10. Horatio Peter3 Hunt (Nathan Dixon2, David1) (#14) was born in Owen, Owen County, Indiana, United States March 8, 1858.(512) Roach died February 2, 1925 in Linton, Greene County, Indiana, United States, at 66 years of age.(513)
He married Sarah Anne Gregg Walker Lockwood Dixon in Dixon, Greene County, Indiana, United States, July 23, 1874.(514) (Sarah Anne Gregg Walker Lockwood Dixon is #15.) Sarah was born in Point Commerce, Greene County, Indiana, United States April 18, 1843.(515) Sarah was the daughter of Daniel Gregg Dixon and Mary Jane Walker. Sarah died October 11, 1913 in Linton, Greene County, Indiana, United States, at 70 years of age.(516) <-- Hunt Family Bible, (Horatio and Anna D.) owned by Lucille HUNT ANDERSON in 1945. Copied by Rooseve Fern HUNT> "Horatio and Anna Dixon were married July 23, 1874 in Dixon, Indiana. Witnessed by J.W. INGERSOLL and JOHN SNEIDER, signed by LEA FISHER. <-- Letter of Ecla HUNT to Rooseve Fern HUNT, dated 02/07/1945> "I remember visiting with my Grandfather (JOHN F. HUNT) at Switz City, Indiana, and we stayed all night at a Tavern and had pictures taken the next morning in front of the place. We still have the picture and across the front of the porch was painted 'Hunt's Tavern' and I think this was a nephew of my grandfather." <-- Indianapolis News 09 March 1900> "But the one thing that advertises Switz City more than anything else is "Hunt's Tavern." There is hardly a traveling man in the West but has heard of this noted hostelry, and the drummers who do business in this part of the country all try to spend the night and get breakfast at Hunt's Tavern. H. HUNT, the proprietor, never wears a collar, seldom shaves and covers his head with a great flapping hat. He is the town oracle, and is thoroughly posted on everything from matrimony to seven-up. Mr. HUNT has lived here all his life, has the history of every man and locality down to a dot; does not pretend to be eccentric and well liked by everyone. His "tavern" is the biggest thing in town. At the entrance of the large yard is a sign, "Gates Ajar." The rooms in the house are not numbered--they are named. These names I read on the doors of the sleeping rooms: Arizona, Boston, Cairo, Denver, England, France, Germany, Hamburg, Idaho, Jerico, Lincoln, Norway, Mexico and Kaintuck. I slept in Boston and enjoyed it. I do not know where Mr. HUNT got the idea, but it has brought him a great deal of advertising. He has no opposition. Mr. HUNT's principal source of information is the Indianapolis News, and he quotes that paper continually. What it says is fact--he is ready to put his money up on it. "Mr. HUNT has invented a new game of solitaire that he is teaching to the hosts of traveling men who come to his tavern. He says that if he can get it introduced in the royal families of Europe he will feel that his work is well done. The game is played with cards and is said to be more interesting than any of the old games of solitaire. "Close to where Switz City now stands was a famous deer-lick many years ago, and hunters used to come here from all parts of the East to shoot deer. When these animals were gone, the duck-hunters had great sport in this locality for many years. It was the hunting grounds of some of the most famous hunters of a few years ago. Every year the officers of the Pennsylvania railroad came here to shoot quail and grouse and forget all about their troubles. Landlord HUNT always entertains them, and he has a roomful of remembrances they have sent him. "Not far from here was located the old town of Fair Play. Not a sign of the town is left now, but it was famous as river shipping point in its day. At one time it was suggested as the county seat, but Worthington was built, and the glory of Fair Play sickened and died. An Indian mound was located close to the old town, but that too, has almost disappeared. Mr. HUNT said that when he was boy he and some companions dug into the mound and found two skeletons of Indians and a number of stone and copper trinkets." <-- "History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, Indiana" 1884> "In Switz City, HUNT and Pegg started in business about 1879." <-- Letter of Nathan Dixon HUNT to Wick MILLER, dated 03/07/1945> "The incident you mentioned of my Father is typical. If you had pursued your request farther and asked him what was good, he probably would have told you that cold pie and navy beans contain all the elements the human body needs and who can say? He lived to be 72 years old on a very restricted diet, which doubtless did not include onions." <-- Research of Rooseve Fern HUNT> "HORATIO HUNT, born March 8, 1853 died February 2nd, 1925, aged 71 years, 10 months and 2 days. "Born in Owen County Indiana, of the union of Dr. NATHAN DIXON HUNT and MARY INGERSOLL of which family there survives two sisters, Miss PHOEBE HUNT of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Mrs. HANNAH NEWMAN of Linton; an elder brother H.D. HUNT dying in 1919. "The father of this family dying in the sixties, they removed to Dixon Station where the deceased united in marriage with ANNA DIXON in 1873. To this union there were born four children, two of which survived to maturity. Mrs. FANNIE HUNT KNEPPER, daughter died in Chicago in 1923, one grandchild, daughter of this daughter living in Chicago with N.D. HUNT his only surviving child. There also survives a nephew of the Mother, Mr. W.L. GASKINS of Chicago, who made his home with and was an intimate member of the family from his childhood. There are three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren of the family of N.D. HUNT living. The wife and mother preceded the husband eleven years. "In early life Mr. HUNT joined the Methodist Church and at the time of his death was a member of this churchat Linton. He was an Odd Fellow of some forty years standing having maintained his connection with Beehunter Lodge at Switz City since early in its history. "Mr. HUNT resided in Switz City during the most active period of his life and it was here that he formed friendships and connection the recollections of which was remained with him and were highly valued during the remainder of his life, referring often to that period during his illness. "His aim in life was service to his fellow citizens rather than the accumulation of property, having served in various townships, and county offices to the advantage of the public as attested by the number of sympathetic letters and appreciative comments received by his family from a wide circle of acquaintances." (Eulogy for HORATIO PETER "ROACH" HUNT) Headstone in Switz City Cemetery, outside Switz City, Indiana marks the gravesite of HORATIO and ANNA D. HUNT. This site was viewed on August 1, 1980 by descendants who included, MARTHA D. CHANEY, B. J. CHANEY, ROBERT J.CHANEY, and AMANDA and TERRI CHANEY. The single stone read as follows: HUNT ANNA D. HORATIO Apr 18 1843 Mar 8 1858 Oct 11 1913 Feb 2 1925 THE STORY OF SWITZ CITY Site Formerly Belonged To A Man Named Switz Laid Out In 1870 by Hughes East--Surrounded by a Fine Farming Country--Big Crops Raised (Staff Correspondence Indianapolis News) Switz City, Ind., March 9.--This town of 700 inhabitants is the eastern end of the Effingham branch of the Illinois Central, the western end of the old Bedford & Bloomington, now the Monon, and a station of considerable importance on the Indianapolis & Vincennes. It is seventy- eight miles Indianapolis, thirty-eight miles from Vincennes, six miles from Bloomfield, the seat of Greene county, and six miles from Worthington, and on a clear day the water tower at that place can be seen from the station platform at Switz City. The land on which the town was laid out in 1870 belonged to a man named Switz, who lived nearby, and whose descendants are still much in evidence here. This land was sold to Hughes East, formerly private secretary to Vice-President Hendricks. Mr. East laid it off in town lots, but there is no record that he ever made any great amount of money out of the deal. At the time East laid out the town, the Indianapolis & Vincennes was the only railroad here, and it was several years before Switz City amounted to more than a stop for slow trains. The Bedford & Bloomfield came here in 1876, and the train that is now the Illinois Central, some time later. They were both narrow gauge roads at the time, but changed owners and became standard. The properties are now in control of companies that will make them firstclass properties, and they will consequently be of great benefit to this place. The trains of the three roads will probably meet in one passenger station before long. Switz City has a large flouring mill, built of brick, a saw mill and a tile factory. It has a couple of brick business blocks and several stores. The streets are gravel roads and the sidewalks are built of planks. The town was once made the victim of a confidence game, but was not victimized as much as some of the surrounding towns. A number of years ago a smooth talking Yankee passed through this part of the country. He has a machine by which he claimed to be able to locate veins of coal. At Edwardsport he located a vein several feet thick which diminished to eight inches when mines went down. He got considerable money from the people there, but he did not do so well at Switz City. He was not paid so much for locating coal and when the prospectors found only an eight-inch vein they were not so greatly disappointed. There is no coal here of any consequence, but the town borders on coal fields at one side and the fields at the other. Around Switz City is a magnificent farming country. The whole country around here was at one time a great swamp. Half a mile south of this town 16,000 acres were reclaimed by the Four Mile ditch. A short distance north of town and Lattes creek ditch drained 5,000 acres, andto the west, the Bee Hunter's marsh furnished a number of fine farms. This drained farm land produces good corn crops, also hay, oats and clover. The wheat product is almost a thing of the past in this part of the country. Last year some broom corn was raised, and the experiment was so much of a success that the broom corn industry promises to be a leading feature. Fine corn is raised at the rate of about eighty bushels an acre. As might be expected, this is a great shipping point for grain. E. B. Martindale, of Indianapolis, this winter has shipped 25,000 bushels of corn. There is also considerable livestock shipped from Switz City. While there is not a great deal of the place, the people here enjoy themselves. The Methodist and Baptist have good churches, the Odd Fellows are strong, and the Switz City Cornet Band furnishes a good deal of entertainment for the people. But the one thing that advertises Switz City more than anything else is "Hunt's Tavern." There is hardly a traveling man in the West but has heard of this noted hostelry, and the drummers who do business in this part of the country all try to spend the night and get breakfast at Hunt's Tavern. H. HUNT, the proprietor, never wears a collar, seldom shaves and covers his head with a great flapping hat. He is the town oracle, and is thoroughly posted on everything from matrimony to seven-up. Mr. HUNT has lived here all his life, has the history of every man and locality down to a dot; does not pretend to be eccentric and well liked by everyone. His "tavern" is the biggest thing in town. At the entrance of the large yard is a sign, "Gates Ajar." The rooms in the house are not numbered--they are named. These names I read on the doors of the sleeping rooms: Arizona, Boston, Cairo, Denver, England, France, Germany, Hamburg, Idaho, Jerico, Lincoln, Norway, Mexico and Kaintuck. I slept in Boston and enjoyed it. I do not know where Mr. HUNT got the idea, but it has brought him a great deal of advertising. He has no opposition. Mr. HUNT's principal source of information is the Indianapolis News, and he quotes that paper continually. What it says is fact--he is ready to put his money up on it. Mr. HUNT has invented a new game of solitaire that he is teaching to the hosts of traveling men who come to his tavern. He says that if he can get it introduced in the royal families of Europe he will feel that his work is well done. The game is played with cards and is said to be more interesting than any of the old games of solitaire. Close to where Switz City now stands was a famous deer-lick many years ago, and hunters used to come here from all parts of the East to shoot deer. When these animals were gone, the duck-hunters had great sport in this locality for many years. It was the hunting grounds of some of the most famous hunters of a few years ago. Every year the officers of the Pennsylvania railroad came here to shoot quail and grouse and forget all about their troubles. Landlord HUNT always entertains them, and he has a roomful of remembrances they have sent him. Not far from here was located the old town of Fair Play. Not a sign of the town is left now, but it was famous as river shipping point in its day. At one time it was suggested as the county seat, but Worthington was built, and the glory of Fair Play sickened and died. An Indian mound was located close to the old town, but that too, has almost disappeared. Mr. HUNT said that when he was boy he and some companions dug into the mound and found two skeletons of Indians and a number of stone and copper trinkets. (This article appeared in the Indianapolis News dated March 9, 1900. It included a picture of Hunt's Tavern.) LANDMARK IN SWITZ CITY IS REMINDER OF OLD DAYS by Eva M. Holmes A landmark In Switz City which is a reminder of the changes that have come to this small town because of improved modes of travel is the Hunt Hotel, built by HORATIO HUNT in the nineties and successfully operated by he and family for a number of years. The building of twenty-two rooms was in a grove of maple trees with a white archway at the entrance to the grounds bearing the inscription, "Gates Ajar." With its wide shaded verandas, comfortable chairs and hammocks, it was truly an inviting, homelike place. The first hotel operated by Mr. HUNT was located on the adjoining block and was built by James M. Martin more than fifty years ago. Business increased and it became necessary to build another hotel and at times both of these as well as a cottage owned by Mr. HUNT were filled to capacity. CHARACTERISTIC HOSPITALITY During these years it was patronized by the traveling public, not alone because of the excellence of the food and service, but also because of the spirit of hospitality which was characteristic of the HUNT family. Salesmen, known in those days as "drummers," unable to reach home for the week-end, if in driving distance would arrange to spend the time here. Being in the horse and buggy days the livery stables were well patronized, as drummers depended on hiring a conveyance (usually a team and buggy) to call on merchants in adjoining towns. Switz City being the terminal of a branch of the Monon known as the B. & B. (Bedford & Bloomfield), also the I. & I. S., some of the trainmen with their families made their homes at the hotel and were like a large family. Mr. HUNT, being an expert at cards and checkers, and the daughter, Miss FANNIE, an accomplished musician, there was always entertainment. Instead of the rooms being numbered they were given the names of states. At one visit one might sleep in Idaho and the next time in Florida. The temperature, however, was not noticeably different. Meals were very reasonable in price, usually 25 cents, less, if by the week. "Abe Martin" once said a drummer got in bad with his company by charging 50 cents for a meal in Switz City. During the prosperous days for the hotel the I. and I. S. was purchased by the Illinois Central and extended into Indianapolis. The B. & B. was discontinued. This caused the removal of the trainmen. Later the HUNT family moved elsewhere and what was once the hospitable home for families and travelers became an apartment. Today, the Vandalia and Illinois Central railroads run through the town, and paved Highways 54 and 67 have taken the place of the gravel roads of former years, but with automobiles this has been the means of making the hotels in larger towns easily accessible. While conditions improved in most respects by modern traveling facilities it has meant finis to this once thriving place -- Hunt's Hotel. (From newspaper clipping -- probably Indianapolis -- pencil dated "1937") Copy of HUNT Bible in possession of Mrs LUCILLE HUNT ANDERSON -- July 1945 MARRIAGE PAGE HORATIO HUNT and ANNA D. LOCKWOOD date July 23, 1874 at Dixon, Indiana Presence of J. W. INGERSOLL signed by LEA FISHER JOHN SNEIDER Births........ Deaths....... NATHAN D. -- June 21, 1875 Infant Son -- August 29, 1876 ELLMAY -- July 27, 1877 December 13, 1889 12 years 4 months & 6 days FANNIE FERN -- March 1st, 1882 Infant Daughter February 2, 1886 Sources: <4> Letter ofNathan Dixon Hunt to Wick Miller, dated 07 Mar 1945 <5> "History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, Indiana" -- 1884 <10> Letter of Ecla Hunt to Rooseve Fern Hunt, dated 07 Feb 1945 <11> Hunt family Bible, (Horatio and Anna D.) owned by Lucille Hunt Anderson -- 1945 -- copied by Rooseve Fern Hunt <21> Gravesite visit, Switz City, IN -- 01 Aug 1980 by Robert J. Chaney <22> Indianapolis News -- 09 Mar 1900
Horatio Peter Hunt and Sarah Anne Gregg Walker Lockwood Dixon had the following children:
+ 19 i. Nathan Dixon4 Hunt was born June 21, 1875.
20 ii. Hunt (#108) was born August 29, 1876.(517) He died CA 29 Aug 1876 at less than one year of age.
21 iii. Elmae Hunt (#109) was born July 27, 1877.(518) Elmae died December 13, 1889 at 12 years of age.
22 iv. Fannie Fern Hunt (#110) was born May 1, 1882.(519) Fannie died 1923 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, at 41 years of age. She married Edwin Garfield Knepper. (Edwin Garfield Knepper is #111.) Edwin was born in Lagoneer, Indiana, United States 1881. Edwin died 1941 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, at 60 years of age. (See Edwin Garfield Knepper for the continuation of this line.)
23 v. Hunt (#112) was born February 2, 1889.(520) She died CA 2 Feb 1889 at less than one year of age.
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