Frederick Huntley was born in
Onondaga County, New York, in October 1825. As a child, he moved with his parents to
Nottawa Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan, where he rose to adulthood and started a farm. In 1851, he decided to seek his fortune in the
California gold rush, and traveled to California via
Panama. He had little success, and after two years, he sailed back to the eastern states, going via
Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America. He was also appointed postmaster at Buena Vista, serving in that capacity for 20 years, and served 16 years as chairman of the town board. In 1876, Huntley was ordained as a minister in the Methodist church, and took a leading role in religious affairs in the community for much of the rest of his life. He died at his homestead in Buena Vista on May 12, 1907. ==References==