Biographies Michigan Biographies Project |
Richard B. Huntoon ws born in Orleans County, N. Y., October 20, 1826, the son of Isaac F. and Mary Ann Huntoon, the father having been born in Vermont and the mother in New Hampshire. Soon after their marriage Isaac Huntoon and wife went to New York, where he was for a time captain of a schooner and later a farmer. Hearing the glowing accounts of opportunities offered in the west, they emigrated to Michigan in 1841 and settled in Leslie township, where Huntoon with his wife and nine children, came up Lake Erie, then to Ann Arbor on the cars, completing their journey to Leslie township by ox team. The land was completely covered with woods and in a wild state and by many hard days' labor was finally cleared up and made ready for use. Here on this farm the father and mother lived until their death, which occurred in 1869 and 1848 respectively. Isaac Huntoon was a staunch supporter of the Democracy.
Our subject, R. B. Huntoon, was the seventh son in succession and so was always called "Doctor." He went to school and acquired his early education in a building which he helped construct. At the first election in which Mr. Huntoon was interested, there were three tickets in the field, Whit, Democrat and Abolitionist and thirty votes were cast, some one from each ticket being elected.
Richard B. Huntoon started out for himself by working by the month on a farm and from this enlisted in the service in 1862, in Co. D, 17th Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He saw active service at the siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., siege of Knoxville, Fort Saunders, Wilderness, Petersburg, Fort Steadman, Ox Ford and Cold Harbor were the principal battles in which he was engaged. Our subject was never woulded but took the typhoid fever and was in the hospital sixty days at Baltimore, from which sichness he lost his eyesight. He was discharged in 1865 and came home, when he worked on a farm four years and then came to Leslie and worked by the day until his health failed him, since which time he has been unable to work. He at present draws as large a pension as any one in his town.
R. B. Huntoon was married July 5, 1868, to Jane M. Jefferds, born April 4, 1840, and the daughter of Luther Jefferds of Leslie. He was born in Monroe county, New York, was a farmer, and came to Washtenaw county at an early day. He came to Ingham county in 1865 and died at Leslie in 1878. Mrs. Huntoon was the yountest of four children and she suffered the loss of her mother when but six years of age.
To our subject and wife were born two children, Myron J., born December 29, 1869, and died October 2, 1870, and Grace G., born July 21, 1871, died at birth. They have an adopted son, Merton J., born February 4, 1872, who was married February 23, 1896, to Miss Mable A., daughter of George Laberteaux of Bunker Hill township, and they have two children.: Harold Richard, born August 26, 1899, and Mahlon Roosevelt, born April 30 of the year 1903.
R. B. Huntoon is a member of the Congregational church and his wife of the Baptist. Our subject is a member of the G. A. R. of Leslie and since 1864 had been a Republican and has always taken an active interest in the political welfare of the community.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Huntoon are very proud of the record made by their ancestors in the wars of the country. Mr. Huntoon is from the Revolutionary stock and had one brother in the Civil War and his father and two uncles fought in the War of 1812, as did also the father and uncles of Mrs. Huntoon.
A long residence in the town of Leslie and many acts of kindness and charity have won for Mr. and Mrs. Huntoon many warm friends, who wish for them many years of happiness.
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Biographies Michigan Biographies Project |
 Sondra Higbee
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