David Hunt was born prematurely and his mother died during delivery. David was so small, nobody thought he was going to survive. David was taken care of by his step-aunt, Anna Eustatia (Oakley) Honeywell. David survived and Phillip and Ann Eustatia (Oakley) Honeywell continued to take care of David as if he was their own child. David grew into a young boy and had the last
name of Honeywell. He had no idea that they were not his biological parents. When David was a young boy, David was reclaimed by his father, Major (Captain) David Hunt. It is unknown if David Sr. had any knowledge about David Jr’s survival prior to reclaiming his son. David Jr. had difficultly with the transition to his new life with his father because he had been pampered by the Honeywells; now his new father had him wear regular clothes and work. David received some inheritance money from the Honeywells. In less than a year, he squandered away all of his money. He didn't want to go back to his father and a friend told him about enlisting in the army (navy). 191

David had a fall from a boat mast about Dec 1814. It was a miracle he survived. He landed on his side and crushed his pelvis and shoulder and ribs. He somehow got a message to his father who boarded the ship and told the officer that he was taking his son. The officer let him do it, but said he would have report him as a deserter. David Jr. finally realized that his father really loved him. His father got the best physicians to nurse him back to health. He walked with a limp and carried a cane during the rest of his life. 192

There are three listings in the US Army Military Record (circa 1815) for David Hunt. One of the listings describes a 22 year-old seaman (5 foot 7. inch tall, blue eyes, fair hair, fair complexion, born NY) who enlisted on 25 Nov 1814. The ‘deserted’ status is consistent with the ‘falling from the mast’ family history.

David Hunt was a boatman, or a ship pilot, on the Hudson River. In about 1820, David Hunt launched the 39-ton packet sloop Matteawan, from Low Point, Dutchess County. New York. 6 Packet sloops were typically 75-80 feet long with up to 100-ton carrying capacity. In 1832, there were about 1200 of these sloops on the Hudson River, from Albany down to New York City, a distance of about 150 miles.

David Hunt resided in Fishkill (1820); resided in Fishkill (1830); was employed in navigation of canals, lakes, rivers, Fishkill (1840); resided in the Town of Fishkill (1850); pilot, resided in the Town of Fishkill (1860); resided in the Town of Fishkill (1865); Hannah Hunt resided Town of Fishkill (?), Dutchess County, New York (1870).