Bio of CHUTE, Dr. Samuel Hewes (b.1830), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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SAMUEL HEWES CHUTE, M.D. - Vol III, pg 220-224
When Minneapolis was a struggling frontier town, then known as St. Anthony, Dr.
Samuel Hewes Chute cast in his fortunes with the little village and for more
than half a century remained a resident thereof, contributing to its industrial,
com­mercial, educational, social and moral progress, while in the practice of
his pro­fession when crossing the plains and during his residence in Oregon and
California, he rendered signal service to his fellowmen. After coming to St.
Anthony he dis­continued the practice of his chosen profession, though keeping
in touch with the advanced thought and scientific researches of surgery and
medicine. His life was indeed of worth and benefit to his fellowmen. He grew and
developed with the growth and expansion of the city, his field of usefulness
constantly broadening and his sense of civic obligation continually deepening.
Wherever there was a chance to render aid for the city's upbuilding and welfare
that aid was forthcoming on the part of Dr. Chute and thus he passed on to an
honored old age, almost reaching the eighty-third milestone on life's journey
ere death called him to his reward.
Samuel Hewes Chute was born in Columbus, Ohio, December 6, 1830, his parents
being the Rev. James and Martha Hewes (Clapp) Chute. In early manhood the
father, after being graduated from Dartmouth College, conducted a private school
in Cincinnati for several years and then entered actively upon the work of the
ministry of the Presbyterian church. In 1831 he moved with his family to Fort
Wayne, Indiana, and there he passed away in 1835, thus leaving Samuel H. Chute
an orphan, for his mother had passed away two years before. Their eldest child
was Richard Chute, then fifteen years of age, who already had for three years
been a factor in the business world, providing for his own support during that
period, while after his parents' death he largely contributed to the support of
the younger members of the family.
Samuel H. Chute remained in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the period of his
boyhood and early youth, attending the common school there. He was for some time
a student at Wabash College at Crawfordsville, that state. His earnest desire to
become a physician led him in November, 1849, to take up the study of medicine
at Fort Wayne with Drs. C. E. Sturgis and J. H. Thompson as his preceptors and
as soon as opportunity offered he matriculated in the Medical College of Ohio at
Cin­cinnati, being there graduated with the M. D. degree as a member of the
class of February, 1852. A month later he started to Oregon with a company of
his friends who were planning to cross the plains, and desired him to accompany
them as physician to the party, he going all the way on horseback. Acceding to
this request he spent seven months on the trip, at the end of which time he took
up his abode in Portland, then a small town on the very outposts of western
civilization, with little promise of becoming the beautiful Rose city of the
present day.
After engaging in practice in Portland until the spring of 1853, Dr. Chute
started for Yreka, California, again making the trip on horseback. For six
months he engaged in mining gold in that locality and then resumed active
medical practice, being in charge of a hospital there. He was the only physician
in the locality possessing a diploma. For four years he continued at Yreka and
then returned to the east in 1857 by way of San Francisco, the Panama canal and
New York. In March of this year he returned to Fort Wayne, Indiana, intending to
practice his profession there and make it his home, but while on a visit to his
brother, Richard Chute, who was located at St. Anthony, Minnesota, he recognized
the advantageous situation of this frontier town and here decided to cast in his
lot. During the years that followed the city and the man derived mutual benefits
from this choice. He made the trip up the Mississippi river from Prairie du
Chien to St. Paul, landing from the first boat of the season, May 1, 1857. He at
once went to St. Anthony by carriage, the end of his journey being the house
built in 1849 by John W. North, which was to be his home for thirty years. This
house and the block of ground on which it stood-Block 17, St. Anthony Falls-he
purchased on the 7th of July, 1857. Immediately on locating in St. Anthony he
became associated with his brother, Richard Chute, in the real estate business.
On July 15, 1865, their respective interests were consolidated under the firm
name of Chute Brothers. This partnership continued until the death of Richard
Chute, on August 1, 1893, when it was changed to a corporation, Chute Brothers
Company, of which Dr. Chute was president until his death, which occurred
October 12, 1913, his funeral being at his home, No. 1024 University avenue
Southeast, Minneapolis, and interment was at Lakewood cemetery. For a number of
years prior to his death he discontinued active operations, when they were taken
over by his nephew, William Y. Chute and his two sons, Louis P. Chute and
Frederick B. Chute. The original firm acted as agent for the St. Anthony Falls
Water Power Company, from 1868 until 1880, when a large part of the water power
property was sold to James J. Hill of St. Paul and others. Dr. Chute was a
director of the St. Anthony Falls Water Power Company before the agency was
established and continued to act as agent for one year after the sale of the
property. When the greatest improvements were made for tne preservation of the
Falls of St. Anthony, Dr. Chute as executive officer of the board of
construction, was in charge, with J. H. Stevens as engineer. This lasted until
the government sent out Colonel Farquhar to construct the permanent dyke from
bank to bank of the river. At one time the stock of the St. Anthony Falls Water
Power Company was all owned by the Chute Brothers.
Dr. Chute was also connected for many years with the Mississippi and Rum River
Boom Company, first as a director and later as vice president, while from 1879
until 1886 he occupied the presidency. His principal activity, however, was in
the field of real estate and numerous additions to the city were platted and
developed by the company of which he was the head. He was a man of notably sound
judg­ment, of astute and clear vision, and with wonderful prescience he foresaw
what the future had in store for this great and growing municipality. He was
seldom, if ever, at fault in his judgment concerning the value of realty and in
the conduct of his business affairs he looked to the city's progress and
improvement, as well as to the promotion of his individual interests.
On the 5th of May, 1858, was celebrated the marriage of Dr. Chute and Miss Helen
E. A. Day, who was born September 15, 1835, in Mount Pleasant, Ontario, Canada,
her parents being Henry Holbrook Day and Rachel (Dodge) Day, who both died when
Helen was but four years of age, after which she was reared by her uncle, George
E. H. Day. Her education was obtained in private schools at Paines-ville, Ohio,
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis­consin. In
July, 1855, she arrived in St. Anthony by carriage from St. Paul, having come up
the river from Galena, Illinois, by steamboat. The happy married life of Dr. and
Mrs. Chute was blessed with six children, five of whom are living: Mary
Jeannette, Agnes, Elizabeth, Louis Prince, and Frederick Butterfield, while the
eldest child, Charlotte Rachel, passed away many years ago. Dr. Chute and his
wife held membership in the Presbyterian church, though she subsequently joined
the Catholic faith. Dr. Chute was always interested in everything that pertained
to the development of the city and the adoption of high ideals in relation to
the public welfare. At different periods he was called to serve in many
positions of public honor and trust, including both elective and appointive
municipal offices. As early as 1858 he acted as supervisor of the poor and on
several occasions he was a member of the city council. He served as city
treasurer of St. Anthony for several years and his labors were most earnest and
efficacious in connection with the organization of the public school system. He
served as a member of the board of education from 1861 until 1864 and during the
greater part of that period was its president. In 1878 he was again made a
member of the school board, at which time the separate educa­tional boards of
the east and west divisions of the city were united. In March, 1883, he was made
a member of the park commission and so continued until April, 1885. Wherever his
service could be directed for the benefit and upbuilding of the city and the
advancement of its intellectual and moral progress his aid was never sought in
vain. Investigation into the annals of the city's parks indicates how closely
his name is interwoven with the events which have traced its history, have
marked its progress and sustained its fair name. The Chute family is of English
origin, the ancestral line being traced back to Alexander Chute, a resident of
Taunton, England, in 1286, and whose ancestors were among the followers of
William the Conqueror, who with his Norman forces won control of the island in
1066. In the maternal line Dr. Chute was descended from Revolutionary war
ancestry and from others who were prominent in connection with the colonial
history of New England, one of these being Captain Roger Clapp, who in 1664
commanded the Castle, now Fort Independence, in Boston Harbor. His ancestor on
the paternal side, Richard Thurston, was captain of the Second Foot Company of
Rowley, Massa­chusetts (French and Indian wars). In March, 1770, Captain Richard
Thurston and Captain John Pearson were a committee for the consideration of
measures to pre­vent British importations. He also served on different
committees of safety.