Union B. Hunt

As printed in 1914

UNION B. HUNT.

No one perhaps in Randolph county is more widely known than Union B. Hunt, who was born in Nettle Creek township, September 2, 1864. He is a son of Joshua P. and Rachel Howell Hunt. Having been born during the Civil war and his father being a loyal supporter of the Federal Government, he was christened "Union". His paternal grandfather, John Hunt, was a native of Kentucky and was colonel of a regiment in the war of 1812.

The greater part of the life of Mr. Hunt has been spent in Randolph county, the early years of his boyhood having been spent in Vermilion county, Illinois. During his boyhood days, he worked on a farm, later clerked in a store and engaged in other occupations. He studied law in the office of Watson and Watson and was admitted to practice in 1889, forming a partnership with John R. Wright under the firm name of Wright and Hunt. This partnership continued for a number of years, when a new partnership was formed with C. L. and T. W. Hirtchens under the firm name of Hutchens, Hunt and Hutchens, the latter partnership continuing up to 1898, when he was nominated by the Republican party for secretary of state of Indiana, to which position he was elected and re-elected in 1900. In 1892 he engaged in the newspaper business, buying a half interest in the Winchester Herald, one of the leading Republican newspapers in the state, assuming practically the entire editorial charge of the paper and continued in that work for about four years, in the meantime keeping in close touch with his law practice. At the expiration of his term as secretary of state, Mr. Hunt returned to Winchester and re-engaged in the practice of law with Hon. Enos L. Watson under the firm name of Watson and Hunt. This partnership continued until 1903, when he was appointed a member of the Indiana Railroad Commission and was by his colleagues elected chairman of that Commission, which position he filled until December 1, 1908, when he resigned to accept the presidency of the Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias Insurance Department, which position he now holds. This position is one of importance in the business world, as the institution of which he is president has a membership of 71,000, representing one hundred million dollars of insurance, the society having assets of more than six million dollars.

Mr. Hunt has occupied many prominent positions in the Order of Knights of Pythias, having served in various grand lodge offices in Indiana, first being appointed Grand Instructor, following which he was elected Grand Vice Chancellor and elected Grand Chancellor in 1897. He was chosen as Supreme Representative in 1901 and continued as such representative for ten years.

While Mr. Hunt does not at this time take an active part in politics, he is a Republican and was for many years active and influential in the work of that party, having made speeches in every county in the state except one and has spoken several times in a number of counties; not only has he addressed audiences in behalf of the political party he represents, but since he became identified with the Knights of Pythias, he has spoken before the grand lodges in every state in the Union and in many of the Canadian provinces in behalf of fraternal organizations and especially in behalf of the Insurance Department of which he is the president.

On November 1, 1891, he married Mary M. Hinshaw, who was the daughter of Absalom and Eliza Hinshaw. To them was born one child, Ethel, who is now the wife of K. R. Davis, of Indianapolis.

As printed in Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.