George Hutchinson
1911 Biography
An extensive and prosperous stock-raiser and farmer who has contributed his quota to the agricultural development of Milford township is George Hutchinson, who was born in Rock Island county, Illinois, February 21, 1859, a son of Thomas and Susan (Ramsey) Hutchinson, both of whom were natives of the north of Ireland.
They came to this county in 1846, taking passage on a sailing vessel and arriving in New Orleans, whence they journeyed up the Mississippi river to St Louis and later to Rock Island. After working for some time on a farm the father purchased on hundred and sixty acres of land ten miles south of Rock Island and added to this gradually until his possessions amounted to five hundred acres.
Ten children were born to him and his wife, of whom the following six survive: George; William, residing on the old homestead in Rock Island county; Thomas, living in Crawford county, Iowa; Anna, the wife of W W Long, of Rock Island; James and Samuel, also of Rock Island county.
The father was one of the pioneers of that county and when he first arrived there he had to contend with the rough and unbroken soil. He built a log cabin on his land and there the elder children were born. He acquired a comfortable fortune and retired from active life several years before his death, which occurred in 1903 when he was eighty- two years old, his wife surviving him until January, 1904, when she too passed away at the age of seventy-two years.
George Hutchinson attended the public schools of Rock Island county up to his eighteenth year and assisted his father on the farm until 1883, when he and his brother Robert removed to Hanover township, Crawford county, Iowa, and bought three hundred and twenty acres of land, upon which they farmed in partnership for one year.
Robert subsequently died in this county. George purchased a two hundred and eighty-five acre farm on sections 15 and 16, Milford township, to which he has added a great many modern improvements and today had one of the most up-to-date farm properties in the township. Here he has continued to successfully engage in general farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of feeding cattle and hors for the market.
The marriage of Mr Hutchinson took place January 31, 1883, when he was united with Miss Alice Johnson, of Mercer county, Illinois, a daughter of Robert and Alice (Lipton) Johnson, who were natives of the north of Ireland. They were pioneer settlers of Mercer county, arriving there about the year 1846, and there the father became the owner of valuable coal lands. He died in 1878, his wife departing this life in 1906 at the age of sixty-eight years.
Three children have been born to Mr and Mrs Hutchinson, namely: George Marion, who was born in 1885; Florence s, who is a teacher in the district schools; and Thomas Clarence, whose birth occurred in August 1889.
Mrs Hutchinson has a brother, Robert Johnson, who is a merchant in Oklahoma City, and three sisters, as follows: Mary, now Mrs K Dawson, of Oklahoma City; Emma Celia, of the same place; and Belle, who is now Mrs Otis Whan and resides in Mercer county, Illinois.
Mr Hutchinson has taken an active part in politics, having always given his support to the republican party, was for two years township trustee and is at present holding the office of justice of the peace, besides which he is a member of the school board. In his fraternal relations he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. Both he and his family are faithful attendants of the Methodist church. Mr Hutchinson is one of the substantial men of the township in which he resides, being honest and upright and upright in all his business dealings, a loyal and stanch friend, ever willing to give his assistance to any undertaking that stands for public improvement and rightly deserves the success he has won.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.