Hunt arrived at the theater to hear that a doctor, Dr. McCaw, was inside and had led women from the lobby to a window.

In 1823, Hunt signed on with the Richmond volunteer fire brigade and was present at another major fire, this one at the State Penitentiary.

Independent and relatively well-off, Hunt joined a colonization movement among free blacks.

Hunt returned to Richmond within a year and began advising free blacks against going to Liberia.

Hunt remained in Richmond, became more active in the church, established his own business and acquired property.