This name usually indicates an English ancestry, but is found among the Scotch-Irish immigrants whom royal disfavor and local race hatred forced out of Ireland, where the family had existed for some time. Two brothers of this name landed in Plymouth, Mass. in 1630, and went from there to Dover, New Hampshire, whence their descendants removed to Londonderry, same state. It is found in Essex county, Mass., where it flourished for many generations and is still in existence. The descendants have been widely scattered ove the United States and northern New York. In the early records it is frequently spelled Huckins.

(I) John Hutchins, born in 1604, is found in Newberry, Mass. as early as 1642, and was probably there some time before that. He was a prominent citizen of that town, whence he removed to Haverhill, Mass., and was there also a leading citizen, and died in 1674, at the age of seventy years. On March 12, 1642, he was owner of one share of the commons in Newbury, and Dec. 7 following, appears in the list of freeholders. In 1645 he drew home lot No. 34, and in 1659 was granted land in Haverhill. This probably indicates the time of his removal to that town, and his property there in 1650 was valued at 480 pounds. In this record appears his name as Huckins. He built the galleries in the meeting house at Haverhill, and in 1672 was allowed to sell seats there in compensation. On March 6, 1657, by vote of the town of Havehill, he was granted the privilege of placing a "wear" in the Merrimac river at the little island above the falls, and this grant also included the privelege of curing his fish on the island, the conditions being that the people of the town have the first privilege of purchasing at current rates. In 1642 his wife was before the court for wearing a silk hood, but "upon testimony of her being brought up above the ordinary way was discharged." Mrs. Joseph Swett was fined twelve shillings at the same time for the same charge. The local regulations prohibited persons worth less than two hundred pounds from wearing any fine apparel.
He served as constable of Haverhill, and in 1664, the general court remitted several pounds charged against him, occasioned by the burning of corn which he had collected in payment of the rates. In the same year he was granted twenty shilling for arresting an Indian accused of killing his squaw. In 1667 he was exempted from the ruling which required people to take the seats assigned them in church under the penalty of a fine. This is probably due to the fact that he had contributed largely to the building of the meeting house.
His wife, whose baptismal name was Frances, died in 1694.
Children:
William, born about 1635.
Joseph, mentioned below.
William.
Benjamin, May 15, 1641.
Love, July 16, 1647.
Elizabeth.
Samuel.

(II) Joseph, second son of John and Frances Hutchins, was born Nov. 15, 1640, in Newbury, and died April 19, 1689, in Haverhill, where he had a hosue in 1675. His name appears on a petition in 1683, objecting to the building of the new meeting house on the old site. This question of locating the meeting house was agitated in Haverhill for many years before it was finally settled.
He married, Dec. 26, 1669, Joanna Corliss, born April 28, 1650, in Havehill, died Oct. 29, 1734, daughter of George and Joanna (Davis) Corliss.
Children:
John, born May 5, 1671.
Joanna, Sept. 27, 1673.
Frances, June 7, 1676.
Mary, March 9, 1679.
Andrew, May 22, 1681.
Samuel, mentioned below.
Joseph, May 29, 1689.

(III) Samuel, third son of Joseph and Joanna (Corliss) Hutchins, was born Aug. 20, 1682, in Haverhill, and died May 15, 1778 in Norwich, Conn. He married, in Haverhill, Hannah Merrill, born Dec. 20, 1692, in that town, daughter of John and Lucy (Webster) Merrill, died there June 9, 1744.
Children recorded in Haverhill:
Samuel, born Sept. 17, 1716.
Hannah, May 1, 1718.
Nathan, mentioned below.
Abigail, June 1, 1724.

(IV) Nathan, second son of Samuel and Hannah (Merrill) Hutchins, was born April 1, 1722, in Haverhill, and resided some time in Norwich, Conn., whence he removed to Bennington, Vermont, and in his old age, with his son Nathan, settled in North Hero, Vermont, where he died, Sept. 26, 1811.
He married, May 2, 1747, in Haverhill, Mary Whittier, born Jan. 11, 1731, in that town, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Eaton) Whittier, and died July 8, 1798, at North Hero.

(V) Nathan (2), son of Nathan (1) and Mary (Whittier) Hutchins, was born 1755, and was a pioneer settler in North Hero, Vermont, where he was one of the most conspicuous citizens. He served as town clerk thirty-nine years, and was representative in the legislature seven years. For sixteen years he was judge of probate, and was judge in the county court when he died, Feb. 18, 1839, in his eighty-fourth year.
He was characterized in the records as "an honest, upright and useful citizen." He was very active in the revolutionary war, being private in the Third Company, commanded by Captain John Durkee; Third Regiment, enlisting May 8, 1775, and was discharged Oct. 24, same year. He was subsequently in Captain William Hutchins' company, Colonel Herrick's militia regiment from Oct. 11, 1780, serving twelve days and traveling sixty miles, his daily compensation being one shilling and four pence, and his total remuneration one pound six shillings. He was in a caompany under the same commanders in the campaign of 1781, his service closing June 30, and his compensation being six pounds, fourteen shillings, eight pence. He was under the same Captain in Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Fletcher's battalion from July 1 to 31, 1781, and during this service was promoted to assistant commissary. His pay roll in this service extends from Aug. 1, 1781, to Jan. 1, 1782, the amount being twenty-seven pounds, five shillings.

(VI) Erastus Hutchins, probably son of Nathan (2) Hutchins, was born about 1795, in North Hero, and died in Dickinson, Franklin county, New York. He settled in the last named town about 1822 and clared up land and engaged in farming. He acquired three hundred acres of land, and in the early years manufacutred pot and pearl ashes while clearing the land. He was supervisor of the town of Dickinson in the years 1833-34, 1836 and 1841. He was overseer of highways in Moira in 1829.
He was a member of the Baptist church and among the earliest supporters of the Republican party, casting his vote for John C. Fremont, its first national candidate.
He married Luretta Hazan, a native of North Hero.
Children:
Thaddeus, died at Storm Lake, Ohio, 1905.
Claudius, mentioned below.
Sally, died young.
Dexter, now a resident of Algona, Iowa.
Anson, died in 1902 in Minnesota.

(VII) Claudius, second son of Erastus and Luretta (Hazen) Hutchins, was born June 18, 1819, in North Hero, and was a small boy when his parents settled in Dickinson. He was reared upon the farm, attended school at Franklin Academy at Malone, and in early years engaged in teaching. He acquired a farm in the town of Dickinson, and in 1851 went to California, where he remained two years, engaged in company with his brother, Dexter, in hunting game, which found a ready sale in the San Francisco markets and yeilded them a good income. In going he sailed aroudn Cape Horn, and returned by way of Panama.
He resumed farming in Dickinson, which he continued until 1861. In that year he was elected county clerk and removed to Malone, where he continued to reside, and died in 1877. He was county clerk six years, and subsequently served as magistrate until his death.
He was a member of the Baptist church, and an active Republican, and served as supervisor in Dickinson, 1855-56 and 1860.
He married, about 1841, Lorancy Dawson, born 1820, died 1867, a native of Dickinson, daughter of Alexander and Ann Dawson, of Scottish lineage. Alexander Dawson was a soldier in the war of 1812, and resided in Plattsburgh. Mr. Hutchins married (second) Charlotte Wood, of Malone. There were six children of the first marriage, three of whom died in infancy. The survirors are:
Emma L., widow of Sidney D. Hickock, of Malone.
Melburn W., mentioned below.
Flora M., wife of George W. Crooks, of Malone.

(VIII) Malburn Willis, only surviving son of Claudius and Lorancy (Dawson) Hutchins, was born Feb. 22, 1849, in Dickinson, and grew up in Malone, where he was a student in Franklin Academy. At the age of sixteen years he was accustomed to assist his father in the duties of county clerk, and subsequently continued at school. He was very early engaged in public business, being president of the board of education, and for eighteen years consecutively was clerk of the county board of supervisors. For seventeen years he as a justice of the peace. He was also many years clerk of the village of Malone, and engaged in the fire insurance business from 1893 to 1898, conducting probably the largest agency of the kind in northern New York. On March 1, 1898, he was appointed as examiner in the state banking department and became chief examiner in 1907.
Since the spring of 1898 his residence has been in New York City, and his duties have brought him in contact with the leading financiers of the state. He is a pronounced example of the New England type of character, sound in judgment, conservative in action, energetic and thorough.
He is a member of the Baptist church of Malone, and has always been an active supporter of Republican politics in public affairs.
He married, April 12, 1870, Mary M. Palmer, born Aug. 29, 1853, in Steuben, Herkimer county, N.Y., daughter of Rev. Lucius L. and Mary A. (Comstock) Palmer. Mr. Palmer was a native of Canton, N.Y., and was a clergyman of the Methodist church, which took him to many charges in the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins have had three sons.
The eldest, Harry Palmer, died at the age of three years and five months.
The others, Claudius and Arthur Wallace, reside in New York City.

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