HUTCHINS, D. H.

HUTCHINS, WHITNEY, CALL, WHITE

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 3/16/2004 at 16:21:18

Biography reproduced from page 403 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

D. H. Hutchins was born Sept. 20, 1823, in Franklin Co., N. Y. He was raised a “farmer boy,” and received his education in the district schools and Franklin Academy, where he attended three terms. He went to Indiana in the spring of 1845; resided there two years, then returned to Franklin county, where for five years he worked on a farm summers and taught school winters. He went to California in the spring of 1852, in company with his brother; was engaged in mining and other pursuits for two years, and returned home in the spring of 1854. A year later he moved to Clayton Co., Iowa, and engaged in farming. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in company E, 27th regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry; was elected orderly sergeant by the company in the spring of 1863, and promoted to second lieutenant in the fall of 1864, participating in the battles of Little Rock, Fort De Russy, Pleasant Hill, Yellow Bayou, Fish Bayou, Tupelo and Nashville; was discharged May 15, 1865, while in hospital at Natchez, Miss. He returned to Clayton county, remaining there until March, 1869, when he settled in Algona, and engaged in the implement trade. He has 250 acres of land under cultivation, and is now assistant cashier in the Bank of Algona. He married Helen M. Whitney, of Franklin Co., N. Y. They have had four children, three now living—Clayton B., auditor of Kossuth county; Lucina M., wife of A. F. Call, of Algona, and Celia V. Mr. Hutchins was commissioned captain of uniformed militia by Gov. Seymour, of New York, and of Home Guards, by Gov. Stone, of Iowa; was elected four times justice of the peace, and served one term as supervisor of Kossuth county.
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Biography reproduced from page 163 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

D. H. Hutchins, a prominent and well known resident of Algona, has reached the venerable age of eighty-nine years and has spent half of his life in this county. In former years he was engaged in the implement trade and was also a leading factor in financial circles here as the vice president of the Algona State Bank. His landed holdings embrace several hundred acres in Kossuth county. His birth occurred in Franklin county, New York, on the 20th of September, 1823. He was reared on a farm and obtained his early education in the district schools, subsequently attending Franklin Academy for three terms. In the spring of 1845 he removed to Indiana but after two years’ residence there returned to his native county, where he remained for five years, working on a farm during the summer months and teaching school in the winter seasons. In the spring of 1852, in company with his brother, he went to California, where he followed mining and other pursuits for two years, returning home in the spring of 1854. A year later he removed to Clayton county, Iowa, and there devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits. In 1862 he enlisted for service in the Union army as a private of Company E, Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry. In the spring of 1863 he was elected orderly sergeant by the company and in the fall of 1864 was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. He participated in the battles of Little Rock, Fort De Russy, Pleasant Hill, Yellow Bayou, Fish Bayou, Tupelo and Nashville, and was discharged on the 15th of May, 1865, while in a hospital at Natchez, Mississippi. Returning to Clayton county, Iowa, he remained there until March, 1869, when he settled in Algona and embarked in the implement trade. For many years he held the office of vice president of the Algona State Bank, Ambrose A. Call being during that time the chief executive officer of the institution. He owns several hundred acres of land in this county and for more than four decades has been numbered among its most respected and substantial citizens.

As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Hutchins chose Miss Helen M. Whitney, of Franklin county, New York. Unto them were born four children, as follows: Clayton B., a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work; Marshall L., who died in infancy; Lucina M., the wife of A. F. Call, of Corona, California, who is a lawyer by profession and also owns large orange and lemon groves; and Celia V., who is the wife of George W. White, the pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Oakland, California.

Mr. Hutchins is a republican in politics and has been prominent in public affairs. He served as supervisor of Kossuth county for one term and was four times elected to the office of justice of the peace, proving an efficient and loyal public servant. He was commissioned captain of uniformed militia by Governor Seymour of New York and of the Home Guards by Governor Stone of Iowa. D. H. Hutchins has now passed the eighty-ninth milestone on life’s journey and his career has ever been such that he can look back over the past without regret and forward to the future without fear.