Born in West Sparta, Livingston County, New York, June 30, 1824. His parents were Joseph and Susan (Opdyke) Hudnutt. His mother was a member of the Opdyke family of Amsterdam, whose descendants have become prominent in Eastern politics. His father's ancestors were English, and settled in New York at an early day. Mr. Hudnutt attended school in winter, and worked on his father's farm in summer, until 1845. At that time he entered Dartmouth College, having received his preparation in Genesee Academy. He there attained great proficiency in mathematics, under Professor Horatio N. Robinson. He very early acquired a love for natural sciences, particularly geology, and, during the college vacations, was the leader of exploring parties. With a party of six, carrying tents and knapsacks, he crossed the Green Mountains to Montreal and Quebec. At another time, they walked to the White Mountains, struck the head-waters of the Androscoggin, in Maine, and went down that stream, in canoes, to its mouth. Again, they went down the Connecticut River to Hartford, thence to New York, and back to college by rail. These excursions were made for the double purpose of procuring exercise and observing the different formations and strata of rock. From these Mr. Hudnutt acquired a taste for engineering. He graduated in 1849, and immediately engaged as civil engineer on the State Canals of New York, where he remained during the years 1849, 1850, and 1851. The Democratic party came into power in 1851, and, although Mr. Hudnett received the offer of a position on the canal, he declined, and commenced locating the New York and Erie Railroad through Chautauqua County. He remained about six months, when that division was completed, and he accepted a position in charge of surveys for the Memphis branch of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. From 1853 to 1855, he was engaged as Division Engineer on surveys, and location of the Louisville and Nashville, and Louisville and Covington Railroad. As the railroad business had become quite dull, Mr. Hudnutt removed, in 1855, to Waverly, Iowa, and located a half-section of land in Bremer County. In the fall, with the help of one man, he built a house, and broke one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he fenced in the following winter. In the spring he had charge of the surveys on the Iowa Central Railroad, and ran one of the first lines across Iowa to the Missouri River. In the fall of 1857, he returned East, with his family, on a visit, and was induced to accept the position of teacher of mathematics in the Genesee Academy. In 1858 he was offered the position of Professor of Natural Sciences, in the Chicago High School, which he accepted, and held until the spring of 1860. He then returned to Iowa, where he left his family while he engaged on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad branch, from Cameron to Kansas City. In 1861 work was stopped on the road on account of the political feeling. During the time that Mr. Hudnutt was there engaged, he was nominated on the Republican ticket as a member of the Iowa Legislature; and, although he did no canvassing, and the county had always before been Democratic, he received three-fourths of the votes cast. He served in the Legislature during the regular session, and during an extra session which was called in May, on account of the war. While there, he was chiefly instrumental in passing a bill to lay a direct revenue tax, which left the State, two years after the war, entirely free from debt. In 1862 he resigned his position in the Legislature and entered the army as Major of the 38th Regiment of Iowa Volunteers. During the war he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel, and Brigadier-General. In the fall of 1876, he formed a partnership with M. P. Gale, in the lumber trade. Mr. Hudnutt is President of the Gas and Coal Company, and also of the Big Rapids Boom Company. He joined the Masonic Fraternity in 1862. In 1865, on his return from the army, he touched at Havana, Cuba; and, while on the Rio Grande, traveled in Mexico. He was brought up in the strict Calvinistic faith, but has grown more liberal, and has great respect for all religious beliefs. He is a sound Republican, having joined the party at its organization. He married Miss Maria Webster, at Lima, New York, October 23, 1851, and has had two sons.