Son of Abraham Hunsaker and Harriet Vernisha Beckstead

Married Emily Jackson Graham, 1 Feb 1878, Salt Lake, Salt Lake, Utah

Foster Children - Eunice Hunsaker, Hester Hunsaker, Adella Hunsaker, Virginia Hunsaker, Veran Hunsaker

Joseph, the fourth child of Harriet Beckstead and Abraham Hunsaker, was born at West Jordan, Utah on 11 May 1856. His
birth took place in a covered wagon as the family was preparing to leave for Carson Valley, Nevada.

After the family returned from Nevada and settled at Brigham City, Joseph's mother lived on a farm north of Brigham.

Joseph, who was about six years old at this time, became very ill with a severe pain in his head and a high fever. His sickness lasted about six weeks and settled in his right leg.

His mother said she never undressed for the entire time of his sickness, and she had to carry him as he could not walk. Although his parents were fearful that their little boy would die, Joseph told his father that on a certain
day he would get better. This seemed such a strange statement for a little boy to make that his father wrote the date down. On that date, a piece of bone worked its way out of Joseph's ankle and he immediately began to get better.

He still could not walk, however, and had to crawl or be carried. Again he told his father that on a certain date he would walk.

On that date he crawled out into the orchard and then stood up and started to walk. The experience frightened him so he got down and crawled back to the house. Just before he got to the house he again stood up and walked into the house. Although his leg then became better, he suffered the rest of his life with it.

In 1876, Joseph moved to Honeyville with his mother. In this same year he went with Robert Angesley with a load of provisions to Arizona to help those from Box Elder County who had gone there to colonize. He returned to Utah in the early part of 1877.

He married Emily Graham on 1 February 1878 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. He built a home in Honeyville and resided there for the remainder of his life. For awhile he operated the flour mill for his father. He became active in church and civic affairs and was Justice of the Peace, Postmaster for seven years, school teacher, storekeeper
for 14 years, town treasurer, school trustee, and choir leader for many years.

He fulfilled two missions for the Church, one to the Southern States in 1884, and one to Europe in 1885. While in Europe he gathered some 4,000 names for genealogy work.

He attended a Sunday School course in Provo, he served as a home missionary, and as secretary for the High Priests. He also served in the Bishopric in Honeyville for a number of years with B. H. Tolman.

Although Joseph and Emily had no children of their own, they raised five children whose parents had died, or who were unable to take care of them.

Joseph died 15 April 1937. He was buried in the Honeyville Cemetery.

Written by Lima S. Hunsaker