It’s rare that you come across a vintage photograph that so unquestionably identifies the subject. This is a photo of Emmett Hunt who, according to the 1880 Federal census for Seneca County, Ohio, was a ‘huxter’. A ‘huxter’ or ‘huckster’ was a traveling salesman who sold small items such as drink, foodstuffs and other easily portable sundry. The fact that Emmett’s name is clearly painted on his wagon as ‘R. E. Hunt’ is a prize.

He was 30 years old at the time of that 1880 census recording and it appears, based on his advanced age in this photo, it might have been a lifelong career.

According to Ancestry.com, Robert Emmett “Emmett” Hunt is my 4th cousin on my paternal line. His father was Almon Hunt and his mother, Cynthianna (Walker) Hunt. Cynthianna was the sister to my 3X great grandfather, Samuel Walker.