His mother was Julianita Gutierrez, the heiress of an old New Mexican family, who inherited large estates in the New Mexico territory, holding the Pajarito Land Grand from 1739 from the Spanish government.

However, in 1872 he had some type of altercation in Panguitch, Utah, which left him injured, and he fled south where he stayed with some Paiute Indians until he recovered.

He continued to run the trading posts in both St. Johns and Ganado, and centered his wholesale and shipping operations in Gallup.

[14] He and his partner, Clinton N. Cotton, developed significant Navajo craft items, such as concho belts and turquoise bracelets, as well as leaving a lasting impression on the "Ganado blanket", which relied more on traditional colors than the bright aniline dyes which other trading posts were using at that time.

By the early 1900s, the Fred Harvey Company made an agreement to buy all of the Ganado blankets to be used in their Albuquerque location.

[5] In his book, The Indian Traders, Frank McNitt said, “All authorities agree that Hubbell did as much as any trader, and more than most, to improve the quality of Navaho weaving.”[15] While Hubbell was serving as the sheriff for Apache County, followed by his stint in the Territorial Legislature, Cotton was the primary manager of the trading posts.

[16] In 1895, after leaving the Territorial Legislature, Hubbell brought Cotton out, becoming the sole proprietor of the trading and distribution business.

[17][16] In addition he owned and ran several freight/mail lines, numerous farm and ranch properties, a tour operation, and curio shops.

The project included a diversion dam, with headworks, a 2.5 to 3 mile long canal from the Rio Pueblo Colorado to his ranch/trading post, flumes, bridges and extensive ditches.

[24] During this session, Hubbell proposed and successfully shepherded a bill through the legislature, revamping water rights in Arizona, which was a huge issue.

After it was apparent that the main body intended to endorse Teddy Roosevelt, Governor Kibbey led the Maricopa delegation from the hall.

He wanted to nominate Taft, due to the Roosevelt administrations intent to only allow the combined territory of New Mexico and Arizona to enter the union as a single state.

[37] He was a strong supporter of women's suffrage, and campaigned for it to be included as a plank in the Republicans' state platform in 1912.

[43] In May 1913, Hubbell was the deciding vote on approving a bill which enabled several counties to pay off the debt they incurred in building railroads.

The bill called for selling 1 million acres of land which had been granted in the statehood act, in order to raise the funds.

Hubbell had vehemently opposed support for Roosevelt during the 1912 election, but speculation did not determine the nature of the meeting, nor its outcome.

[49] Shortly after this announcement was made in the papers, however, Young put out a statement denying that any such agreement with Hubbell had been reached.

[55] Another of his trading posts, purchased by Hubbell in Winslow, Arizona in 1921, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

[61] The Navajos called him Nak’eznilih, meaning "double glasses" early in life, but later on knew him as Naakaii Saani, "Old Mexican".

[5] He also hosted many notable people at his ranch in Ganado, which held an extensive collection of Native American art.

He made friends with many tribal leaders including Manuelito and Henry Chee Dodge, in addition to Many Horses and Ganado Mucho.

He espoused his philosophy of trading in his autobiography, Fifty Years an Indian Trader: "The first duty of an Indian trader, in my belief, is to look after the material welfare of his neighbors; to advise them to produce that which their natural inclinations and talent best adapts them; to treat them honestly and insist upon getting the same treatment from them .