JAMES J. HUNT
Past Master 1854, 1855, 1865, 1866, 1872, 1878, 1880, 1901
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James Joseph Heister Hunt was born August 19, 1821 in Evansburgh, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, the son of Nelson James Hunt and Sarah Jewell. He married Nancy Converse September 28, 1843 in Erie, Pennsylvania. They had ten children, George Nelson, Frank William, Charles Clark, James Everett, Sarah Maria, Julia Emma, Julius Converse, Eva Ellsworth and two infants. Nancy died August 12, 1872 in Colorado where she had gone for her health and James then married Lucia Anna Davis September 3, 1874 from which union there were no children.

He first learned the blacksmith trade in Pennsylvania and then after moving with his family to Naperville in 1844 worked for a plow shop. From 1846 to 1861 he operated his own blacksmith shop at the northwest corner of Washington and Liberty (Van Buren) streets. He then converted the shop to a hardware store which he operated with two of his sons until his retirement in 1893.

The Lodge met on the second floor of the hardware store from 1865 until 1868. He served as a Major in the Pennsylvania Militia while a resident of that state. In Illinois when news that Cairo, Illinois had been taken by the rebel forces, he recruited a full company of men, serving as Captain, that became Company K of the 13th Illinois Infantry which was then turned over to Walter Blanchard to command. He served Naperville as a Village Trustee in 1862, as Village President in 1877 and 1878, and as the first Mayor of Naperville in 1890 when that form of government was adopted. He also served as Sheriff, Justice of the Peace and as Police Magistrate for 30 years.

He was raised a Master Mason June 25, 1850 in Euclid Lodge and went on to serve as Master of the Lodge for a record eight times spanning 47 years. He was instrumental in keeping the Lodge alive during the Civil War years of 1863 and 1864 when no officers were elected and only five meetings were held due to the majority of the membership serving in the war. He also served Euclid Chapter No. 13 as High Priest a record 15 times from 1858 to 1884. He was one of the most prominent and respected residents of Naperville at the time of his death.

He died February 7, 1905 in Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois and was buried in the Naperville Cemetery with the members of the Lodge as his pall bearers and performing the Masonic Funeral ritual.