# Ward Hunt *American jurist and politician; associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court* Ward Hunt (June 14, 1810 – March 24, 1886) was an American judge and politician from New York.[^1] He was chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1868 to 1869. He then sat as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1872 to 1882, the span given in the cached Wikipedia lead.[^1] The same article dates his nomination to December 3, 1872, and his swearing-in to January 9, 1873.[^2] Hunt entered politics as a Democrat. He represented Oneida County in the New York State Assembly in 1839 and was Mayor of Utica in 1844.[^3] He moved to the Free Soil Party in 1848, and in 1855 he was among the founders of the New York [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]].[^3] He was elected to the Court of Appeals in 1865. In 1872 he was nominated to the Supreme Court seat left vacant by [[Samuel Nelson]].[^3][^2] While riding circuit, he presided over *United States v. Anthony*, which arose from Susan B. Anthony's vote in the 1872 election.[^2] ## Early life, family and education His parents were Montgomery James Hunt and Elizabeth Hunt, born Stringham. His father served for many years as cashier of the Bank of Utica.[^4] Hunt was schooled at the Oxford and Geneva Academies, and Horatio Seymour was one of his classmates.[^4] He entered Hamilton College in 1827 and moved to Union College the following year. At Union he was one of the early members of the Kappa Alpha Society.[^4] Hunt graduated with honors in 1828. He then read law under Judge James Gould at Litchfield Law School in Litchfield, Connecticut, and under Hiram Denio in Utica. He was admitted to the bar in 1831.[^4] ## Career ### Politician and attorney In 1839 Hunt sat in the New York State Assembly as a Democrat for Oneida County. In 1844 he served as Mayor of Utica.[^3] He left for the Free Soil Party in 1848, and in 1855 he helped found the New York Republican Party.[^3] He practiced law privately until 1865, when he stood for election to the New York Court of Appeals.[^3] ### New York Court of Appeals Hunt ran on the Republican ticket in 1865 and won an eight-year term on the Court of Appeals. He took the seat formerly held by Hiram Denio, who had been his law teacher and partner.[^3] Chief Judge William B. Wright died suddenly in 1868, and Hunt succeeded him as chief judge.[^3] In 1870 legislation removed him from office. He was then appointed one of the Commissioners of Appeals.[^3] ### U.S. Supreme Court The cached article describes Hunt as a friend and patron of Roscoe Conkling, an associate of President Ulysses S. Grant.[^2] After Samuel Nelson retired from the Court, Conkling asked Grant to name Hunt to the vacancy.[^2] The nomination came on December 3, 1872. The U.S. Senate confirmed Hunt on December 11, and he took the oath of office on January 9, 1873.[^2] The cached article reports that over ten years on the Court, Hunt joined the majority in all but 22 cases and wrote four dissenting opinions.[^2] While on circuit in New York, he presided over *United States v. Anthony*.[^2] In that case the suffragist Susan B. Anthony relied on the Fourteenth Amendment. She contended that the Constitution guaranteed her the right to vote, so she had broken no law by voting in the 1872 election.[^2] According to the cached article, Hunt did not let Anthony testify in her own defense. He also admitted statements she had made at the time of her arrest as "testimony," and he expressly directed the jury on the verdict it was to return.[^2] ## Personal life Hunt married Mary Ann Savage on November 8, 1837.[^5] Her father was John Savage, a U.S. Representative and chief justice of the New York Supreme Court. She was also a great-niece of Congressman Samuel Lyman.[^5] The couple had three children, one of whom died in early manhood:[^5] - Elizabeth Stringham "Eliza" Hunt (1838–1905). She married Arthur Breese Johnson, a great-grandson of President John Adams and a great-nephew of President John Quincy Adams.[^5] - John Savage Hunt (1839–1864), named for his maternal grandfather. He served as a first lieutenant in the Civil War and died after drowning in the James River in Virginia.[^5] - Ward Hunt Jr. (1843–1901), who married Grace Annette Taylor.[^5] After Mary Ann's death, Hunt remained a widower for eight years. On June 18, 1853, he married Maria Taylor, whose father, James Taylor, had been cashier of the Commercial Bank of Albany.[^5] Hunt died in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 1886.[^5] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Ward Hunt* (cached revision 1358591853, retrieved 2026-10-26) — lead: birth and death dates, New York Court of Appeals chief judgeship 1868–1869, and Supreme Court service 1872–1882 as stated there. Secondary source; the pack holds no primary source. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Hunt [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Ward Hunt* (cached revision 1358591853, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "US Supreme Court" section: the Conkling relationship, the Nelson vacancy, the nomination, confirmation and swearing-in dates, the voting record and dissent count, and *United States v. Anthony*. The cached text is truncated mid-sentence on the jury instruction. Secondary source. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Hunt [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Ward Hunt* (cached revision 1358591853, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Politician and attorney" and "New York Court of Appeals" sections: Assembly service, mayoralty, party affiliations, the 1865 election, the chief judgeship, and removal in 1870. Secondary source. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Hunt [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Ward Hunt* (cached revision 1358591853, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Early life, family and education" section: parentage, schooling, legal training, and admission to the bar in 1831. Secondary source. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Hunt [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Ward Hunt* (cached revision 1358591853, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Personal life" section: both marriages, the three children, and his death in Washington, D.C. Secondary source. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Hunt