Hutchinson family celebrates 200 years in St. Helena Parish, St. Helena 
Parishes, La.
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Edgar Merritt McNabb, July 2009

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One might call it a miracle to find that one section of land could possibly 
remain in one family for 200 years. What might seem like more of a miracle 
is finding that members of this family still gather annually to celebrate 
and continue family unity. On April 11, 2009, exactly 200 years after Peter 
Hutchinson claimed land through Spanish land grants in St. Helena Parish, 
his descendants gathered on that very section of land and made a modern 
miracle come true.

Each year, on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, Edgar Merritt McNabb 
(better known as "Uncle Mac") and his wife Kathryn, manage to gather 
generations of Hutchinson descendants at the "Old Home Place" on 
Highway 441 between Greensburg and Kentwood, Louisiana. Built by Mac's 
grandfather, Henry Merritt Hutchinson, the 100 year old home is Mac's 
residence and is located within walking distance of the Hutchinson 
Family Cemetery. This year, nearly 100 Hutchinson descendants attended 
the reunion and nearly half of those were dressed in attire comparable 
to fashions of 1809. From a baking contest to an Easter egg toss, the 
reunion is a fun-filled event for everyone in attendance. To commemorate 
200 years of the Hutchinson family in St. Helena Parish, this year's 
reunion included the raffling of a handmade quilt depicting photographs 
of family members throughout the years, and the sale of a family cookbook.

Through a monthly family newsletter and annual invitation, Mac welcomes 
every generation of his family to gather at his home for the Hutchinson 
family reunion. This year, Mac took comfort in knowing that this tradition 
will stay alive for years to come as more and more young family members 
attend the reunion. From 1809 to 2009 and for many years to come, the 
Hutchinson family will continue to proudly call St. Helena Parish "home".

~Aimee J. Freeman (wife of Hutchinson descendant, Brian C. Freeman)

I want to extend a real warm welcome and say thank you to all of my cousins 
and friends who have gathered here at the home place of Grandpa Merritt and 
Grandma Arie Hutchinson for this very special 30th reunion of the descendants 
of Merritt and Arie Hutchinson.

It has been over 300 years since an ancestor of ours, Robert Hutchinson, 
arrived in New Jersey from Newry, Ireland in 1685. In presenting this, it 
is my hope that you, the descendants of Robert, will derive some 
understanding of the adventurous spirit of our ancestors. In coming to the 
New World, I would imagine that all he knew about this country, it was a 
land opportunity. By following him and his descendants, William, Robert, 
Peter, Simpson, Peter F. and Henry Merritt you can see all through the 17th, 
18th, and 19th centuries how our forefathers moved and settled in places 
that opened up the frontier of the fledging United States, from New Jersey, 
North Carolina, and Georgia, to the hills and pine forests of the Florida 
Parishes of Southeast Louisiana.

This year marks a very special occasion for us Hutchinson descendants. It 
has been 200 years this spring since our Great-Great-Great-Grandfather, 
Peter Hutchinson, brought his family from Georgia to what would later become 
St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. As most of you know, this area of which we 
refer belonged to Spain in the early 1800s. In April 1809, Peter obtained a 
Head-Right Grant from Spain and he and his family settled right here where 
we are standing today. After he and the rest of the settlers revolted from 
Spain in 1810 they formed the Republic of West Florida and the flag they 
designed was called the Bonnie Blue flag which you see on the pole on the 
front fence. It is still flown at various places in southeast Louisiana. 
This area is known as The Florida Parishes and consists of eight parishes 
in southeastern Louisiana. In 1993, the Louisiana State Legislature renamed 
Interstate 12 through these parishes the "Republic of West Florida Parkway".

-Edgar Merritt McNabb

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