Person Page 3,010

OBITUARY - Robert Irving Hunt (father of Virginia (Hunt) Owen), Decatur Sunday Herald, January 10, 1937

Robert I. Hunt, 72, one of Decatur's leading business men and former assistant treasurer in charge of the United States subtreasury in Chicago, died unexpectedly at 5:55 A.M. Saturday in the Decatur and Macon County Hospital.

Death was attributed to heart disease. Close friends of Mr. Hunt had known his heart was in a weakened condition but a physician had advised that avoidance of exertion would prolong his life.

Following a downtown trip Tuesday the former civic leader's condition became serious and he was taken to the hispital.

Funeral services will be held at 10 A.M. Monday in the Dawson & Wikoff Chapel. Burial will be in Fairlawn Cemetery.

Rev. E. W. Clippinger, former pastor of the First Presbyterian here and at present pastor of the North Sangamon Church in Indiana Point will preach the sermon.

Three of the six pallbearers will be E. B. Evans, Ernest Rice and Max Funk. The others will be announced later.

Mr. Hunt's sons, Floyd P. Hunt of Highland Park and William O. Hunt of Chicago, already have come to Decatur for the funeral. A sister, Dr. Marie L. Hunt of Hinsdale, will not be able to attend it was said at the Hunt residence Saturday night.

Born in Baltimore, MD, Jan 19, 1864, Mr. Hunt was a son of Samuel Montgomery and Rebecca B. Hunt. His early life was passed in Baltimore and Chicago. He has lived in Decatur since 1892.

While still a very young man he became credit manager for the Edson-Keith wholesale Millinery House in Chicago. Later left that position to come to Decatur as treasurer of the Suffern-Hunt Grain Milling Company. He helped finance and build the old Suffern-Hunt Mill here, at that time then largest white corn mill in the world.

He soon became active in a number of business enterprises helping to organize and build the Polar Ice and Storage Company plant and later acquiring a substantial interest in the Morehouse and Wells Company. The later was disposed of some years ago.

Mr. Hunt acquired his interest in politics early in life, also. In 1884 he served as a page at the Democratic National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in which Grover Cleveland was nominated for the presidency. Mr. Hunt remained a staunch Democrat throughout life and was a close friend of Senator James Hamilton Lewis.

In 1904 he served as city alderman here. That and four years as assistant U.S. Treasurer, were the only public offices he ever held. Though he frequently was urged to be a candidate for office.

In 1933 he was appointed by Governor Horner as a member of the State Housing Board and in compliment to him Horner declined to appoint someone else in Hunt's place when he resigned last year. In 1934 he was named by President Roosevelt as a member of the Federal Board of Mediation and Control, under the National Recovery Act.

He was among the chief figures in the promotion of Lake Decatur and in 1924 was elected president of the Decatur Water Supply Company. He remained actively interested in the water supply development until it was taken over by the city two years ago. For years he had been active in the Decatur Club, serving as its president in 1922 and was active in the County Club of Decatur, in Macon Lodge No 8, A.F. & AM., Macon Chapter No 21, R.A.M. and Beaumanoir Commandery, Knights Templar. He was baptized in the Baltimore Presbyterian Church. Observing his 30th anniversary in Decatur in 1922.

Mr. Hunt said: "Decatur was a city of 15,000 population when I came here and it has been my pleasure to watch it grow and to have had some part in assisting the growth. I have assisted in the building of three manufacturing establishments and the Morehouse & Wells building. I was a member of the board of directors of the Citizens National Bank and made the motion which resulted in the erection of the building in which the bank is now located. All of my business life has been in this community and I am proud of the community and its achievements."

Mr. Hunt leaves his widow, two sons, Floyd P. of Highland Park, William D. of Chicago, daughter Mrs. Honore M. Owen, Decatur and two grandchildren, Honore Martyn, Virginia A. Owen of Decatur and sister Dr. Marie L. Hunt of Hinsdale.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE - The Journal & Tribune, Knoxville, TN, Sunday, July 9, 1905

An Approaching Wedding

Cards have been issued bearing the following formula:

Mr. and Mrs. SAMUEL HENRY BALLARD request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter: ANNIE LAURA BALLARD to JAMES CROCKETT SARRETT Sunday afternoon, the sixteenth July, Nineteen hundred and Five at three o'clock. No. 1905 Highland Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee

MARRIAGE LICENSE

The Marriage License, issued in the Office in Knoxville on the 15th. of July 1905, list I solemnized the Rites of Matrimony between the above parties on the 16th day of July 1905, signed by the Rev. E. HUBERT BROYLES, Minister, brother of the brides mother (Mary L. (Broyles) Ballard; A $1,250 Bond was taken out by CROCKETT SARRETT and GUY SMITHSON on 15 Jul., 1905, Knox Co., TN. #535.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE - The Journal & Tribune, Knoxville, TN, Monday, July 17, 1905

SARRETT - BALLARD

The marriage of Mr. Crockett Sarrett and Miss Anna Laura Ballard took place yesterday afternoon at three o'clock, at the home of the bride, 1905 High Avenue. It was witnessed by quite a number of relatives and friends. Rev. William A. Atchley, pastor of the Broadway Baptist Church, officiated. The groom is a well known businessman of Knoxville who has a fine river farm on the French Broad River in Sevier County. The bride is a charming young lady who has been a resident of Knoxville only a few years, coming to this place from Missouri, where she was born. The couple have many friends in Knoxville and Sevier County, who remembered the occasion with gifts. The bridal gift of the groom to the bride was a splendid home on Highland Avenue.

DEATH NOTICE - The Knoxville, Tennessee Journal, Tuesday, December 13, 1932

CROCKETT SARRETT

Crockett Sarrett, former Knoxville Real Estate Dealer, was killed in an automobile accident in Florida Sunday, it was learned here yesterday. Mrs. Sarrett, who lives in Knoxville, left yesterday for Miami, where Mr. Sarrett had lived for several years. He is also survived by two daughters who live in Baltimore, MD.

DEATH NOTICE - The Knoxville, Tennessee Journal, Thursday, December 15, 1932

J. CROCKETT SARRETT

The body of J. CROCKETT SARRETT, age 64, former Knoxville Salesman, who was killed by automobile at Miami, Fla., Sunday. Will arrive in Knoxville, Thursday at 11:05 p.m. over the L & N Railroad. It will be taken to Mann's Mortuary to remain until the hour for the funeral. Services will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. from the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Burial will be in Lynnhurst-Resthaven Cemetery.

LETTERS:

Mrs. Judith (McKay) Sides, granddaughter of J. Crockett Sarrett, in a letter of Mar. 30 1990, to Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. states: "He was killed by a Hit and Run driver, in Florida, after Mom got married (that year, Jan. 18, 1932) and he was identified by the officials, by his daughter's (Annie l. (Sarrett) McKay) wedding clipping, from the Newspaper, which he was carrying with him in his pocket."

Mrs. Sherry (McKay) Ligo, granddaughter of J. Crockett Sarrett, in a letter of Jul. 16, 1991, to Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. states: "I have heard this story many times. Grandfather J. CROCKETT SARRETT, was standing waiting to cross the street, when the bumper of a car caught his loose coat and dragged him. He was identified, by the clipping, in his pocket, of his daughter Annie Louise (Sarrett) Mckay's wedding."