Biographical History of La Crosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties, Wisconsin                         
Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company1892.

Charles A. Hunt of Melvina, Monroe County, Wisconsin.

CAPTAIN CHARLES A. HUNT,  a worthy pioneer of the State of 
Wisconsin, was born in Chautauqua county, New York, in 1829.  His 
parents, Melzer and Abigail (Dingley) Hunt, were married at Duxbury, 
Massachusetts, in 1815, and the following year removed to Chautauqua 
county, New York.  Both are descendants of the Plymouth Rock Colony.  
They reared a family of six children, Charles A. being the youngest.  The 
father was a manufacturer of woolen goods.  He was drowned in Lake 
Chautauqua in January, 1860, and his body was not recovered until the 
following spring, although a great effort was made by the members of the 
community, and the Masonic fraternity especially.  Captain Hunt removed to 
Grant county, Wisconsin, in 1845, and engaged in the milling business there.  
In 1850 he pushed on to the Golden State, but returned at the end of the year.  
He resumed his milling operations in Grant county, which he continued until 
1856.  In that year he erected a mill in Vernon county, which he operated 
until 1865, when he sold the property and came to Monroe county.  Here he 
purchased 300 acres of land, a portion of which is the present site of 
Melvina, which was named in honor of the Captain’s first wife.  He owns a 
good farm, well stocked with full-blood Durham cattle.

In the Nation’s hour of need he volunteered his services, entering the 
Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry as a private; he was with Sherman at 
Atlanta, and was promoted to the office of First Lieutenant, and soon after 
was made Captain.  His regiment was sent to Minnesota to quell the Indian 
disturbance in 1862, and when this trouble was settled he went to Vicksburg, 
where he was attached to General Sherman’s corps; he went with his general 
on the immortal march to the sea, and when hostilities had ceased returned 
to his home.

Captain Hunt was elected a member of the Legislature for the session of 
1868-’69, and was re-elected in 1870.  He discharged the duties of this office 
with marked ability, and reflected great credit upon himself and his 
constituency.  He has held many of the township offices, and when a citizen 
of Vernon county, Wisconsin, he was made the first Postmaster of 
Bloomingdale, a position he resigned when he removed to Monroe county.  
He was appointed the first Postmaster of Melvina, and still retains the office.

Captain Hunt was married in June, 1849, to Miss Amanda Melvina Ray, a 
daughter of Elisha Ray, of Payson, Illinois.  Six children blessed this union, 
only two of whom are living:  Henry is a merchant at Greenwood, Clark 
county, Wisconsin; he married Miss Mary Joslyn, and they have three 
children; Frank married Miss Hattie Morrison, and is living on a farm near 
his father.  The mother of these children died December 16, 1866, aged 
thirty-three years.  Captain Hunt was married April 28, 1867, to Miss Sarah 
H. Ray, a sister of his first wife; she died February 27, 1890.  His third union 
was to Miss Mary E. Cooper, October 28, 1890.  Besides providing for his 
own children, Captain Hunt has adopted four children, three of whom are 
established in life; he is also guardian to four orphans of soldiers.  He is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity and takes a deep interest in that body.  He 
and his wife are liberal supporters of the Church at Melvina.  Politically, he 
is an ardent supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and is a 
radical Prohibitionist.  Being a fluent speaker he does his party effective 
service in campaign seasons.  He is a true patriot, a philanthropist, a 
generous benefactor ever ready to answer the call of distress.  He is one of 
the most popular men of his county, and merits the high regard in which he 
is held by his fellow citizens.

Submitted by:  Susan Williams nee Hunt