Tuesday, April 5, 2016

The Marvin Hunt Jr. Mystery Solved

The 1930 census listing of Joe L.  and Annie Hunt, 303 East VanSickle, Henderson, Texas, listed son Deason Hunt and a mystery, Marvin Hunt Jr., adopted son. Since I never knew my Dad, Deason Hunt, had a younger brother and he, my grandmother Annie Hunt, and aunt Gladys Hunt Stewart never mentioned a youngster Marvin Hunt, I was puzzled. When I found the record, all those named above were deceased. My mother, Ozie Mae Moody Hunt, had no memory of an adopted son, Marvin Hunt, in the Hunt family.
After a prolonged research period this winter, I have solved the puzzle.
Marvin Hunt Jr. was the son of Marvin "Boss" Hunt of Henderson, Texas and his wife Lavinia. Lavinia died in 1927 the same year that Marvin Jr. was born. Marvin Hunt, the father, was in the 1930 census was listed in the household of his brother Clyde, age 41, and widowed. Marvin "Boss" Hunt and brother Clyde were first cousins of Joe L. Hunt, my grandfather.
I have not searched to see if an actual legal adoption took place or if it was informal arrangement. Grandfather Joe died before the 1940 census, but little Marvin Jr. who would have been about 13 years old was not listed in the household of Annie Hunt, 303 East VanSickle Streeet, Henderson, Texas.