Author: Alva Roscoe Hunt
Born: 22 October 1862
Died: 25 December 1940
Bio: Alva Roscoe Hunt was born in Mattoon, Illinois and graduated from East Side High School in 1881.  He attended Lee's Academy in Loxa, Illinois for one year. Hunt moved to Benson, Minnesota in 1886 where he studied law with S.H. Hudson and later worked for one year in the law office of T.F. Young.  

In the March of 1889, Alva was admitted to the bar in Montevideo after being examined in an open court before the Honorable Chief Justice of the Minnesota Court, Calvin Luther Ludwig Brown.  In July of the same year, he opened a law office in Montevideo, but gave up a growing practice to enter law school.  In the fall of 1890, Alva entered the law department of the University of Minnesota.  His previous experience and time spent reading and studying the law enabled him to finish the law course in one year.  Alva graduated from the University of Minnesota with a law degree in 1891.  Upon graduation from the University of Minnesota, Alva began practicing law with William Pitt Murray at the 308 Manhattan Building in St. Paul.  

Alva Hunt married Alice Mary Adams who was a native of New Brunswick, Canada and a descendant of President John Adams.  Alva and Alice were quietly married in St. Paul, Minnesota on Wednesday, June 25, 1895 at the House of Hope Church by Reverend John Paul Egbert.  The Hunts had two children during their marriage, John Roscoe who died at age 16 from blood poisoning and Douglas Philip who went on to be a juvenile and probate judge in Chippewa County, Minnesota.  In 1899, Alva and his wife moved to Litchfield, Minnesota where he was city attorney for 21 years. 

While Alva lived in Litchfield he was known as the dean of the lawyers practicing in Litchfield.  As an attorney, he built up a practice in all of the courts of the state handling various types of cases.  While he enjoyed success as a first rate attorney, he earned a national reputation among American lawyers for his legal authorship. In August of 1937, Alva was nominated president of the Seventh District Bar Association. 

Hunt wrote the brief for the state of Minnesota in one of the outstanding cases involving the minimum wage for women and minors.  The American Law Book Company of New York asked Alva to be a contributor to the “Cyc, or Cyclopedia” the well known encyclopedia of law and procedure where he wrote the chapter titled “Tender."  In 1903, Alva authored "A Treatise on the Law of Tender and Bringing Money Into Court" and in 1912, he wrote “A Treatise on the Law of Accord and Satisfaction Compromise and Composition at Common Law."  His book, "Revelations Concerning Money and Banking, with Proposed Reforms: A Brief for People" was published in 1934.  

Alva was an amateur architect, handy with tools, loved history and astronomy.  He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Litchfield, the Litchfield Golden Fleece Lodge No. 89 A.F.  & A.M., a Master Mason of the Rabboni Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, member of the Order of the Eastern Star and a Knight of Pythias.  He was a civic leader in Litchfield serving for 6 years as the Commercial Club's first president and was highly involved with the town's establishment of the Litchfield Opera House in 1900.   He was a member of the library board for many years and credited with the establishment/construction of the Carnegie Library having written/applied for the $10,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie.  Hunt was a Democrat who was a member of the Jefferson Club.  He was actively involved in the campaign of William Jennings Bryan and served on the reception committee and sat on the platform during Bryan's speech at the Ryan Hotel in St. Paul on October 10, 1896.   He was also a member of the Litchfield Cemetery Association for many years and served as its president at the time of his death and had planned the new addition to the cemetery.

Alva passed away at the age of 78 on Wednesday, December 25, 1940.  Last rites were held Saturday, December 28 at his home and the First Presbyterian Church with Rev. H.H. McLeod in charge, pastor of the church.  The Litchfield Masonic Lodge conducted its commitment ritual at the conclusion of the church service under the direction of James Campbell.  Alva Roscoe Hunt was buried in the Hunt family plot at Litchfield Cemetery.