Wilbur N. Hunt was born to Nathan and Sarah M. Swelt Hunt in Newport, New Hampshire, on October 2, 1856. He received his B.S. (1877) in civil engineering from Iowa State College (University) and his M.D. (1893) from Drake University Medical School.

After graduation, Hunt became Deputy Auditor (1877-1881) for Story County, Iowa. He then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he started a medical practice. He later practiced medicine in Central City, Nebraska; Bellingham, Washington; and Burlington, Washington.

Wilbur Hunt married Anna Irene Whipple of Nevada, Iowa, on May 9, 1881. Together they had five children: Sarah Irene, Ethel Leora, Clara Alice, Herbert Nathan, and Lawrence Wilbur.

This collection (1875) contains one volume of botanical specimens collected by Wilbur N. Hunt. Hunt collected the fifty-two plant samples on or near the Iowa Agricultural College (Iowa State University) campus from April through June 1875, mostly likely as a requirement for his sophomore year botany class. Each sample is carefully labeled with the plant's order, genus, species, habitat, and date collected. Six unidentified specimens can be found in the book following the labeled samples.