Robert Hunt b. 28 Jul 1811 , Ireland d. 6 Feb 1890 London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada: Waterloo Region Generations

1811 - 1890 (78 years)

Name	Robert Hunt
Born	28 Jul 1811	, Ireland [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Gender	Male
Business	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
	Preston Woollen Mill
		Preston Woolen Factory image from Collections Canada
Interesting	life story, business, mill,
Occupation	1852	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [1]
	Cloth Manufacturer
Occupation	1861	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [3]
	Manufacturer
Residence	1861	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [3]
	Wesley Methodist
Residence	1871	Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada
Residence	1875	London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada [4]
Residence	1881	London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada
Eby ID Number	Waterloo-35820
Died	6 Feb 1890	London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada [2, 5]
	Cause: old age (6 months)
Buried	Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London, Middlesex Co., Ontario [5]
Person ID	I35820	Generations
Last Modified	28 Jan 2025

Father	James Hunt, b. Abt 1770, Of, Ireland , d. Bef 1861 (Age ~ 90 years)
Mother	Margaret, b. 1772, , Ireland , d. Yes, date unknown
Family ID	F10542	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Family Viena Claflin, b. 18 Aug 1812, Waterbury Twp., Washington Co., Vermont , d. 2 Aug 1872, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada (Age 59 years)

Children

	1. James Hunt, b. 1834, Waterdown, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown
	2. Pamila Hunt, b. 1836, , Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown
	3. Jonathan "John" Hunt, b. 6 Jun 1838, Waterdown, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada , d. 1906, , Halton Co., Ontario, Canada (Age 67 years)
	4. Robert Herbert Howard Hunt, b. 6 Sep 1840, Flamboro West Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario , d. 15 Oct 1914, , Alameda Co., California (Age 74 years)
	5. Emeline "Emily" Hunt, b. 13 Dec 1842, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown
	6. Marriet Hunt, b. 1844, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown
	7. Margaret Jane Hunt, b. 8 Feb 1845, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. 22 Feb 1913, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada (Age 68 years)
	8. William Henry Hunt, b. 1846, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown
	9. George Hunt, b. CALC 25 Feb 1848, d. 25 Aug 1848 (Age ~ 0 years)
	10. Charles Hunt, b. CALC 24 Aug 1852, d. 11 Sep 1852 (Age ~ 0 years)
	11. George B. Hunt, b. 1853, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. 1919 (Age 66 years)
	12. Evangaline Hunt, b. 1853, , Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown
	13. Eva Eleanor Hunt, b. 7 Apr 1854, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown
	14. Edwin Napier Hunt, b. 17 Apr 1856, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. Yes, date unknown

Last Modified 29 Jan 2025

Family ID F9457 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Notes

ROBERT HUNT -1890

Robert Hunt was described as a quiet unassuming man benevolent in disposition, closely attending to his business and possessed of superior tact and business qualities. Mr. Hunt came to Preston in 1845 when he purchased the Preston Woollen Mill from Hiram Kinsman and the following year built Preston's first stone woollen mill. A fire destroyed the mill in 1852 but it was rebuilt and in 1855 Andrew Elliott of Galt became his partner. The men operated the mill under the name of Elliott & Hunt and enlarged the mill in 1857 adding considerable machinery. The mill was on its way to becoming one of the most influential centres for textile production in Waterloo County when in 1865, another fire devastated the company. Discouraged, Mr. Hunt quietly retired from the business leaving its operation to his sons in partnership with Mr. Elliott. The mill was reorganized as a linen mill under the name of Elliott, Hunt and Company only to suffer another fire in 1870 after which it lay idle until the property was sold to William Robinson and Daniel Howell in 1876. The business eventually became Geo. Pattinson & Co., one of Canada's most successful woollen mills and one of Preston's largest employers.

Cambridge Mosaic, Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge

____________________

The name of the person who was the real founder of the largest and to the inhabitants of Preston the most important establishment has so far been mentioned only incidentally, but since he well deserves special mention, a brief review of his achievements will no doubt prove interesting. The name of this party is Mr. Robert Hunt, a quiet, unassuming man, benevolent in disposition, closely attending to his business and possessed of superior tact and business qualities. It was about the year 1845 that Mr. Hunt came to Preston. The water privilege now known as that of the Preston Woolen Mills was acquired by purchase in 1832 by one Charles Wiffler, a German blacksmith, who conceived the idea of starting a wool carding shop, but being unable to carry out that idea, he sold the premises, in 1842, to one Hiram Kinsman, who built a frame two story building in which he carried on wool carding for the farmers in the vicinity. Woolen mills, as we know them, were unknown here in those early days. The farmer brought his wool to the carding mill, had it carded, the carder deducting a usual percentage of the wool for his work, and the farmer took home his carded wool. His wife and daughters spun it into yarn and then this yarn was woven into homespun by the weaver who wove by hand loom, the cotton warp being bought in the stores. Mr. Robert Hunt, upon seeing the water power and premises, at once discovered a mine of wealth latent there which only required energy, tact and means to develop. He purchased the premises from Mr. Kinsman in 1845, and set to work with that earnestness, perseverance and forethought which were his peculiar characteristics. The old frame building proved too small, a stone factory was erected and to this were gradually additions and numerous outer buildings. Mr. Hunt's wealth increased with the increase of his premises. A most disastrous fire consumed the whole interior of the main building, but phoenix-like there soon arose from its ashes a large building, filled with the most improved machinery. In 1855 'Mr. Andrew Elliott of Galt became a partner of 'Mr. Hunt and the premises and business were considerably enlarged.

Fifth Annual Report Of The Waterloo Historical Society, 1917

Sources

[S270] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1852, Pg 16.
[S713] Vit - ON - Death Registration, death certificate 10697 (1890), Robert Hunt, accessed 25 Jul 2010.
Robert Hunt, d. 6 Feb 1890 City of London, Middlesex, b. Ireland age 79 years, cause: old age (6 months)
[S1473] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1861, Div. 2 Page 27.
[S721] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, marriage certificate 6561 (1975), Hunt-Faff.
Robert Hunt, 64, gentleman of London, b. Ireland, s/o James and Margaret Hunt, widower, married Lucia Ann Faff, 58, b. New York, res. London, widow, d/o Jone Waller & Lucretia Phelps, married 29 Dec 1875 London
[S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/172410407/robert-hunt.

Event Map

	Born - 28 Jul 1811 - , Ireland
	Business - Preston Woollen Mill - - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
	Occupation - Cloth Manufacturer - 1852 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
	Occupation - Manufacturer - 1861 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
	Residence - Wesley Methodist - 1861 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
	Residence - 1871 - Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada
	Residence - 1875 - London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada
	Residence - 1881 - London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada
	Died - Cause: old age (6 months) - 6 Feb 1890 - London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada
	Buried - - Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London, Middlesex Co., Ontario

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