Jefferson Hunt was born 22 Jan 1804 in Bracken County, Kentucky. In 1833 he and his family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was expelled from Missouri with the Saints in 1835, and in 1846-47 served as captain of company A in the Mormon Battalion. In 1849 he guided a company of emigrants from Utah to California. Twenty wagons left the company and wound up discovering Death Valley. He lived in San Bernardino, California; Huntsville, Utah (named for him); and on his ranch near Oxford, Idaho. A true frontiersman and a stalwart Saint, he died 11 May 1879 at age 75.

A Note on the Photo

The above picture is from a cabinet-card sized hand-colored original print in possession of cousin Hattie Elkins. We understand a version of this same shot was recently donated to the Jefferson Hunt Elementary School in San Bernardino, California. That one is from a different doner and a much larger original.

Jefferson Hunt Book Reprinted

The family of Pauline Udall Smith, author of the book Jefferson Hunt of the Mormon Battalion, has reprinted the book in a limited quantity. More information is available here. You can see an early mockup of the first few pages here.

Resources

• Histories
• Photos
• Genealogy (forthcoming)
• Jefferson Hunt: Captain in the Mormon Battalion, web page by David L. Walton (histories and other information)

• Maud and Joseph Tietjen page (Maud is a granddaughter. Also includes info on Thomas Jefferson Hunt, a son)
• Parkinsonfamily.org

• Corrected date for joining the LDS Church from 1823 to 1833 (06 Jul 2010)
• Book Reprint Announced (01 June 2007)
• Corrected David L. Walton's name (20 Oct 2006)
• Added mail form (8 Feb 2004)
• Changed wording on capsule bio (18 Oct 2003)
• Added link to David L. Watson's page (1 Jun 2003)
• Added first histories, on Joseph Hunt (10 May 2003)
• Added biographical note, new photo (9 Nov 2002)
• Page launched (2 Jun 2002)

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