Introduction
Hunt ~ First
Generation
| The
first known generation of the Hunt family commences in
Rochester, Kent, in England. The first named couple known are John HUNT and Tracy BLAND. It is possible that John was the son of John Hunt & Lydia, bap 10 Nov 1745 at Saint Nicholas, Rochester, Kent (ref IGI) OR son of Arthur Hood Hunt & Ann, bap 15 Feb 1761 at Rochester, Kent (ref Ancestry Christening Records) OR son of John Hunt & Ann Cleave [Hunt], bap 15 Apr 1764. The existence of the second names, Hood and Cleave, both lead to some ambiguity but since illegitimate births would usually only list the mother's name, it is most likely that these are genuine second names and the births are legitimate. To back this evidence up, there is a baptism of Arthur Hood, son of John & Eliz. Hunt, December 4, 1720. Further work continues on this link. Tracy Bland was born c1760 (ref her death cert). The Bland connections are very hard to find. There are 3 baptisms of interest in the neighbourhood: Sarah Bland bap 16 Jan 1754 at Chatham, dau of William Bland & Sarah; Elizabeth Bland bap 21 Mar 1756 at Chatham, dau of William Bland & Sarah; Jane Bland bap 29 Feb 1760 at Frindsbury, dau of Thomas Bland & Mary (all in Ancestry, no images). John and Tracy's marriage was 3 Aug 1781 at Saint Nicholas, Rochester, Kent (ref IGI). Witnesses were Ann Meager & Thomas Harris (ref image, seen 2018). John Hunt was a Shipwright at the Chatham naval dockyards, and he died before January 1840. No records of a death of John Hunt at Medway dist are found in FreeBMD from Sep 1837 to Mar 1840. Death reg of Tracy Hunt Mar qtr 1840 at Medway dist (ref FreeBMD). The death certificate reads as follows: Registration District Medway / 1840 Death in the Sub-District of Gillingham in the County of Flint / No. 432 / Fourteenth of January 1840 [illegible possibly 1pm] at High St Chatham / Tracy Hunt / Female / 79 years / Widow of John Hunt Shipwright / [Cause of death] Old Age / [Informant] The Mark of X Maria Hunt Present at the Death High St Chatham / [Registered] Sixteenth of January 1840 / [beautiful but illegible signature] Registrar (ref Thomas Burton 2012 from her DC). Tracy was buried 19 Jan 1840 at St Mary's Chatham, abode Chatham, aged 79 (Ref burials in the parish of Chatham). This church is lovely but derelict, on the short road from High Street to the Dockyard. Very few of the graves, ones between the church and gate, are marked, but there is no sign of graves, though there must have been hundreds. (Note from Thomas Burton) FROM WHOM ELIZABETH SHADE NEE GRIERSON IS DESCENDED. |
IGI records |
|
| Children: | ||
| 1. | Tracy HUNT bap 1782 at Saint Margaret, Rochester, Kent | |
| 2. | John James HUNT bap 1784 at Chatham, Kent | |
| 3. | William John HUNT bap 1787 at Chatham, Kent | |
| 4. | Catherine HUNT bap 1789 at Chatham, Kent | |
| 5. | John HUNT born 1794, bap 1794 at Saint Margaret, Rochester, Kent | |
| 6. | Elizabeth Ann HUNT born 1796, bap 1796 at Saint Margaret, Rochester, Kent | |
| 7. | Ann HUNT bap 1803 at Chatham, Kent |
Updated 26 Oct 2018