RANSOM HUTCHINS

Ransom Hutchins, for many years a respected resident of Clark County, was born in Onondaga County, N.Y., Oct. 4, 1843, the son of Alburn and Harriet (Van Gilder) Hutchins. Alburn was a canal boatman who was born and reared in Vermont; his wife, Harriet was a native of New York. After their marriage they resided in New York state for about ten years and there three children were born to them -- Ransom, Wallace and Frances. About 1851 the family moved to Wisconsin, locating in Fond du Lac County, where Alburn bought forty acres of wild land. On this tract he built a log shack and a barn and began work clearing the place. During a part of the time he had to work out to earn means to support his family, which kept increasing, as five more children were born -- James, John, Samuel, Martha and Alburn, Jr. Alburn Hutchins had no stock when he came to Wisconsin, but a year later he bought a team of oxen. In the ten years that he lived on that place he cleared the forty acres. He then purchased eighty acres more of wild land in the same county and again put up a log house and other buildings. There he stayed fourteen years, then sold his farm and bought 100 acres to which he later added forty more, all wild land, and on this latter farm the rest of his life was spent. His death taking place in 1891. Ransom Hutchins remained at home until he was 17 years old, attending school during the winters. He then begqn working out on neighboring farms, having occasionally recreation hunting and fishing. At the age of 21 years he joined Company E, 17thWisconsin Volunteers, enlisting Oct. 5, 1864, under Capt. J. McDermorr and Col. Malloy. The regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, Sixth Division, 17th Corps, Army of the Tennessee, and took part in the battles of Chattahoochie River, Siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, Siege of Savannah, Orangeburg, Columbia and Fayetteville, finally participating in the Grand Review at Washington, D.C. May 25, 1856. Mr. Hutchins was honorably discharged at Madison, Wis., July 14, 1865, and returned to his home in Fond du Lac County, where he did light work only for a while, needing rest after his army experience. On March 27, 1870, Mr. Hutchins was married at Dundee, Fond du Lac County, Wis., to Lorinda Sheldon, whose father, Isaiah, a millwright, had come to Fond du Lac from Ohio, where he had been born and reared, and where also he had married Eliza Johnston. After his marriage, Mr. Hutchins remained in Fond du Lac County for seventeen years, engaged in farming. In 1887 he removed with his family to Clark County, buying eighty acres of land in Section 8, Unity Township, it being a partly improved farm. He then had no stock and worked out a littlea, but spent most of his time in clearing his farm. There he remained twenty-eight years, during which time he cleared all of the land, built a nine-room frame house and a barn 90 by 30 feet, and a fifty-ton silo. He raised Holstein cattle and Poland-China hogs with profitable results, so that at the end of the period mentioned he felt able to retire from active work and accordingly took up his residence in the village of Loyal, where he lived, honored and respected until his death, Jan. 13, 1917. Although interested in everything concerning the welfare of the community in which he lived he never sought to participate largely in public affairs, but served two years as school director. Mr. and Mrs. hutchins were the parents of eight children: Warren, Clarence, Eliza, Anna, Herbert, Oscar, Evelyn and Lela. Warren who reside in Unity Township, Clark County, married Clara Smith, and has two children, Elma and Leah. Clarence, also a resident of Unity Township, married Anna Catlin, and his children are, Iva, Delbert and Orel. Eliza is the wife of Henry Nichols of Loyal Township, and her children are Evelyn and Geneva. Anna, now Mrs. Charles Smith, resides in Lily, S.D. and nine children -- Mildred, married Aug. 22, 1`917, to Fred Ward; Erma, Alta, Myri, Bernice, Edward, Edna, Valda and Blanche. Herbert married Ethel Burke of Unity Township and has six children --Lela, Helen, D.Esley, Harold, May and Clare Lyman. Oscar is a railroad man, now residing with his mother. Evelyn resides at home, and Lela is the wife of Jesse Lyon, of Montana and has one child, a daughter, Eun. When Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins first moved to Loyal Village they rented a house. On April 18, 1917, Mrs. Hutchins purchased a comfortable home where she is spending the afternoon of life, surrounded by the love of her relatives and friends. She is a delightful woman, a lady of the old school, and is highly respected by all who know her.

Transcribed and contributed to this site by Charmine Becker