Hutchings - John
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana. H. W. Beckwith. Chicago: HH Hill, 1881; p 557
John HUTCHINGS, farmer and stock dealer, Crawfordsville, was born in Butler County, Ohio, three miles from the Indiana state line, on October 15, 1818. When he had reached his sixth year his parents, William and Jane (MCCAIN) Hutchings, removed to Fayette County, Indiana, and here he passed his youthful years, and received his early education in the vicinity of Connerville, on the west fork of White river. Until 1841 he engaged in farming, then for a short time he run a saddlery establishment, and in the following year (1842) he was employed selling goods. He afterward went into the stock business, in which he has been eminently successful, and in this pursuit has become well known over a great portion of western Indiana, and today is 1ooked upon as one of the most enterprising and successful business men in the County. On April 9, 1856 he purchased a farm in Franklin township, this County, and has been resident here since that time.
In addition to managing his farm, one of the largest in the township, now comprising 714 acres, he devotes a great deal of his attention to handling stock of all kinds. He married in Bullet County, on December 1, 1842, Miss Martha H. LEMON, daughter of Elisha Lemon, who came to Indiana from Kentucky at an early day. His family consists of nine children: Louisa Jane, Mary M., William G., Martha Eugenia, Ruth M., John L., Eva E., Allie Ada, and Isabel M., all of whom are still alive. Mr. Hutchings early identified himself with the greenback party, and has worked hard for its success, and this year (1880) is candidate on that ticket for representative. He is a member of the I.O.O.F., and is a leading member of the Methodist Church, being class-leader and the main supporter of the congregation at Hurd's school-house. His grandfather, Gabriel Hutchings, was a native of Connecticut, and served seven years and seven months in the revolutionary war, being severely wounded and bruised in an engagement with the Indians, he lay in an unconscious condition for a long period. During his sickness he was nursed by a widow lady whose husband had been killed by the Aborigines, and upon his recovery he married her. -- typed by kbz
=========================
Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain counties, Indiana. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1893, pp429-430
JOHN HUTCHINGS, deceased, an intelligent and able pioneer farmer and life-long resident of the state of Indiana, passed peacefully to his rest upon the old homestead in Montgomery County in the early spring of 1889. Born in Butler County, October 15, 1819, the greater part of his life was devoted to the pursuit of agriculture, and for over thirty years he was actively identified with the farming interests of Montgomery County. Upright and honorable throughout his life, a true American citizen, warmly advocating educational advancement and progressive in his ideas, his death was mourned as a public loss by the entire county.
The immediate ancestors of John Hutchings were natives of the "sunny south," but the founders of the Hutchings family in America were Welshmen. They were people of rugged honesty of character, intelligent and industrious, and emigrated to the New World, not only to make their fortunes, but because of the true liberty and independence they might there enjoy. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Hutchings bravely served throughout the Revolutionary War, enduring for seven years and six months the privations, sacrifices and suffering shared by the noble patriots of those troublous days. Peace having been declared the veteran soldier returned to home and family and there resumed the even tenor of his ways.
Among the children of this brave defender of right and justice was the father of our subject, William Hutchings, who grew to manhood in the southern home of his parents and married Miss Jane McCain, afterward emigrating to Indiana and settled in Butler County, in which portion of the state our subject was born. John was but a little lad when his parents removed with their family to Fayette County, where he grew to mature years. In 1842 he was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony with Martha Lemon, a daughter of Elisha and Ruth (Allinger) Lemon, both natives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Lemon were married in their native state, but almost immediately removed to Indiana, settling in Oxford, Butler County, in the early days of pioneer privations and experience.
In 1856 Mr. Hutchings came with his wife to Montgomery County and located on the homestead where they passed so many pleasant and useful years, and where he died surrounded by a family of devoted children. John Hatchings and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in whose work, social, religious and benevolent, they ever took an active interest Their children were trained in the habits of industry and self reliance, and all lived to years of maturity, secure in the respect and confidence of their friends and neighbors.
The sons and daughters of this family circle are nine in number. Louisa J., the eldest born, was married to Henry Hurd; Mary is the wife of Thomas Sutton; William G. now manages the old home farm; Miranda is the wife of J. C. Martin, of Craig, Neb.; Eugenia is the widow of James Grimes; Belle is the wife of Dr. William Lott, of Hamilton County; John is a resident of Rector, Ark.; Eva married Crayton Kimbler; Allie died and left no family.
William G. Hutchings, the third child and eldest son, was born in the year 1847. His birth-place was in Fayette County, where all but two of the brothers and sisters were born. William Hutchings received an excellent common-school education in the immediate neighborhood of his home, his father being mainly instrumental in the erection of the building which gathered within its walls the children of the district. In 1871 this son of our subject was married to Miss Armenia Craig, daughter of Campbell Craig. The husband and wife have been blessed with a family of four bright and interesting children. Mr. Hutchings is an ambitions and enterprising citizen and an excellent business man. Having been thoroughly trained in agricultural duties, his first business venture was farming, in which work he profitably continued for some years. After a time he engaged in merchandising in Mace and there remained three years.
An excellent business opportunity then offering in Arkansas he removed to that state and there, in 1883, successfully carried on both a milling and merchandising enterprise. In 1887 he sold out and next located in Cowley County, Kans. Here Mr. Hutchings invested in two hundred and eighty acres of excellent land, which farming property he still owns. In 1889 he returned to the old homestead, and his father having died, took charge of the farm, which he manages with great success. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchings and their family are all connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, as were their parents before them. Mr. Hutchings is a Republican in sentiment and casts his vote with the party. Socially he is connected with the Knights of Pythias, and in and out of this order he has a host of friends. - typed by kbz
========================
Source: Crawfordsville Star newspaper, June 16, 1881 p 3
On Monday evening as John Hutchings was driving home in his wagon about dark he was stopped by three men just east of the Smartsburg toll gate.. One man seized one of the horses by the bit and a second approached the wagon demanding Mr. Hutchings' money. The third stood on the other side of the wagon. Mr. Hutchins is a vigorous old man in spite of his 60 odd years, and it only took him a few moments to seize a wagon standar and deal one of the men a fearful blow across the head which dropped him. He then struck one of the horses a blow that caused him to rear up and upset the man at his head. The team then dashed off at a 2;40 speed with Mr. Hutchings and soon left his assailants far behind. One of the fellows must have suffered a fearful headache. The robbers must have noticed Mr. Hutchings selling his wool on that day and supposed he still had the money on his person.