Hunt County is named for Memucan Hunt, a secretary of the navy of the Republic of Texas.   Although the Mexican government made a few land grants in the area of Hunt County in 1835, settlement did not begin until 1839. When Anglo-American settlers first arrived, the area was inhabited by small bands of Kiowa Indians, who left shortly thereafter and posed few problems for the settlers.

In 1861 Hunt County citizens were sharply divided over the issue of secession. Martin D. Hart and his brother Hardin were leaders of a very vocal anti-secession minority. The vote in the county was close, but a majority supported secession.

The county was plagued by violence against blacks and by feuds between small bands of Unionists and former Confederates. The worst of these, the Lee-Peacock feud, became so violent that in January 1869 United States Army troops were called in to restore order. The troops were removed in June 1870.