BIO: John Hutton, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2010.  All rights reserved.
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http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                              CHAPTER LII.

                            MONROE TOWNSHIP.

  JOHN HUTTON, FARMER, P. O. Williams Mill.  The Hutton family is of 
German origin.  The great-grandfather, a farmer, lived in York County, 
Penn.; his son, John, who was born in that county was the father of 
four children:  Elija, Jacob, John and Eliza.  Jacob, the second son 
(father of our subject), was born in York County, Penn., in 1813, and 
was a farmer; in 1840 he married Miss Jane Strominger, and to this 
union were born eight children:  Rachael A., Andrew, Jacob, Daniel, 
Lucinda, John, Alice J. and Paris.  Jacob Hutton, Sr., was a Democrat 
in politics until the war, when he became a Republican.  He has always 
remained at home, and, although living within six miles of a railroad, 
never rode on a train until about four years ago, when he took a short 
trip with his son.  He is a man of great will power and stern 
determination, and is much respected in the community in which he 
lives, an upright and temperate man.  Our sub-

511 	MONROE TOWNSHIP.

ject was born in York County, Penn., in 1851, and passed his early life 
on his father's farm.  At the age of fourteen, he became patriotic, and 
would have enlisted if not prevented by his father on account of his 
youth.  At the age of eighteen young Hutton and two companions were 
stricken with the California fever.  He took French leave, well knowing 
that his father would oppose the project, and with a few cents in his 
pocket managed, by working among the farmers, to get as far as 
Columbus, Ohio.  He went thence to Burlington, Iowa, but becoming tired 
of his own daring, returned home, after an absence of nearly a year, 
but, unlike the prodigal son, came back in good health, well dressed 
and supplied with money.  In 1876, he married Miss Catharine E. Reiff, 
of this county, daughter of John K. Reiff, and a descendant of a very 
old family, from German origin.  The great-grandfather, Henry Reiff, 
who came to York County from Lancaster County, Penn., and formerly from 
Germany, was the father of two sons:  Daniel and Henry (the latter the 
grandfather of Mrs. Hutton), and tradition says brought a stocking full 
of gold, with which to buy the property, now the old homestead, 
originally comprising 300 acres of fine timber land.  Henry Reiff 
(grandfather of Mrs. Hutton) married Catharine Kilmore, of York County, 
Penn., and over fifty years ago built the mill now called Williams' 
Mill and the buildings on the old homestead.  John K., the father of 
Mrs. Hutton, was also born in York County, and came to this county with 
his father, married Catharine Dick, of York, York County, and had three 
children:  John H., Catharine E. and Frances M. D.  John K. Reiff was a 
member of the German Reformed Church, and died January 3, 1874, when 
forty-seven years old.  When Gen. Lee's army invaded Pennsylvania, a 
detachment of troops took breakfast at the old homestead; they were 
polite, paid for their entertainment with Confederate scrip, and were 
very gallant to the ladies, giving them as mementoes buttons cut from 
their uniforms.  This is the third generation which has lived in the 
old residence inherited from her father by Mrs. Hutton and conveyed by 
her to her husband.  Mr. Hutton has been quite an extensive traveler, 
visiting sixteen States, Washington and the Gulf of Mexico, Luray 
caverns, Natural Bridge, Va., Mount Vernon, etc.  He is a Republican in 
politics, a member of the State Grange, and one of the managing 
committee of the Granger's Picnic Exhibition, which is annually held at 
Williams' Grove, this county.  He comes of a large and robust race, 
stands six feet and two inches in height, and weighs 210 pounds, the 
picture of stalwart manhood.