Daniel Durham Hunt was born in Rowan County, North Carolina and died in St. Charles, Idaho. During his life he travelled to New Orleans, Spanish Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, and eventually to Mormon Utah and Idaho. He was the first of his family to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was an influential leader in the early Mormon Church. The following is his life story. All accompanying maps are accurate to the time of the events they are portraying. We are fortunate enough to have his own personal record to learn about his early life.
"I was born Feb. 1st 1800 [it seems that Daniel may not have been born in 1800, but instead in 1797 as is listed on his Patriarchal Blessing] in the state of North Carolina, Roan Co[unty]. My father's name was Abel and my mother's name was Joanna Hunt. According to the acct. of my friends & relatives my mother died when I was only 8 days old. She was a very kind and piously inclined woman and she said I would some day do something that would be of a great benefit to the rest of the family. After the death of my mother I was taken about 500 miles distant by my Uncle Gashum Hunt, a son of the great physician, Dr, Daniel Hunt.”
Specifically, Daniel moved in with his Uncle Gersham’s [the correct spelling of “Gashum”] family and in 1809 they moved from Rowan County, North Carolina to Smith County, Tennessee. In 1815 Daniels father, Abel Hunt, also sold his land in North Carolina and moved to Barren County, Kentucky near his brother Jonathan.
“I was treated very kindly by my Uncle Gashum and Aunt Elizabeth. They were very pious Baptists and doubtless lived according to the best light they were in possession of. When I was taken to the house of Uncle Gashum his wife, Aunt Elizabeth, deprived her own child of suck and let me take its place. In fact their benevolence and sympathy manifested toward me so endeared me to them that I regarded them as my parents.”
This suggests that Daniel was taken in by his Aunt and Uncle shortly after his birth and his mother’s death, as his Aunt nursed him as a child.
"They used to read to us from the Bible and explain the contents which caused me to feel very serious. I lived with them and was thus kindly treated till I was 15 years old when in consequence of the death of my aunt, I was left to my own resources under circumstances of great destitution.
"I immediately applied to a man by the name of Wm. H. Moore for employment and hired to him for $6.00 a month. He soon afterward hired me to go with him on a trip to New Orleans on a flat boat loaded with tobacco (1816). On our return home near Edyville, a little village on the Cumberland River I was taken very sick and was under the necessity of leaving the boat and returning the remainder of the way by land. We had been absent from home on this trip about 5 months. I was very kindly received by my Uncle with whom I tarried[sic] a short time till my health was improved.”
An 1809 carving of a flatboat on the Mississippi River. Flatboats commonly carried commercial goods, and upon arrival at their destination they were often dismantled and used for firewood. The boat which Daniel took to New Orleans however, returned him to Tennessee.
A map showing the move of the Hunt family to Tennessee, and Daniels flatboat trip to New Orleans.
"I then went and boarded with Cousin Abel Hunt and went to school. It was taught by Levi Durham. My name previous to this time was Daniel Hunt after which another D was added making 'Daniel Durham'. Thos. Durham, Levi's father, was a very fine man. He said he believed the true church would be on the earth.
"I worked at farming with Ezekial Ellison in the year 1817. In the year 1818 volunteers were called for to go against the Seminolean Indians in East Florida. (I would here say that the first trip I made to N. O. (New Orleans) Cousin Abel Hunt cried like a child saying I would never return. He did not break his fast for about 2 days and night previous to my departure.”
Daniel and his cousin Abel attended school in Smith County, Tennessee. The father of their teacher was Thomas Durham, a preacher who had previously had a congregation in Jersey before moving to Smith County in 1812. Ezekiel Ellison also lived in Smith County. And it would be in Smith County that Daniel was mustered into service in the US Army.
"When I volunteered to go in the army they were again troubled at my departure. However, I went on to Ditto's land and was mustered into service under command of Capt. Wm. Hunter and we marched on through the Cherokee Nation from thence through the frontiers of Georgia from thence to Ford Gadson on the Apilachicola River which had belonged to the Spaniards but was taken by Col. Williams who blowed it up with a hot ball. Gen. Andrew Jackson, being in front of us, had stationed some regulars to defend the place.
"From then we went on to the Nickersucka, an Indian village. The Indians hearing of the army of Jackson coming, they sent a guard of Indians to kill them in crossing the Oclocna River, but on account of a dance that was to be held at Nickersucka over the scalps of men, women and children that they had killed on the frontier of Georgia they all left to join in the dance on a certain day.
"Jackson, being in front with the regulars and militia from the frontiers of Georgia. Jackson hearing of the two regiments that were behind halted till he was overtaken by them with which he was very much pleased. The two regiments under the immediate command of Jackson were from Tenn. The Tennessee Volunteers were all horsemen and they were put in front of the whole army. There was also 1500 Creek Indians with the Volunteers, all footmen. Just as we rode from the hill this side of Nickersucka, the alarm gun was fired by the Indians who commenced yelling at the same time. They then made for a cypress swamp firing as they ran. Capt. Hunter ordered his men to dismount 15 or 20 of whom lost their horses. My horse was valued at $135. I also lost my clothing. There was only one man killed whose name was Wm. Tucker. He fell near me. The Creek Indians, however, soon routed them out of the swamp but they fled into another one and they never pursued them any further.
"After the little skirmish was over, Jackson exclaimed, "By the Eternal Gods, the Tennesseans are fair Bull Dogs". We tarried at this place 2 or 3 days during which time there was a regular stampede. Next morning we buried Wm. Tucker according to the rules of war. At this place we gathered up about 1200 head or more of cattle.
"We went on 30 or 40 miles and took Fort St. Mark which was held by the Spaniards. Meeting with no resistance we stationed regulars there.
"We went from there to Savanna and took that place. We turned back to St. Marks and returned back to Murray Co., Tenn via Forts Gadson and Scott, stopping at Columbia the county seat.”
Daniel has outlined his personal account of his involvement in the First Seminole Indian War quite extensively, though it is a little hard to understand. In the early weeks of 1818 it is likely that Daniel heard of a call for volunteers to fight in the Army to march against the Indians of Florida. At the time Florida was not a part of the United States, instead it was controlled by the Spanish. The Seminole Indian tribes had raided settlements in Georgia and killed American settlers there. In retribution Gen. Andrew Jackson sought to muster an army and attack the Indians responsible who had fled south into Florida. Sometime on or before January 31st of 1818 Daniel travelled to Fayetteville, TN where he was mustered in the 2nd Tennessee Mounted Volunteers Regiment, meaning he fought on horseback. His commanding officer was Captain William Hunter who reported to Colonel Williamson. Colonel Williamson took his orders directly from General Andrew Jackson.
A map showing the major points of interest during the First Seminole Indian War.
On January 31st 1818 the 2nd Tennessee Mounted Volunteers Regiment left Fayetteville TN and travelled south through Georgia to Florida. The first fort they stopped at was Fort Gadsden [the correct spelling of “Gadson”]. The incident of the ‘hot ball’ blowing the fort up which Daniel refers to happened in 1816, when the fort was occupied by escaped slaves and Seminole Indians and called Fort Negro. Under direction from Gen. Jackson the military attacked the fort in the Battle of Fort Negro. The battle ended when Master Jairus ordered a naval cannon bombardment of the fort. One cannon ball had been heated ‘red hot’ before it was fired, and it happened to land in the fort’s powder magazine. The entire fort exploded. Gen. Jackson then ordered Lt. James Gadsden to rebuild the fort, and named it in his honor.
Daniel and the other volunteers marched from Fort Gadsden to Miccosukee (which Daniel refers to as Nickersucka), a large Seminole Indian village near modern day Tallahassee. During the battle which occurred at this village Daniel and the other volunteers were marshaled and fought a group of Seminole Indian warriors who came from the village. After a brief exchange of fire the Seminoles retreated and were chased through the town by the American soldiers. It is likely that this is why Daniel and the others were ordered to dismount, and why Daniel lost his horse. The soldiers then claimed 300 head of cattle left behind by the fleeing villagers.
From Miccosukee they marched to Fort St. Marks (or San Marcos de Apalache) and took the fort from the Spanish without firing a shot. After claiming Fort St. Marks Gen. Jackson led the army to attack Seminole villages along the banks of the Suwannee River (which Daniel refers to as Savanna). They then returned to Fort St. Marks, then marched to Fort Gadsden and Fort Scott. On June 30, 1818 the 2nd Tennessee Mounted Volunteers Regiment was discharged in Columbus, Georgia.
“From thence to Smith County, Tenn. to Uncle Gashum Hunts. After tarrying a while I went to Tuscaloosa, South Alabama at the Falls of the Black Warrior. From thence to Mobile, Alabama from thence to Columbus, Mississippi, from thence to the mouth of the Sipsy on the Tom Bigbe River from thence to Limestone County. North Alabama near Athens and went to school. From there back to Smith County, Tenn. From thence to Fathers in Ky. This was in 1822 I think.
"This was the first time I ever saw my father where I staid 2 or 3 years and then returned back to Smith County and Married Nancy Davis in 1826. After a few years I moved to Gibson Co."
Perhaps Daniel was looking for work at this time, because he offers no explanation as to why he is travelling so much at this time. All that we can know is that he returned from Georgia to Tennessee, then travelled to Tuscaloosa Alabama (which was previously called “Falls of the Black Warrior”), then to Mobile, AL; to Columbus, MS; to the Sipsey River in Alabama; and to Athens, GA. He then returned home to Tennessee, and then visited his father in Kentucky.
A map showing Daniel's wanderings after his discharge from the Army.
At this point Daniel’s personal account of his life story ends. Some think that perhaps there was still another page to his personal account which has gone missing, but it is impossible to tell. From this point on there are only secondary sources to tell about the life of Daniel D. Hunt.
After marrying Nancy in 1826 Daniel began to have children. His first daughter was born in Smith County, Tennessee, but the majority of his remaining children were born in Gibson County, Tennessee. It is not known why in 1840 Daniel and his son John A. (who was only a boy at the time) visited Nauvoo, Illinois and met with the Prophet Joseph Smith, but LDS Church history records that they made such a visit. On August 7, 1841 Daniel D. Hunt was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Andrew A. Timmons and then ordained an Elder in the Church the same day. Nearly a year later Nancy Joanna Penelope, Daniel and Nancy’s last child was born in Gibson County, Kentucky. It is possible that Nancy died while giving birth to this final daughter, or within a year or two after, because she is not mentioned elsewhere in the record.
What we do know is that in 1843 John A. was baptized in Nauvoo. It is likely that Daniel and his family had already moved to Nauvoo by this time. It has been said that Daniel was a carpenter on the Nauvoo Temple during this time. It is obvious that Daniel was very active among the LDS Church leadership, because in 1844 he was ordained to the Quorum of the Seventy by George A. Smith.
In the April 1844 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it was announced that Joseph Smith Jr. would be running for President of the United States in the 1844 election. Heber C. Kimball called for volunteers and Daniel D. Hunt was among a group of 244 who volunteered to campaign for the Prophet. He was assigned with his companion Lindsay Anderson Brady to campaign for the Prophet’s Presidential run in his “home state” of Kentucky. He and his companion travelled to Muhlenberg County, Kentucky where he stayed with his relatives. While there he and his companion baptized 23 people into the Church.
Daniel’s mission was likely short, but we have no record of when it ended. Surely he would have returned by July 1844, because in the end of June the Prophet was killed by a mob. He and his second wife Susan Davis Hunt (younger sister of Nancy, his first wife) received some LDS ordinances in the Nauvoo temple on July 12, 1845. We can assume that they had been married prior to this day.
The Patriarchal Blessing of Daniel D. Hunt
We do know that Daniel and his family remained in Nauvoo for some time after the death of Joseph Smith. On January 18, 1845 he received his Patriarchal Blessing in Nauvoo by John Smith, who was Patriarch of the Church. On the same day his wife Susan Davis Hunt received her Patriarchal blessing as well. The next day Daniel received a certificate qualifying him as a policeman for the city of Nauvoo.
One year later on January 19, 1846 Daniel was sealed to Susan Hunt, who then served as proxy while he was sealed to Nancy her sister. We know that Daniel and his family were still in Nauvoo as late as April 12, 1846. It was reported to Governor Ford of Illinois that Daniel D. Hunt as his family likely moved from Nauvoo during the summer of 1846, and that they had definitely moved by September of that year.
Daniel and his family moved from Nauvoo, Illinois to Garden Grove, Iowa to join the branch there. The Saints in Garden Grove were destitute, and in desperate need of help. According to the personal journal of Luman A. Shurtliff, on January 25, 1847 a meeting was called among the leaders of Garden Grove (it is possible that at this point Daniel had been appointed to the Branch Presidency, but cannot be confirmed). In this meeting it was decided that Daniel and Luman A. Shurtliff would leave Garden Grove and ask for the help of nearby LDS members. They left Garden Grove on February 8th and Luman records in his journal that there was over a foot of snow on the ground. They arrived at Nauvoo on February 18th and from there continued to Montrose, then to Keokuk. They then turned south and crossed the Des Moines River, though there was ice floating down the river. They headed to Quincy Illinois, and on March 2nd they boarded a flatboat to take them down river to St. Louis and arrived the next day.
The early "begging missions" of Daniel D. Hunt
One March 14th Daniel and Luman talked because Luman felt uneasy. It was decided that after finishing their work in Quincy that Daniel would return home to Garden Grove and Luman would continue on. On March 16th Daniel returned to Garden Grove by boat as Luman continued on.
On May 3rd Luman Shurtliff was a few miles from Garden Grove when he ran into Daniel who was leaving on a second begging mission with Erastus Snow, this time to New Orleans. This mission could not have been long because on August 4th Daniel went to Winter Quarters, Missouri along with the other members of the branch presidency to meet with their leaders.
We do not know when Daniel and his family moved to Kanesville, Iowa but we do know that they lived there for most, if not all of 1848. He stayed there with his family until June 12, 1850 when he joined up with the Aaron Johnson Company as they crossed the plains to Utah. Daniel was elected chaplain of the wagon company. It is interesting to note that on the list of members of the company Daniel’s third wife Martha Hunt is listed. There is no record as to when they were married, but it is very likely that Daniel was practicing polygamy since before he crossed the plains.
It would not be long before tradgedy and hardship plagued the wagon train. On June 14th Daniel and his family reached Salt Creek. Here, water became scarce and cholera broke out among the pioneers. Daniel’s wife Susan died on June 28th near the modern day Fort Kearney in Nebraska.
By the time they reached the Platte River (likely the fork between the North and South Platte River, because the company followed the Platte River from Council Bluffs) cholera broke out again. This time Daniel and other leaders had a vision that if they stopped, washed, administered to, and re-baptized the company the sickness would leave them. At the time Daniel and his wife Martha were sick with cholera but were immediately healed after being administered to. The wagon train reached Salt Lake City, Utah on September 5, 1850.
Daniel D. Hunt's Journey to Utah
After reaching Utah, Daniel and his family settled in the Salt Lake Valley. We know that Daniel was President of the 5th Quorum of the Seventies at this time. He and his family lived in the Salt Lake Valley until late in 1852 or early in 1853 when they moved south, beyond the point of the mountain and into a small community in Utah Valley called “Lake City” which would later become American Fork, Utah. On July 4, 1853 Daniel was elected alderman (a member of the city council) for Lake City. He was also elected to the school board for Lake City.
It seems that Daniel had a fairly large tract of land on which he and his family farmed wheat. He farmed, helped to build the city fort (which all were required to contribute to), and carried out the duties of his calling as a member of the Seventy such as calling a bishop and presiding over meetings.
In 1855 a severe drought occurred across the Mormon Settlements in the Utah Territory. It was during this time that the now famous story of the crickets and the seagulls occurred. Brigham Young and other church leaders began the “Mormon Reformation” to reaffirm basic principles of LDS doctrine among the Saints in Utah. As a result, on October 4, 1855 Daniel D. Hunt’s name was read during the General Conference of the Church in Salt Lake City. He along with a dozen or so others was called on a mission to preach to the inhabitants of the Utah Territory.
Daniel and his family remained in Lake City through February 1856, but moved to Salt Lake City shortly thereafter. On September 13, 1856 Daniel was one of many speakers in a Kaysville Utah ward meeting which would be considered the first of the “Mormon Reformation”. Saints were told to repent and be rebaptized so that the drought would leave the area. During the following weeks and months Daniel continued to give speeches throughout Utah – from Kaysville to Provo – while Daniel and his family lived in the 7th Ward in Salt Lake City. By early 1858 the fervor of the “Mormon Reformation” had died down, and Daniel and his family resumed their more normal lives.
Near the end of 1858 Daniel purchased a tract of land in Salt Lake City near the current Union Pacific railway depot. From this point on there is no more record of Daniel until his death in St. Charles, ID. It is likely that he moved with his family there in 1864 with his son John A. Hunt. Daniel Durham Hunt died in St. Charles, Idaho in 1866. He was 69 years old.
The tombstone of Daniel D. Hunt in St. Charles, ID
