nominal price, and in 1902 it was sold for seventy-six dollars an acre. Mr. HUNT had applied himself to the feeding of cattle and hogs, and thus established one of the best-improved farms in Douglas township. He had erected a large ten-room house on the farm, a good and commodious barn, water-works for stock, together with all modern improvements for scientific agriculture. After selling this farm Mr. HUNT purchased two hundred and eighty-five acres of land in sections 17 and 20 of Harrison township, paying seventy dollars the acre, and on this land he now resides. With his characteristic industry Mr. HUNT has improved this farm, erecting two new houses, barns, hog houses, granaries, and other buildings necessary for a large and well-improved farm.

Mr. HUNT has been twice married, his first wife having been Alice BILLETER, whose death occurred two years after marriage. On November 4, 1881, Mr. HUNT married, secondly, Ida DAVIE, who was born on March 14, 1862, in Harrison township, one mile east of Dunlap in this county, a daughter of John and Hannah (HERRINGTON) ROGERS DAVIE, her mother having been twice married. The DAVIEs were natives of Saratoga county, New York, but had lived in Michigan before coming west to Iowa. To Mr. HUNT's second marriage six children were born, five of whom lived to maturity, Nettie Alice, Jason T., Harley, Frank, Vera, Emily Estella. Of these children Nettie Alice, who was born November 5, 1885, is still living at home, and is a great sufferer from rheumatism, with which she has been afflicted for more than thirteen years. Jason T., who was born August 1, 1887, married Inez POWLEY, and resides on the home farm. Harley, born December 29, 1889, also farms a portion of the home farm. He took a three-year course at the Iowa State University in the liberal arts department. Frank L., who was born May 31, 1896, was graduated from the Woodbine Normal School, as were the other children. Vera, who was born April 4, 1898, died August 28, 1899. Emily Estella, the youngest of the family, was born September 17, 1900.

Mr. HUNT's son, Jason, is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Order of Daughters of Rebekah. Harley is a member of the Masonic Order, of the Knights of Pythians, the Pythian Sisters, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Daughters of Rebekah, the encampment and the Modern Woodmen of the World. At the present time Harley is specializing in the raising of full-blooded registered Poland China hogs. Harley also has been active in a great many ways in the affairs of Harrison county. In 1914 he published an atlas of the county. Previously he had published a similar atlas of Monona county, Iowa, and was also the founder of the Harrison County Democrat, a newspaper which has met with success.

Livy M. HUNT is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, while his wife belongs to the Order of the Eastern Star and the Royal Neighbors. Mr. HUNT is a Republican, and while in Douglas township he served as township trustee, and has held other minor offices in the communities where he has resided. Mr. HUNT and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Dunlap, in which denomination they all take an active interest.

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