Orrington Lunt (December 24, 1815 – April 5, 1897) was an American merchant, philanthropist, and one of the founders of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He was known as the "father of Evanston" or the "discoverer of Evanston."
Early Life
Lunt was born in Bowdoinham, Maine, on December 24, 1815, the son of merchant William Lunt. He was a descendant of Henry Lunt, an Englishman who settled in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1635. Lunt began working as a clerk at his father's store.
Career
Grain Merchant
Upon reaching the age of majority, Lunt became a partner with his father. After his father's death a few years later, Lunt and his brother continued the business. When the business became unsustainable, he sold it and moved to Chicago in November 1842. There, he began working as a commission merchant dealing in produce and grain. In 1845, he established a grain warehouse near the waterfront and became a member of the Board of Trade. The arrival of railroads in Chicago in 1853 significantly altered his business operations. He took a break until 1859 and continued as a grain merchant until 1862.
Investments
Lunt invested in real estate, railroads, and municipal projects.
Community and Civic Efforts
Lunt was a founder, trustee, and president of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He also served as treasurer and secretary of the Garrett Biblical Institute. After retiring in 1862, he devoted most of his time to charitable, educational, and religious work. During the Civil War, he played a leadership role in organizing and supplying regiments and was a leader of the Committee of Safety and War Finance. Following the Great Chicago Fire of October 1871, he helped assess and address the needs of the affected community.
Personal Life
Lunt married Cornelia A. Gray (1819–1909), daughter of Samuel Gray of Bowdoinham, in 1842. They had three children: Cornelia Gray Lunt (born 1843), Horace (born 1847), and George (born 1850). Horace became a judge. The family's home was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, prompting their move to Evanston in 1872, where they named their new house "Anchorfast."
Later Years and Death
Lunt's health began declining in late 1894. He died after ten days of illness due to heart disease on April 5, 1897, at age 81. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. At the time of his death, his surviving children were Cornelia and Horace; his son George had died in 1895 while caring for his father.
Legacy
The Orrington Lunt Library (now Lunt Hall) on the Northwestern University campus is named for him, as is Orrington Avenue in Evanston, Illinois.
