Hutchinsonb  
 

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

     BENJAMIN HUTCHINSON is a prominent citizen and stock man residing in Douglas county, fourteen miles south and forty miles west of Lind, his postoffice. Born in Douglas county, Oregon, January 5, 1854, Mr. Hutchinson is the son of Robert M. and Elizabeth (Hanna) Hutchinson, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. The father crossed the plains to Douglas county, Oregon, in 1847, returned home by way of Cape Horn, came again in 1849, and again returned to Illinois, this time by the Panama route, and in 1853, in charge of a large emigrant train, he brought his family, consisting then of a wife and two children, to Douglas county, where he took a donation claim of one section and a quarter section as a homestead. In 1855 he volunteered in Kellogg's company and fought Indians in every war from that date until 1877. He came to Walla Walla in 1876, and raised stock and farmed until in 1902, when he was found dead in the road near the town of Whitney, Baker county, Oregon. The family originally comprised eight children, six of whom are now living, Mrs. Mary Hicks, deceased, Mrs. Sarah Dunlap, Izabelle, deceased, Mrs. Jane Jarman, Samuel, Mrs. Lizzie Hayes, and the subject of this sketch.
     Benjamin Hutchinson was educated first in the grammar schools of his native county, and later in Victoria, Vancouver Island; San Jose, California; and on December 23, 1870, he was graduated from St. Mary's college, San Francisco. He at once went to Kansas where he assumed the management of his father's stock ranch, where he had under his charge eleven hundred head of cattle. He was thus engaged one and a half years, when the business was sold and he went to Whetstone agency, Dakota, and in 1875 to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where his father had a large land grant. Here he remained two years then returned to California, thence to Oregon, and from that state to Nevada, during all of which time he was engaged in the business of handling stock. Upon one of his hazardous journeys across the mountains between Yanix agency and Silver Lake he was lost in a storm and fog. On account of his being compelled to remain exposed to the elements his right foot was frozen to such an extent that the amputation of a half of the member was necessary, thus crippling him to a certain extent for life. Upon his return to his father's home at Walla Walla he engaged in teaming between the towns of Walla Walla, Colfax, Sprague, Colville and points in Idaho. He followed this occupation until the railroad tapped the country in 1879. After this event he freighted some between Walla Walla and Pend d'Oreille, and other Idaho towns until 1881, when he settled on a farm near Walla Walla, and the following year entered the stock business near Paha. Later, in 1883, he removed to Cow creek, raised stock there until 1886, when he removed to his present home on lower Crab creek. He now owns over a thousand horses, a large herd of thoroughbred cattle, and farms three hundred and twenty acres of land. He raises an average of three hundred and fifty tons of hay yearly.
     Politically, Mr. Hutchinson is a Democrat, and takes an active part in all the local affairs of his party. He has held the office of constable of his precinct, though against his will, he being compelled to qualify for the office on account of a wager.
     He is a member of the Episcopalian church.
 

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