Descendants of William and Ann (Simpson) Hutchinson at "Caspiana" Plantation, in Caddo Parish, Louisiana
The following information was put together from the 1975 work of descendant of William & Ann (Simpson) Hutchinson, Mrs. Margaret (Hutchinson) McClellan, of Shreveport, Louisiana. Mrs. McClellan visited me in the mid-1980s in Hightstown, New Jersey. After corresponding with her for some time, she was driven from Louisiana in order to see where her ancestors came from. In her 70s, she was very happy, as she spent the afternoon at the gravesite and on their homestead property near Hightstown, New Jersey. When I asked her if I could purchase a copy of her book, she gave me her own copy of the book. She would take no for an answer for any payment and indicated that it was in return for treating her to a day in NJ, and showing her the homestead property and gravesite of her ancestors, William & Ann (Simpson) Hutchinson.
Robert Hutchinson, son of William & Ann (Simpson) Hutchinson, of New Jersey
Robert Hutchinson, oldest son of William and Ann (Simpson) Hutchinson, moved his family from the Middlesex/Monmouth County, New Jersey area to Prince William County, Virginia, between the dates of April 1774-December 1774, based upon the deeds of both above counties. He and his wife, Elizabeth Lawrence, had eleven (11) children. One of those children was named William, who married Barbara Bush, probably in Virginia but they eventually moved on into Georgia, perhaps with his father, Robert, because he, too, ended up in Georgia and is not seen in Virginia records after 1782/1784 period.
The first "recorded" deed in Prince William
County, Virginia [Deed Book T-Page 174] for Robert and Elizabeth Hutchinson
described of "Prince William Co, Virginia", is dated 13 Dec 1774, and said land
was sold to him by the executors of Thomas Faulkner. Robert Hutchinson was
described as already living on the land being sold and being of "Prince William
Co". Robert had purchased 348 acres for 350 pounds having paid a deposit of 20
pounds, and who had to pay off the balance of the purchase price by 20 Oct 1775
or forfeit the deposit. [Now, Faulker's Will, was dated 4 Sept 1774]. The
witnesses to the deeds were Daniel Moore, Benjamin Hutchinson, Elizabeth
Hutchinson, and Abodnogoe Adams.
In 1782, in VA, Robert is one the Tithe Lists with two
negroes, Adam 20 & Robin 15, horses, 9 cattle; and Edward, Benjamin, Sarah
Hutchinson, and a Daniel McCoy, probably the father of Elizabeth McCoy, wife of
his son, Peter Hutchinson. In 1783, he is there with 2 family members over 21, 1 tithable slave, 2 slaves not tithable, 4 horses, 10 cattle. In 1784, he is no
longer found on the Tithe lists or those of later years.
On 2 April 1784, Robert Hutchinson of the Parrish of Dettingen, Prince William Co, VA leased a plantation of his for one year for the "rent of a peppercorn on Lady Day..." He then sells the same land on the next day for 116 shillings. On 3 May 1784, Robert Hutchinson makes an exception of 400 square feet of a graveyard of five graves, being 20 feet each way. And, on 10 April 1784 he sells for 190 pounds the land that he first originally purchased in 1774. On 5 April 1784, he settles the estate of John Hutchinson, his brother, as the executor of the estate and moves his family into Georgia, in the area where other members of his Hutchinson family from New Jersey lived; namely his children and those of Nathaniel, his deceased brother.
Ten years later, and one week before his death, Robert is
found giving what is basically his will in Hancock County, Georgia. [The
following item was researched by Clark Forrest, of Holden, LA 70744] - (Hancock
Co Deeds, Book E, page 86): 23 August 1794 - "Robert Hutchinson, Sale of
Moveable Property, Hancock Co, Georgia, 23 August 1794 - I do hereby Bargin, and
Sell all my moveable property to Peter Hutchinson and to Rachel Hutchinson for
the value of taking good care of me and finding me in good Comfortable vittles
and clothes untill my Death and Bury me desently after I am dead on this from
[?] under my hand; witnesses - Fredick Rose, Robert Hutchinson, Ben.
Hutchinson"; "Fedirick Rose and Benjamin Hutchinson and being duly sworn
deposeth and said that they ware present when Robert Hutchinson, Desd, Signed
and delivered the above obligation to Peter Hutchinson and Rachel Hutchison for
the purposes therein contained and the said Benjamin Hutchison further Saith
that he believes it was Robert Hutchisons desire for the property to be given
away as before mentioned, and the Rose fursayth that he believes Robert
Hutchison had his Senses about him at the time of Signing the above agreement,
Sworn to before me this 27th of October 1800" - registered with Hancock Co on
19th Feb 1801. [These are the children, and their wives, of Robert Hutchinson.]
On the 24th of August 1988, the "Bible" or prayer book of Robert Hutchinson [father of
Peter Hutchinson, who later possessed the Bible record] was in the possession of
a descendant named Bettye Grissom, 134 Morningside Drive, San Antonio TX 78209.
In 2000, I actually received a copy of the above Bible and an abstraction of the
Bible's record of the family from a descendant.
The Bible record of Robert Hutchinson doesn't show the names of any children, other than
10, but does show an 11th child, a son born 1770, at 2 o'clock in the
morning. His name is blank as is the month and day. Therefore, I suspect that he
didn't survive being no first name was listed and was left blank. However, work
by two families give a son, born 4 October 1770, but each with a different given
name. The two names given by these two families for this child are: one name is
Edward and the other name is Wilson.
Robert's son, William, was born in New Jersey on 4 September 1761. He married Barbara Frances Bush, probably in Virginia, and they had eleven children. They can be found in the 1820 Census of Washington Co., Georgia, where he and his wife are list in the 26-45 age group along with six boys and two girls of various ages. By 1829, he and his family were found in Montgomery County, Alabama, when on July 1st, William received a patent for 80 acres from the U.S. Land Office at Cahaba, Alabama. The land was described as "the East half of the North West quarter of Section two in township fourteen of range sixteen in the District of Lands office for sale at Cahaba, Alabama, containing eighty acres, and twenty five hundreths of an acre, according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General which, said tract has been purchased by the said William Hutchinson..." The above land act covering the sale of public lands was passed by Congress on the 24th April 1820. Therefore, one can imply that that William and his family were in Alabama between 1820-1829.
John Bush Hutchinson, son of Robert & Elizabeth (Lawrence) Hutchinson
William's oldest son was John Bush Hutchinson, who was born 20 February 1792 in Georgia. It would appear that at least his family was in Alabama before December 1825, based upon his purchase, at age 33, of two slaves; one the 19th and another on the 25th of December in 1825. The December 19th purchase was made from Alexander Talley. John Bush Hutchinson was married to Matilda Walker, on 25 January 1826, in Dallas County, Alabama by "Alex Talley," probably the same person, who sold him one of the slaves. Matilda Walker, was the daughter of Joseph Walker, a Methodist preacher described as "fiery and fanatical", of Dallas County, Alabama. In the 1830 census of Lowndes Co., Alabama, William, his brother and his father can be found, which would indicate that they probably moved around together. William was described as between 60-70 with 24 slaves in his household. John's brother, Haley Hutchinson, had 8 slaves and John had 4 slaves. John Bush Hutchinson was a planter and they had four children- John Wesley Hutchinson born 1828-died 1833; Robert Coke Hutchinson born 1830 - died 1876 in Louisiana; William Joseph Hutchinson born 1832 - died 1913; Jane Frances Hutchinson born 1835-died 1841. Of the four children, two died before the family moved to Louisiana. John's wife had a sister, who married a Joseph Graham, and both families can be found living near each other in Bossier Parish, Louisiana. Family letters show that John Bush Hutchinson and his family were raising cotton and living in Montgomery, Alabama.
William Hutchinson, father of John Bush Hutchinson, apparently died intestate prior to15 March 1834 in Lowndes County, Alabama, the date of the "succession" appointing the two oldest sons-John B. and Haley Hutchinson as Administrators. on 27 May 1835, Commissioners were appointed by the Orphan Court of Lowndes County and they sold William's real estate to pay the bills. John Bush Hutchinson bought 107 acres, which included the 80 land grant, for $989.75.
John Bush Hutchinson and wife, Matilda, and sons Robert C. and William J., moved to Louisiana from Lowndes Co., Alabama, in between 31 October 1841, the death date of their daughter, Jane Frances Hutchinson, in Alabama, and the Hutchinson land purchase in Rocky Mount in Bossier Parish, which was purchased before records began to be kept there in 1843. This same tract of land was once in Claiborne Parrish and several letters in the family records were addressed to Mrs. Matilda Hutchinson, Minden, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana.
John Bush Hutchinson died 1 September 1846, leaving an estate shown by the succession filed at Bossier Parish Court House: 1,349 acres of land in Township 22, Range 12 with improvements valued at $7,019, 57 slaves valued from $125 to $600 each, 19 head horses and mules, 200 hogs, 25 cattle, 280,000 lbs of seed cotton, corn, 3 road wagons, etc- totaled $50,391.49. He was buried near his home with a neat iron fence around the grave and stone marker which was inscribed: "Sacred to the Memory of John B. Hutchinson, born 20th Feb. 1792, died 1st Sept. 1846, aged 54 years, 6 months and 11 days." Less than a year later, Matilda Hutchinson died on 3 August 1847, in Summerfield, Alabama, where she owned a home. On 6 October 1847, the estate of John B. and Matilda Hutchinson amounted to $53,484.50.
[Here are photos of John Bush Hutchinson - 1792-1846 and wife, Matilda Walker 1808-1847]
Robert Coke Hutchinson, son of John Bush & Matilda (Walker) Hutchinson
Robert Coke, and brother, William Joseph Hutchinson, sons of John B. and Matilda (Walker) Hutchinson, received good educations. They then lived in Fillmore, Louisiana. In August 1852, Robert C. married his cousin, Miss Margaret Julia Ann Walker, of Holly Springs, Mississippi. The two brothers went into business together and operated as R & W Hutchinson. They added land and slaves to the Rocky Mount place. They also began clearing the land which was across Red River from McDade in 1851, bought the land in June 1852, and planted their first crop of cotton there. They now had 944 acres and on the 1st November 1852, they purchased 10 slaves in New Orleans for $10,950. Robert continued to have business interests in north Louisiana but soon moved his family to New Orleans. In 1856, he went into business there with his uncle, Robert Lucky Walker, as a cotton factor. In 1857, Robert decided to sell his plantation interest in Caddo Parish to his brother William, who bought Robert's interest in "Caspiana" and "Mattanza" (Magnolia) plantations along with everything, including 88 slaves, for $96,423.34. After this Robert continued to live in southern Louisiana but after the Civil War, he lost everything. He later bought a house lot and 20 acres in Campo Bello plantation. But, being in poor health and died on 28 July 1876. Robert had seven children; two died when young and only one married. This was his son Frank but he had no children, so this branch died off. Robert's widow Julia moved to California some years after her husband's death and then lived at the home of her son, Frank, in Beeville, Texas. William J. Hutchinson, son of Robert C. & Julia Hutchinson lived to an old age in Belcher, Louisiana, where he was a well-known merchant.
William Joseph Hutchinson, son of John Bush & Matilda (Walker) Hutchinson
William Joseph Hutchinson, son of John Bush Hutchinson and brother of Robert above, was born 14 October 1832, in Lowdes Co., Alabama. At the age of 25, he had been on business trips to New Orleans and on one of these trips, he met Adaline M. Strother, who was living there with her sister. At some point after their meeting, she wrote her father in Virginia to get his consent to marry. Her father, having no knowledge of William, answered her by letter, dated 20 October 1857, saying "...if you are entirely satisfied yourself and your Uncle Campbell (who you say has long known him) thinks it a suitable match, I, of course can say nothing against it..." On 21 December 1858, William married Adeline McDonald Strother at the home of Mary and Jack P. Moore, in New Orleans, by Rev. J.C. Keener, a Methodist minister. His wife was born on 13 April in Smyth Co., Virginia .
William had decided that since the land he had acquired in south Caddo Parish was so sparsely settled and near mosquito infested swamp lands that he would make a home for his bride at "Caspiana", which would serve as the headquarters for the plantation operation, while the "river bottom land" was developed. However, before he married, he bought some land with a house on it and made it ready for his bride. The new place, a two story home, was called "Evergreen" and was the family's home until 1872. Six of their nine children were born at "Evergreen," near the established community of Fillmore. Years after the family moved to "Caspiana," the house known as "Evergreen" was destroyed by fire. By 1857, William was reported to have 74 slaves working on the plantation, real property worth $165,000, personal property worth $5,000, and owned 2,968 acres of land in Caddo Parish.
The 1860s were very turbulent years. In 1860, he built the "Magnolia" quarters and bought more slaves. The first succession leading into the Civil War took place at or near Rocky Mount, on 26 November 1860. He had a list he kept which was dated 1864 and showed 36 slaves at "Mattanza" (later called "Magnolia"), 73 slaves at "Caspiana" and 12 at "Evergreen", for a total of 121 slaves. He listed every slave by name and the age of each. [These records were in the possession of the Louisiana family.] Many of these slaves stayed on at "Caspiana" after they were freed. There was Lizzy, who probably cooked for the family and Jake, who taught the boys how to fish and many other things. Those who served on the plantation were allowed to keep their homes and continue living there without charge after they were no longer able to work. (This has continued to be the policy through the years at "Caspiana" even to 1973.)
The last great armed force of the south surrendered at Shreveport in June 1865. It was obvious from William's records that he had supplied the Confederate forces with needed supplies and cords of wood. The receipts he had received for this material were worthless at the close of the war, as was the Confederate money he had "when the Yankee army took over." He was able to keep his land, although he still had notes due on it. Above all, he feared for the safety of his family, and yet, he needed to be on the plantations to try to save them. It was decided that his wife and their four small children should go to New Orleans and stay with Ada's sister, Mary Moore. [Many family letters written between them and other plantation records are in possession of the family in Shreveport, Louisiana..]
I've mentioned "Caspiana" Plantation many times. At first, I thought it was a town or area, but I couldn't find it. Then, I learned the truth. The land in South Caddo Parish sits on the meandering banks of the Red River. Steamboats passing along the river would stop to put off freight or pick up bales of cotton. They would deliver mail and also provide transportation for you and your horse up or down river. One day in 1852, a steamboat captain asked, "What is the name of this plantation?" William replied it hadn't been named, and asked the captain if he could think of a good name for it. The captain promised to think about it on his way down to New Orleans. When he came back up river, he brought with him a name painted on a board. It said "Caspiana." and he nailed it to a tree facing the river so he would know where the landing was. He told William that he had been a sea captain on the Caspian Sea and he thought that would be a good name for the plantation, not likely to be duplicated. William liked the name, too, and gladly gave his approval and from that day on, it was known as "Caspiana Plantation.". The steamboats and the Red River were a very important part of life in this part of the country and to the plantation life. For example, travel by steamboat from Caspiana Plantation to New Orleans was 630 miles. It was their main contact with the rest of the country and an economic necessity to the plantation life along the river. [Click here to see a photo of the steamboat , "Electra," on the Red River, departing from the Know Point landing, across the river from "Caspiana" plantation.]
Both William and wife, Adaline, kept daily diaries of their everyday life from 1866 through 1869, which are also in possession of family members. As problems increased on the plantation, the dairy writing ceased. Unable to sell the plantation, he turned to share cropping and wage crops, with the laborers receiving rations through the commissary operated by the plantation. In turn, the labor located themselves near the boat landing. Since the plantation had not been sold, it was decided in 1872 to move there, from "Evergreen," to live. According to the dairy, "returned to Caspiana with family August 21st." The diary entries began to pickup and continued through the late 1870s. In the fall of 1878, the diary reports that they had to take up guns to quell rioting negroes incited by a negro Justice of the Peace and other "Republican Carpet-Baggers." A large white group of 25 armed men, including William J. Hutchinson, rode all night and eventually the uprising was put down.
The 1880s were prosperous and happy for the family. They decided that they needed a church in their neighborhood and they began collecting donations for a church building there. Their nephew, Willie Hutchinson, donated land near the La Tooka Store and on 14 July 1881, it was donated to the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Shreveport District of the Louisiana Conference. The church was built on the land the following year. In her diary, she wrote: "Church blown down and rebuilt in 1889. Was moved back from the caving bank in 1906. Later the church was called La Chute." 24 October 1893, she wrote: "I took two men and Tildy and cleaned Campo Bello graveyard and put up wire fence at back and side. Nove.1st - All Saints Day, Mattie, Mrs Dr. Alison and I put flowers on graves."
The Caspiana Pecan
In 1885, when William was at the Exposition in New Orleans, he was at the agricultural exhibit and was looking at a gentleman showing pecans. Seeing William's interest in them, the man gave him some being he was tearing down the exhibit. William brought them home, planted them, and several of them grew into nice trees. In 1891, when the Big House was moved back from the river bank, the best tree was put in the front yard. Later, Adaline sent a sample of the pecans from it to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture in Baton Rouge to find out the name of the pecan variety. The department did not have a pecan like it listed and referred it to the US Department of Agriculture in Washington for identification. Adaline soon received word that this was, evidently a new variety, and she could have the privilege of naming it. She decided to call it the "Caspiana." As the tree developed and was a good, consistent bearer, grafts were taken and other trees planted. Soon, "Caspiana Plantation" had several orchards of pecan bearing trees that enabled them to ship thousands of pounds of Caspiana pecans to many parts of the country. [Click here to see one of the first grafted "Caspiana" pecan trees in the front yard of the Big House in 1944.]
William Hutchinson had not recovered from a fall he had on the 24th of April 1912, when he injured his ankle very badly. The family tried everything but they were worried about him. They decided in April 1913, to take him to Biloxi., Mississippi. They had been there so often for rest and recuperation, and they could stay with Mrs. Hutchinson's niece, Lila, who operated a boarding house in her big home there. But while they were there, William became to ill to return home, and he died there on 13 June 1913. At the age of 80, his obituaries recorded him being survived by his widow, and eight children: There are six sons, namely: John B., W. J. , Jr., and Trigg of Shreveport; C. M, Leigh, and Campbell of Caspiana; and two daughters, Mr. John M. Robinson of Bayou-la-Chute, La., and Miss Margie Hutchinson of Caspiana. William's wife, Adaline, died at the home of her son, Trigg in Shreveport, on 18 August 1920, aged 82.
[Photos of William Joseph Hutchinson - 1832-1913] [Photo of William's wife, Adaline McDonald Strother-1838-1920]
Other Caspiana Plantation photos:
1. The steam boat "The Sunrise", taken by C. M. Hutchinson, at the Caspiana landing on the Red River ca. 1898.
2. The earliest photo of the Big House, the home of William J. Hutchinson, and wife, Adaline, at the Caspiana plantation
3. A typical Sunday afternoon gathering at the Big House.
4. The author of the book, William Joseph Hutchinson and Family of Caspiana Plantation, 1975, Margaret (Hutchinson) McClellan, and her classmates in 1904. Margaret is the 2nd girl on the left side of the front row.
5. The back yard of the Big house under a "Caspiana" pecan tree ca. 1940.
6. Ladies and men enjoy an afternoon of fishing on the Red River.
7. William J. Hutchinson's store.
8. Leigh Chalmers Hutchinson (18 Dec 1877-30 Apr 1956), son of William J. & Adaline McDonald (Strother) Hutchinson, married Elizabeth Alison Norris (28 Nov 1879-27 Feb 1974). They were the parents of Margaret Strother (Hutchinson) McClellan, the wife of Wendall Carol McClellan.
![[Click here to see a photo of the steamboat , "Electra," on the Red River, departing from the Know Point landing, across the river from "Caspiana" plantation.]](Images-Louisiana/Electra.jpg){kind=link}
![[Click here to see one of the first grafted "Caspiana" pecan trees in the front yard of the Big House in 1944.]](Images-Louisiana/PecanTree.jpg){kind=link}
![[Photos of William Joseph Hutchinson - 1832-1913]](Images-Louisiana/WmJ1908.jpg){kind=link}
![[Photo of William's wife, Adaline McDonald Strother-1838-1920]](Images-Louisiana/WmsWife1908.jpg){kind=link}
