author
Gaillard Hunt
1862–1924
A careful historian and editor of early American documents, this scholar helped preserve key records of the nation’s founding era. He is especially remembered for his work on James Madison and for his years in federal service in Washington.
1 Audiobook
The history of the seal of the United States
by Gaillard Hunt
About the author
Born in New Orleans on September 8, 1862, he was the son of William H. Hunt, who later served as Secretary of the Navy. After his family moved to Washington, he studied at the Hopkins Grammar School, graduated from Georgetown University in 1884, and later earned a law degree from Columbia.
Much of his career was spent working with historical records in government service. He served in the Department of State in several roles, including work on publications, and later became chief of the Manuscripts Division at the Library of Congress. Alongside that work, he wrote and edited books on the early United States, with a special interest in James Madison, diplomacy, and the Revolutionary period.
He died in Washington, D.C., on March 20, 1924. His reputation rests on a combination of public service and scholarship: he was one of the people who helped make important American historical papers more accessible to later readers and researchers.