RHODA MARIA TRUMAN &
AMOS PRATT HUNT
A Brief History of the Life of Amos Pratt Hunt and his wife Rhoda Maria Truman
as told by their daughter Lauretta Hunt RossMy father, Amos Pratt Hunt, was born 28 Feb. 1855 in Ogden Utah. This town has since been divided and the section where father was born is now called Huntsville, (and) was named after Capt. Jefferson Hunt.
Father was a very ambitious man - up every morning at 5 o'clock, rain or shine. He was a small man, but could run like a deer, and wrestle any man much larger than he was. He could throw his brother, Elias, down as fast as he could get up and father was much smaller than Elias. He was a farmer and cattleman. He lived in nearly every town in southern Utah (and) helped build many of (those) towns. He was very good (at) playing the violin and wherever he went he played for all the dances and other amusements. he would charge very little and most of the time played without charging.
Father was a very generous may - took travelers in and fed them and their teams - gave them a place to sleep and never charged them a cent.
Father met my mother, Rhoda Maria Truman, and they were married in Salt Lake City, Oct 12, 1874. It took them 10 days to travel to Salt Lake City from southern Utah in a covered wagon. They remained in Salt Lake for 10 days and then it took them another 10 days to return home.
Mother was born 4 May 1859 in what was South Cottonwood, now called Murray. She was a very pleasant woman, one that everyone loved. She, like father, was a very generous person. She was always willing to take people in and feed them and many times she would make beds all over the house. she was always helping the sick, the poor, and the needy. She was a very good seamstress - making dresses and even men's suits. She loved to make flowers and do all kinds of fancy work.
When I was a baby she contracted rheumatics and every baby she had after that she would have a bad spell of rheumatics, which left her heart very bad. She was never able to do very heavy work. As a result it was my responsibility to take care of the younger children. We were never able to leave her alone, and many times I have had to stay home from a dance while father went to play for the dance. I remember some wagon missionaries were camped at Hebron. They came to our house for some milk and I sold them two quarts of milk for 5 cents a quart. Mother made me take the money back as she never charged for any food. She always gave it away. Every summer we would go out to the ranch where we would make butter and cheese, dry fruit and vegetables that would last us all winter.
Mother died 21 Jul 1907 in Enterprise, Utah. Father and mother were a very happy couple and when mother died, her brother came to the funeral and persuaded father to sell out and move to Sugar City, Idaho and buy a big farm. He soon regretted this move very much. We moved there in September and on 26 Oct 1907, father was kicked in the head by a horse and he never regained consciousness. His heart beat for 12 hours. the doctor said (that) he had the soundest heart and purest blood of anyone he had ever examined. We, the remaining children stayed on the farm for about a year and then we lost everything. Three of the boys and myself were married and the smaller children wer left without a home and nothing to live on. They had to get out and work and when they were of of work, they made my home their home until they were married. After father died, Jacob had to return home from his mission in order to help take care of the younger children.