Side view of the Home of Emri Hutchinson and most probably his 3rd great-grandfather Captain Nathan Hutchinson, Sr. in Milford, New Hampshire. Photo taken in 1938 by Elizabeth Hayward Hutchinson Patterson, 3rd great-granddaughter of Nathan.
According to Elizabeth Patterson:
"Captain Nathan Hutchinson - my great, great, great grandfather through Betsy Hayward. Nathan settled on the Souhegan River in Amherst (now Milford) in 1748. This territory was still a wilderness. His son Benjamin was born at Amherst in 1749 [actually 1754]. The 'History of Milford' says - 'Eleven men with their brave wives (among the list were Nathan and Abner Hutchinson, the latter an uncle of Elisha) were settled before the year 1755 and were in the front ranks of the founders of Milford, were indeed the only inhabitant.'
"It is hard to tell definitely which was Nathan's first house. The History of Milford says that Emri Hutchinson was born in the house where at least four generations before him had lived. That would carry it back to Nathan. The descent was Nathan(5), Benjamin(6), Benjamin(7), Benjamin(8), Emri(9).
"Side view (see scrapbook) of Emri Hutchinson's house showing old part. From all the facts gathered I think this end of the house was built and occupied by Nathan. This door was evidently the front door of the original house. There is a board in the wainscoting in lower room that measures 36 inches wide. The date given for the building of this old part would indicate Nathan built it; that Benjamin was born here and later Nathan built the larger house (see scrapbook) and gave this to Benjamin. Tradition says he gave each son a farm. Later generations have added much to the house.
"The front view shows what a lovely house it is now."
Re Second home of Nathan: "This house was built and occupied by Nathan Hutchinson on the farm that was called in later years the Searles Farm (See History of Milford). The History of Milford says: 'From the day of his settlement until the day of his decease in 1795 Nathan Hutchinson was one of the most active and useful citizens of the time.'"
"History of Milford P. 55 - gives names of Nathan and Nathan, Jr. among signers to take up arms at time of the Revolutionary War.
P. 58, 59 - In list of men in Revolution, Nathan Hutchinson, Sergeant
P. 56 - gives Nathan as Sergeant of Company of Major Abial Abbott, Captain Nathan Ballard, that marched to reinforce Ticonderoga.
P. 62 - Nathan called Captain.
There is a marker erected by the D.A.R. at Captain Nathan Hutchinson's grave."
"The History of Milford says Alfred Hutchinson, son of Bartholomew and grandson of Nathan, lived in this house until 1844."
"Nathan (5) was born Salem Village, now Danvers, Massachusetts, February 1717. Removed with his father to Bedford in 1734; thence to Amherst, now Milford. His removal to Amherst must have been previous to June, 1744 as his oldest (surviving) son Benjamin (6) was born in Amherst on that date. See Gen P 36. History of Milford says he 'settled upon the farm now owned by Edwin Searles situated on road to Wilton in 1748.' The Searles place adjoins the house where now (1936) Mrs. Emri Hutchinson lives with her daughter, Mrs. Murray. She told me the house in which they lived was built by Benjamin Hutchinson in 1743. If that date is correct, Nathan (5) must have built it and it then passed through his oldest (surviving) son Benjamin (6) who was born in 1744. Gen P 36. and (as) Benjamin (4) probably did not come to Amherst."
"According to Genealogy, P 24, 36, 59, 85, the descent is Nathan (5), Lieutenant Benjamin (6), Benjamin (7), Benjamin (8), Emri (9). The History of Milford says, 'Emri was born in the house where at least four generations had lived.' Nathan was the great grandfather of Betsy Hayward, my grandmother, who married David Hutchinson. Betsy Hayward was the daughter of Rebecca Hutchinson who married Nehemiah Hayward. The descent was - Nathan (5), Nathan (6), Bebecca (7), Betsy (8). So this interesting old house was built by either my great, great, great grandfather or his father.
"I found the graves of Nathan and his wife Rachel Stearns. It is inscribed 'Capt. Nathan Hutchinson' The D.A.R. have erected a marker."
[Nathan's marker reads:
Erected
In memory of Capt
Nathan Hutcherson
who departed this
life Jany 12th 1795
in the 78th Year
of his age]
[Rachel's marker reads:
Erected
In memory of Mrs.
Rachel Hutcherson
wife of Capt Nathan
Hutcherson who died
July 25th 1795 in the
76th Year of her age]
SETTLEMENT AT SOUHEGAN WEST [from Elizabeth Patterson's notes]: "Two settlers were known to have reached Souhegan West, later called Amherst, by 1735 (Walton and Lampson... see notes re Joseph (3). For several years the meetings of the Society continued to be held in Salem Village, as shown by the minutes of the 'Proprieters Records.' It is not known when the other grantees went to take up their land, but by 1743 or 4 enough of them had moved that in the 'Proprieters Record' we find the following: 'At a meeting Feb 10, 1743-4 at James Phillips, Salem Village, voted that the meeting for ensuing year shall be at the meeting house at Souhegan West No. 3 on 30th of January next at 10 o'clock before noon." "This meeting was held at appointed place on 30 January 1744-5, and the meetings and affairs of the Society were henceforth conducted in the Meeting House in Souhegan West.
"There is a very unique fact about this Meeting House. The first meeting house was built by the proprieters of Souhegan West. The frame was probably raised May 16, 1739 and the building completed in 1753. In 1757 the town voted to build a new place of worship upon the training field.
It remained the property of the town until 1832 when because of denominational strife it was sold at auction and purchased by the Congregational Society. The town reserved its right to its use for town purposes and also reserved to the town the front of the church, the steeple and bell. In 1836 it was moved to the present site and the town built the basement.
"Eleven men with their brave wives (among the list given are Nathan and Abner Hutchinson) were all settled before the year 1755 and were in the front ranks of the founders of Milford, were indeed about the only inhabitants. (History of Milford)
"The territory of Souhegan West included what is now Amherst, Milford and Mount Vernon. It was all incorporated under the name of Amherst in 1760. At that time the territory had 800 people and less than 100 houses. Milford was separated and incorporated in 1798. Mount Vernon was incorporated in 1804."
EARLY HUTCHINSON SETTLERS [from Elizabeth Patterson's notes]:
"The first Hutchinson who is recorded as being in Amherst is Nathan (5). His name appears on the tax list in 1753. However, the Hutchinson genealogy speaks of his son Benjamin being born in Amherst in 1744. His descendents to the sixth generation lived in a house that they told me was built in 1743 by Benjamin (4), the father of Nathan (5), but as the evidence in the Genealogy points to a belief that Benjamin (4) never came to Amherst, it is probable that Nathan built it."
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This site is maintained by: Dave Carlsen
This page last updated: 28 May 2003