Arrington Julius HUNT

     Arrington Julius HUNT, son of William Henry HUNT and Sarah Rebecca CHAMBLISS, was born on 14 October 1880 in Prattville, Autauga County, Alabama.^1,2 Arrington Julius HUNT also went by the name of Jake. Arrington was a merchant. In 1910 he lived on Factory Street in Prattville.

Arrington Julius HUNT appeared in a newspaper article 30 March 1900 in the Prattville Progress, published in Prattville, Alabama. Mr. Jake Hunt can now be seen behind the counters of the Prattville Mercantile Co. [Note: this may have also been the post office because Jake is also mentioned as a clerk at the post office this same year]

Arrington Julius HUNT appeared in a newspaper article 13 September 1901 in the The Prattville Progress, published in Prattville, Alabama. Mr. Jake Hunt, who has been a very accommodating clerk at the post office for some time past, has accepted a position with the Smith Mercantile Co., and will assume his duties on Saturday.

Jake HUNT appeared in a newspaper article 9 September 1904 in the The Prattville Progress, published in Prattville, Alabama. Mr. Jake Hunt, formerly of Prattville, but for some time past located at Cullman, where he occupies the position of express agent, visited his parents here this week. His many friends will be glad to know that he is doing well in his new field.

Arrington married Nellie Maude SHAFFER on 25 December 1906 in Cullman, Cullman County, Alabama.³

As of 14 February 1908, Arrington Julius HUNT was living in Pratttville, Alabama. He had been living on Chestnut street, but newspaper said that he was renting the Floyd place, a mile and a half northwest of town, and had just moved his family there. By Dec 1910 he was employed as the bookkeeper at the Smith Merchantile Company, general merchandise, fertilizers, cotton seed hulls and meal. Exclusive agents for Star Brand Shoes.

Arrington Julius HUNT and Nellie Maude SHAFFER appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 19 April 1910 in Prattville, Autauga County, Alabama. The household was listed as Arlington J. Hunt, a 29-year-old salesman in general retailer, and his 25-year-old wife, Nellie M. Hunt. They were living at 221 Factory (now Main) Street with their two children, Ruth, 2, and Margaret, one-month-old.⁴

Arrington Julius HUNT appeared in a newspaper article 6 April 1911 in the Prattville Progress, published in Pratttville, Alabama. Mr. Jake Hunt has purchased the interest of Mr. Rufus Robertson in the mercantile firm of W. G. Robertson & Co., and hereafter will be found behind the counters of that store.

Arrington was registered for the draft during World War I on 1 September 1918 while living in in Prattville, Alabama. He was a 37-year-old merchant employed by W. G. Robertson & Co. He was described as medium height and build, with gray eyes and brown hair.²

Jake HUNT appeared in a newspaper article 11 December 1919 in the The Prattville Progress. The brick store of Jake Hunt just east of main bridge fell and was a complete wreck -- only a small portion of the groceries were saved. [Note: This would indicate that at this time was the owner of his own store.]

On 10 Jun 1920 this article appeared: "Mr. Jake Hunt, whose store was destroyed by the December freshet will re-open for business the latter part of this week. A new building has been erected on the same site and with new stock of goods Mr. Hunt stands ready to give the people of this section good service." This would be the building that still stands downtown next to the cigarette bridge. It is presently occupied by a coffee shop, but was long the location of Hope's dress shop where the author's mother worked for many years.

Jake HUNT and Nellie Maude SHAFFER appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 19 February 1920 in Prattville, Autauga County, Alabama. The household was listed as Jake Hunt, a 39-year-old dry goods and groceries merchant, and his 35-year-old wife, Nellie. Also in the household were their children: Ruth 12, Nellie D. 10, and Arrington 3. They lived on Washington Street.⁵

Arrington Julius HUNT and Nellie Maude SHAFFER appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 4 April 1930 in Prattville, Autauga County, Alabama. The household was listed as A. Jake Hunt a 49-year-old grocer and Nellie, his 42-year-old wife. They had been married 23 years. Living with them were their children: Arrington 18, Nellie D. 13, Theo 9 and Donald 7. They owned their home at 92 Chestnut Street which was valued at $5,000.⁶

Arrington Julius HUNT was named an heir in the will of Sarah Rebecca CHAMBLISS dated 6 October 1932 in Autauga County, Alabama.⁷

Jake was employed as manager by the Nettles Store on 16 March 1933 in Prattville, Alabama. According to an article in the Prattville Progress he won a contest between 16 Nettles stores in Alabama for the biggest increase in the sales of a popular bar of soap of a two months period. He had been manager of Nettles since March 1931. Nettle had apparently bought him out and was in the same location as Jake's grocery as a 1939 said that Wall's Feed Store was opening in the former location of Jake Hunt and Nettles.

On 5 Oct 1933 he was announced as a manager with the Smith Mercantile Company where he had worked earlier and then 28 Nov 1935 he was named manager of the Prattville Cash Store.⁸

Arrington Julius HUNT moved from Prattville to Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, circa 1941 In 1942 and 1956 Jake was reported living in Ensley, a neighborhood in Birmingham. He was employed by Mutual Oil Company.

Arrington Julius HUNT died on 22 October 1961 in Fairfield, Jefferson County, Alabama, at age 81.⁹

His obituary appeared 24 October 1961 in the The Birmingham News, published in Birmingham, Alabama. Services for Arrington Julius Hunt, 81, of Avenue I in Ensley, were held today at Angwin Mortuary with burial in Elmwood Cemetery. Mr. Hunt died Sunday in a local hospital.

A native of Prattville, Alabama, he had been a resident of Birmingham 20 years and was employed by Mutual Oil Company.

Survivors are his wife; daughters, Ruth (Mrs. L.L.) Howell of Maitland, Florida and Nella (Mrs. A.C., Jr.) Griffin of Rome, New York; sons, Arrington Hunt of Silver Springs, Maryland, Donald S. Hunt of Falls Church, Virginia and Tordore M. Hunt of Birmingham; sisters, Emma Hunt and Ella Hunt, both of Prattville.