Robert Hunt. Origin: Old Inhabitant.

Albeit briefly, Robert Hunt was a former interim Governor of the Bahamas (1797-8, and once more 1801-2) – after having filled a number of other important roles in the Bahamian Government. Robert was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Hunt of Bermuda, and the Great Grandson of Richard Hunt, an important and very early resident, and later Governor, of Somer’s Island (Bermuda).

Robert Hunt was himself born in Southampton, Bermuda in 1740, and married Sarah Bunch (widow of the late Thomas Bunch, Esquire) on 25 June 1772 in Nassau. In 177-8, Hunt, along with other Bahamian merchants and ship owners and captains, were engaged in illicit trade with the American Colonies, and he continued to trade around the northern Caribbean and into the American Colonies. In 1783, Hunt was imprisoned in Havana, along with other Bahamian merchants, presumably accused of privateering or illegal trading.

Hunt later married Deborah Beak, widow of Thomas Duncombe in Nassau in April of 1787, but she died four years later. His third wife was Sarah Thom(p)son, who he married in 1792. He had three children, viz. Thomas Hunt, Deborah Hunt, and Ann Hunt Duncombe. In 1798, an ad in the Bahamas Gazette was paced by Henry and James Wood for information about runaway slave Tim, a ship’s carpenter, belonging to Robert Hunt. The following year, a Bahamas Gazette ad was placed for information about runaway slave/deserter Joe, who has left the Revenue Cutter Admiral Duncan; his owner was also Robert Hunt.

Robert Hunt was granted two parcels of land on Long Island: 300 acres on 31 May 1788 in the current settlement of Seymours, and 845 acres on 31 December 1788 in the current settlement of Glintons. Hunt’s lands were bounded by the lands of Benjamin Newton, William Culmer, and Benjamin Pratt – and on the other two sides by the sea.

References: DR, DM, WikiTree