William Hutchison, of Bath County, VA
b.WFT Est 1732-1742
d.AFT JUN 1795 Bath County, Virginia
m. BEF 1764
Facts and Events
William Hutchison was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA
Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:
Information on William Hutchison
Note: the source below estimates William Hutchison's birthdate as early as 1720, but the record in Beverley Manor (which this estimate may be based, is most likely for a different William Hutchison).
At the time of settlement, Bath County, Virginia was a part of Augusta County. A family of Hutchesons from Ireland, who migrated via Philadelphia, settled old Beverley Manor of Augusta County in 1738. Later generations of this family settled in Botetourt County (VA), Greenbrier County (now WV), Monroe County (now WV) and Nicholas County (now WV). It has been a long time goal to connect William Hutchison of Bath County with this clan as William’s children also settled in Greenbrier and Nicholas Counties.
The earliest record that can definitely be attributed to William of Bath is a land grant (Augusta Deed Book 12, page 377) dated October 15, 1765 from Robert Gay to William Hutchison and Samuel Vance for 364 acres on Back Creek, a tributary of Jackson River. This is probably in the vicinity of Mountain Grove in western Bath County. William and Samuel divided the land equally between them. William’s share remained in his hands until he conveyed it to his son Jacob Hutchison on May 13, 1791; it was stated to consist of 171 acres (Bath DB 1, page 5). Jacob disposed of this property on April 11, 1796 (Bath DB 1, page 288) to Jacob Warwick (spelled Warrick in the deed). In the deed from Jacob Hutchison to Jacob Warwick, the property is identified as “the land conveyed to the said Jacob Hutchison by his father William Hutchison which land is part of a tract that was purchased from Robert Gay and divided between Samuel Vance and the said William Hutchison”.
In a Bath County bill of sale dated June 6, 1795 and recorded in the will book (WB 1, page 61), for 200 pounds (Virginia currency), William conveyed to David Hanna of Greenbrier County a Negro man named Dave, a Negro woman named Doll, a mare and yearling, a cow, a big kettle, and Dutch oven. This sale was witnessed by Samuel Vance and James Vance.
In another bill of sale (Bath WB 1, page 65) dated June 16, 1795, “for diverse causes and considerations”, William conveyed to his daughter, Jean Hutchison, one Negro boy named Dick, to be left in the possession of John McCarty. When Jean arrives to full age, she is to have possession of Dick. If she should die before reaching full age, Dick was to be given to his son “Absolom”. This deed of gift was witnessed by Jacob Hutchison, Samuel Vance and Joseph Chestnut.
This grant is immediately followed in the deed book by another bill of sale “for diverse causes and considerations” from William to John McCarty of one Negro man named Dave, one Negro woman named Doll, one brown mare called “tibb”, one cow, one large iron kettle, and one Negro boy named Dick which William’s daughter Jane is to have possession of when she reaches full age. The same three witnesses participated in the sale.
Since these are recorded in the will book, it must be presumed that William Hutchison, facing imminent death, disposed of his property without the use of a will. There are no further records by William.
The definite information from these three transfers is that William had a daughter named Jane (AKA Jean) and a son named Absalom. The third sale for “diverse causes”, in other words a gift, was to John McCarty whom William also entrusted with Jane’s Negro boy. One can infer that John McCarty’s wife is a Hutchison. The records do not explain how William could convey the same property to both David Hanna and John McCarty. As a resident of a different county, perhaps David Hanna was not present when the first sale was written and being near death, William changed his mind or David declined the offer.
Family tradition has it that Rebecca Hutchison married David Hanna. David Hanna settled in the part of Greenbrier County from which Nicholas County was formed in 1818. From deeds, it is known that his wife was named Rebecca. Also records indicate their oldest son was named William H. Hanna. Although no marriage record has been found, there are no contradictions to a Rebecca Hutchison having married David Hanna.
A marriage record does exist for Margaret Hutchison to John Callaghan in 1792 in Bath County. In 1793, John Callaghan and Jacob Hutchison together signed a promissory note to merchants Mustoe and Chambers. They were later sued for failing to meet the repayment date. In 1795, Jacob paid the bail bond for John when Mustoe and Chambers had him arrested for another debt. These records hint at a relationship between Jacob and Margaret.
In 2002, a descendant of John Callaghan and this researcher collaborated to locate a female line from Margaret and a female line from Rebecca. The results came back identical proving they have a common maternal ancestor.
The will of John P. Vance was proved in the Augusta County court by William Hutchison on May 25, 1782. John’s widow, Martha, was named administratrix. In a cause before court (Augusta Order Book 22, page 295) June 19, 1793, a motion was made by Charles Cameron, guardian of James Vance, orphan of John Vance to get an account of the settlement of John’s estate from John and Martha McCarty late Martha Vance widow of John Vance. On Feb. 2, 1808, John McCarty made a bill of sale to Polly McCarty provided she take care of John’s wife Martha. Per William T. Price’s History of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, William Hutchison Collins, son of Charles and Mary McCarty Collins, married Sallie Varner (date not provided). This series of records hint strongly that Martha was a Hutchison.
In 1790, William was taxed for 2 white males over 16 years of age; Jacob was already taxed independently. If William was successful in acquiring a tax exemption for himself, then who are the 2 other males? In the 1791 Bath County tax list (the first year of collection after formation), Jacob is charged with 3 tithables plus William’s 2 slaves. All of William’s tithable property and whites were charged to Jacob. In 1794 in Bath County, Benjamin Hutchison is taxed on his own at the same time Jacob’s count decreased (by 2 instead of 1 though). On the voting lists for Bath County from the years 1792 to 1795 appear the names Jacob, James, Ben and John. A James had been on the tax lists for Augusta County for a number of years prior to the formation of Bath County. He never paid taxes in Bath County, but a new James did in 1795.
In Bath County on Dec. 19, 1796, the overseers of the poor were ordered to bind John Hutchison, poor child of William Hutchison, to Samuel Gay to learn the tanning and currying business until 21 years of age. There were other William Hutchison’s in neighboring counties, so this may not be a son of William of Bath.
In summary, William Hutchison of Bath County was possibly born about 1720 (??); he probably died in 1796. His definite children are Rebecca, Jacob W., Jane, Absalom, and Margaret; probable children include John, Martha, Benjamin and maybe even James. His last wife was named Mary even though family tradition is that he married Rebecca Warwick. It is this researcher’s belief that the older children are by a different mother than the younger children.