Robert W. Hunter was a Muskingum College student in the early 1840's. From what little we know of Hunter, we can determine that went on to become a pharmacist and practiced in Pennsylvania. A collection of of his writings are believed to have came into the University's archives in January of 2000. In the spring semester of 2008 the Hunter papers were discovered (or rather rediscovered), misplaced and undocumented in a collection of athletic photos from the turn of the 19th Century.
The Hunter Papers provide a unique glimpse of the thoughts and attitudes of some of Muskingum's earliest students. A majority of the Hunter notes consist of essays, oratory notes, penmanship exercises, and personal letters. Hunter's writing addresses quite a variety of topics; he was an avid defender of temperance, opposed to gambling and risky land speculating, in favor of free public schools, and even posited that Cincinnati might serve as a more appropriate capital of the United States as it lay near the geographic and population center of the Republic. Hunter also provides us with a very thorough description of Muskingum College's first building.
I have provided images of a few of the pieces in the collection along with a transcription of the text for easier reading. I plan on augmenting this post with additional Hunter manuscripts.
Dec. 10th AD 1841, An Essay on Intemperance
Intemperance is a prevailing disease at this time.
Throughout
the length and breadth of the land. And who. In a civil-
ized community will not at once say put down the
abominable practice of tippling, (By this we mean dram
drinking. And occasionally getting what we call tipsy.) When
men going into the tavern, and calling for their
bitters of every day, and some days, perhaps two or three
times, we think It high time for a reformation to take
place there. And we must remember, that all drunkards
At first commence drinking by degrees, and by indulging them
selves in this evil habit . They become habituated drunkar
ds . And now we think it strange that there are so manny
that are violent opposers of Temperance societies
And at the same time would like to be called Temper-
ance men; And indeed would consider , It a great insult
If they are not classed with the temperate. But my
friends, there are but two classes. And those who are not
temperate, will inevitable be called intemperate.
And individuals may talk long and loud against temper
ance societies But most generally find it the case that
those persons are in favor of taking a little sweetened
wine occasionally, If they are in company, or when they meet
some particular Friend. If they are at a place where
It is convenient, And if it is not convenient they will
very often make it so. And now if all of those self- impor
tant Temperance men as they would like to be called
But we are rather disposed to call them tipplers, and
we think they well deserve the name, Would take
although they could nut but see at once
what they are coming to. Why the greatest drunkard
in the world commenced drinking moderately. And
perhaps at first they would not drink any thing
stronger than Beer. And by degrees from bad to
worse the very strongest liquors will scarcely satisfy
his thirst.
Robert W. Hunter
Temperance. June 5th AD 1841,
What is the reason there are not more doing for the
support of Temperance? Is it because people do not see the
necessity, or is it a thing of no importance. If it
is of so little consequence, what is the reason that Temperance
societies a few years ago were doing so much good (as it might
be called) If it is doing a great injury to the people or the
Country now, why did it not some eight or ten years ago. No
it never [did] injury. But it has done good. Therefore it should
not be suffered to die As it has the appearance at pressent
Six or eight years ago you would not see old men, young men
And children carrying Jugs along the streets the way they are
now. No it would have been thought a disgrace. But now
it is nothing uncommon to see not only the old man but
the young, step up to the bar in the tavern and taking
his bitters, and every day or two you will see one if not(?)
making what is called fence-rows, another dram or two would
prepare him for it. Now for our part we think for old men
let them do as they will. The young should guard against
such temptations. For who will not say, that a sober man
looks better than a man that is intoxicated. (Even the
drunkard himself will say that he does) Robt. W. Hunter
New Concord. June 4th AD 1842 Muskingum College
Beware. To use Caution, be suspicious of.
Beware, Beware, my young friends, and more especially my fellow
students, Beware when you see our fellow associates and even
some of the Students of Muskingum College, engaged in shoot
ing marbles in the streets or groceries. We would suppose
for a moment, that it is was high time to beware, And
we should be aware for several reasons. And in the first
place, If we would weigh the matter well, we could
not help seeing , that it is laying a sure foundation, for
gambling. And if for nothing else, it is, at least, setting
a very poor example for the younger class of community.
And it is an old maxim but no less a true one. That
habits which are formed in youth, are most generally kept
in their possession as long as they live. And in a great
many instances, the greatest gamblers that are now living
will generally acknowledge, that they commenced the business
in the first place, with verry small capitol, And the
first step, was a game at marble, (or something equally as
simple,) And by advancing step by step as it were; they
have arrived to a very prominent point in their occupation
and this all originated in the first place, from a very
limited source, and by indulging in the evil habit they
have become so habituated to the business that unless they
are surrounding the card table, or taking a game at nine-
pin alley, they feel as if they were in an entire strange
place, And the probability is that there are scarcely an
individual who engages in their employment, but often
wishes he had never taken any part in the business.
Although there are some who contend that they have been profi-
ted thereby. But with such we are disposed to differ.
And granting that in many instances they may
be gainers of the prize, on the other hand they
are certainly the loosers both of credit and respectability.
June-1842- Robert W. Hunter,
