Dr. Henry Francis Hunt

DR. HENRY F. HUNT was born in Cranston, Rhode Island on March 23, 1838. After completing his regular education in Providence in 1857, he pursued a variety of paths before embarking on a medical career. While working as a teacher in Aurora IL, he began his medical education with Dr. Howell, a local allopathic physician. Henry Hunt remained there two years, then returned east and took two courses of lectures at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York. While at Aurora he had seen in a severe epidemic of diphtheria the successful results of homeopathic treatment, and he resolved to investigate its methods. He entered the office of Dr. Okie in Providence, and attended two courses of lectures at the Homeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1864.

After graduating from Hahnemann, Dr. Henry F. Hunt was asked to take over the practice of Dr. J.R. Andrews, a well known Camden medical man. He became a successful, well known, and much respected practitioner.

The Western District New Jersey Homeopathic Medical Society was organized in Camden, May 19, 1869, at which time also a constitution was adopted and officers elected, as follows: Dr. D. R. Gardiner of Woodbury, president; Dr. R. M. Wilkinson of Trenton, vice-president; Dr. Wallace McGeorge of Hightstown, secretary; Dr. J. G. Streets of Bridgton, treasurer; Drs. W. H. Maline, Henry F. Hunt and Isaac Cooper, censors. In November, 1869, the name of the society was changed to West Jersey Homeopathic Medical Society, and under that name was incorporated in May, 1872. Dr. Hunt served as President of that group at one time. Dr. Henry F. Hunt was also a founding member and one time President (1876) of the New Jersey Homeopathic Society, and was a member as well of the American Institute of Homeopathy. The practice of homeopathic medicine would grow in Camden, and in 1875 besides Dr. Hunt eleven other homeopathic doctors, Purnell W. Andrews, James H. Austin, Thomas R. Blackwood, J. Kemper Bryant, Samuel Carels, C. J. Cooper, William. H. Crow, Melbourne F. Middleton Sr., George S. F. Pfeiffer, Silas H. Quint, and H. K. Stewart were active in the city. Through his practice and professional associations he was much involved with the founding of what became West Jersey Hospital.

By 1870 Dr. Hunt had married, and his wife Theresa bore him a son, Herbert Hunt, around 1871. Their neighbors in these years included grain merchant Caleb Parry; his daughter Alice Parry would marry noted local architect Arthur Truscott. Dr. Hunt and his family would make their home during the 1870s at 315 Market Street, a few doors away from the Parry home and business. Dr. Hunt was also a founding member of Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church.

Dr. Hunt’s younger brother Dr. Willis H. Hunt came to Camden and commenced the practice of medicine locally in 1878. At the time of the 1880 census the Hunt family lived at 315 Market Street. Dr. Henry Hunt moved to 511 Cooper Street after 1887, where he made his home and office until his passing. Dr. Willis H. Hunt would remain in residence and would practice medicine at 315 Market Street.

Dr. Henry Francis Hunt passed away on October 3, 1895, while visiting Providence RI. He was brought home and was buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden. He was survived by his wife Theresa, who joined him on June 5, 1904.

H. F. HUNT was born in Providence, R. I., March 29, 1838. His ancestors are among the earliest settlers of the State. His great-grandfather was a colonel in the Revolutionary War, and his descendants have continued to occupy prominent political positions. Dr. Hunt passed through the graded schools in Providence, and, at fifteen years of age, entered Greenwich Seminary, taking a three years’ college course. His health failing, he did not enter Brown University, as intended, at the expiration of the three years, but had to relinquish study. He managed a cotton-factory for his father until the spring of 1860, when he decided to go West. He became a teacher in Aurora Seminary at Aurora, Ill., and also commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Howell, an allopathic physician. He remained there two years and then returned East and took a course of lectures at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York. While studying with Dr. Howell a severe epidemic of diphtheria prevailed, and thinking that the homoeopathic treatment was more successful, he was induced to investigate that treatment. After leaving New Jersey he returned to Providence and entered the office of Dr. A. H. Okie. He remained with him two years. He graduated from the Homoeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania in the spring of 1864. Dr. J. R. Andrews died at that time and he was invited to succeed him in Camden. This gave him at once a large and lucrative practice. He was soon compelled to relinquish all country practice. The idea was conceived of organizing the homoeopathic medical men of South Jersey, and the result was the establishment of the West Jersey Homoeopathic Medical Society, of which Dr. Hunt was elected president. He also helped to organize the State Society, and was elected its president in 1876, and was also appointed a delegate to the World’s Convention, which assembled in Philadelphia that year.