Robert Hunt is a well known stock-raiser of the county and his farm of three hundred and ninety acres on section 33, Bremen township, is one of the valuable and well kept up properties in that township. He was born in Bremen township, December 7, 1865, a son of James and Elizabeth (Gibbs) Hunt, both natives of England, whence the father was brought by his parents to this country when but seven years of age. The family lived in Ohio for a few years but in 1857 removed to Delaware county. The mother was born in England, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Bun) Gibbs, and accompanied her parents to America when but eight years of age. Of her marriage to James Hunt were born fifteen chil­dren, fourteen of whom survive: Robert, of this review; John, who died when but four years of age; George, a resident of Earlville; Nellie, the wife of Lewis Sperring, of Bremen township; Alice, who married Nels Goranson, a resident of Winnebago county, Iowa; William, who lives in Earlville; James, who resides in Bremen township; Sidney, a farmer of Bremen township; Edith, the wife of Henry Arnold, of North Fork township; Henry, who lives in Bremen township; Elsie, the wife of Leslie Tietge, of Des Moines, Iowa; Phoebe, the wife of Joseph Malvin, of South Dakota; Leslie, a resident of Oneida township; and Eva, the wife of Albert Staehle, of Minnesota.
     James Hunt bought his first land from the government, paying a dollar and a quarter per acre for a quarter section, and from time to time added to his holdings until at the time of his death he owned about eighteen hundred and twenty acres. He passed away on the 16th of February, 1889, and was laid to rest in the Fairview cemetery at Earlville. His widow subsequently married Thomas Cousins, who has also been called to his reward. She now makes her home in Earlville and attends personally to her extensive business interests.
     Robert Hunt was reared under the parental roof and learned from his father the best methods of farming, so that when he started out in life for himself he was well prepared to engage in agriculture independently. He owns three hundred and ninety acres of fine land, situated three miles from Earlville and five miles from Dyersville, the closeness of these towns affording him convenient markets for his stock and grain. He specializes in the raising of graded stock and finds animal husbandry a lucrative phase of farming. He is energetic and industrious and as he studies the markets carefully, thus being enabled to sell to the greatest advantage, he realizes a handsome profit for his labors.
     Mr. Hunt was married January 15, 1890, to Miss May Sperring, a daughter of Sylvester and Ellen (Day) Sperring, both natives of England. The father came to this country in 1846 and located at Dyersville and the mother emigrated to the new world in the same year. Both are now living at Thompson, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Hunt were born seventeen children, sixteen of whom survive: Leroy, at home; Ruth, the wife of Albert F. March, a farmer of Bremen township; Stella, who married Charles Robinson and resides in North Fork township; and James, Olive, Esther, John, Edith, Ethel, Ernest, Charles, Nellie, Gertrude, Harold, Ralph and Elva, all at home.
     Fraternally Mr. Hunt is a member of the Mystic Workers. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and at one time he was road supervisor, while for the past four years he has been a school director. His life of probity and fair dealing to all justly entitles him to the high place which he holds in the estimation of those who have been brought in contact with him.