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Collection: Books and Periodicals
A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) (713 pages)
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Page: of 713
438 HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
bach in 1858. They have eight children, six
boys and two girls.
R. R. M. HUNT.—There is one subject in
which the people of California, and especially the younger generations, will never
lose their interest. That ie the lives and doings
of the pioneers and men of early days. They
have always been regarded as heroes by the
world, and as time elapses that feeling is
strengthening, and very properly ¢0, as nowhere
else has been tound the peculiar and famous
circumstances which made the California of the
early day and its people what they were.
It is hence with no apology that we present
in a leading position this very short sketch of
the life of Dr. R. M. Hunt, one of Nevada
City’s oldest and most esteemed citizens. The
writer wishes also to acknowledge in this place
his indebtedness to the Doctor for many interesting facts of an early day, that appear in their
appropriate place. Dr. Hunt was born at
Utica, New York, in 1828, and chose medicine
as his life calling. Immediately on the completion of his studies in 1850, he decided to
come to the new El Dorado, and test for himself
the story of its golden wealth. His route was
via the Isthmus of Panama, he being a passenger on the famous old steamer Philadelphia on
her first trip. Upon arriving in the State, he
set off immediately for the mines, taking the
only means of transport offered by the times,
namely, ox-team. He came directly to Nevada
City, where he has since made his home, contributing more than a little—as the writer
learned, not from the Doctor’s lips, but from
the statements of his many friends—to the up.
building and prosperity of his chosen city. In
February, 1859, he was appointed by the Board
of Supervisors County Physician and given
charge of the County Hospital, the number of
patients being then fifteen, and its location being opposite the site of the Doctor’s handsome
He has had charge of the institution residence.
ever since, or for over thirty years, this fact alone
being the highest encomium that could be
passed upon its excellent management. It has
now, at time of writing, 114 patients, and when
visited by the writer was found to be a commodious, clean and comfortable home rather
than hospital. Dr. Hunt was found in person
busily overseeing operations in the farm adjoining, the picture of a hard-worked but energetic
and benevolent man, the comfort of the sick
and the old under his charge being his personal
care.
During the first year of his stay in Nevada
City Dr. Hunt inined, as did all the rest of the
world. In 1852, however, he began the practice of medicine, for a number of years being
also interested in a drug store in the city. He
is now the oldest physician of the place, the
only one in fact who practiced here in the early
days, and is deservedly the most successful practitioner of the county, being constantly called
upox to lend his skill, especially in surgical
casee, in all parts of the surrounding regions,
and being frequently called in consultation to
distant parts.
Dr. Hunt is a charter member of the State
Medical Suciety. He possesses an elegant home
with spacious grounds on one of the most
sightly locations in the city, und by far the
handsomest in the section. He is a director in
the Citizens’ Bank, and ia liberal of his means
in aiding the upbuilding of the county in all
proper ways.
AMES W. McBAIN, late of the tannery
tirm of Stewart & Mclain, of Benicia, has
been a resident of this place for the past
two years, and of California since 1876. He
was bornin Pictou County, Nova Scotia, in
1853, and was educated at the Pictou Academy.
After teaching school several years he began the
study of medicine in the oftice of Dr. Muir, at
Truro, where he remained about a year: then
he attended lectures two years in the Medical