Hutchinson Family History

Welcome to the Hutchinson Family History blog.  This is the history of the Hutchinson Family which originated in the Egton area of North Yorkshire.

The origins of the family are hidden in the past and obscured by the unlawfulness of their Catholic faith.

The earliest reference I can find to Catholic Hutchinsons in the area is the Egton Recusant list of 1674.  On that list there is a Robert Hutchinson and his wife Barbara.  A daughter Barbara was baptized at the Egton Parish (Anglican) Church on August 14, 1681.  I have found other children baptized at Lyth Parish (Anglican) Church with Robert as a father but I am not sure if it is this family or not.

The next reference is the Egton Recusant list of 1735 which lists an Elizabeth Hutchinson, widow, and sons John and Henry.

Henry is listed again in the Egton Recusant list of 1745. On June 24, 1753 Johnathan Robinson, the local vicar, wrote to the Bishop reporting on local Catholics, making particular mention of Henry.  He wrote "Henry Hutchinson, papist, married a Prot. wife who never since appeared at church.  They have 2 chn."

I think I have found this Henry Hutchinson on the 1767 Recusant list for Egton.  There are no names - only initials - but I can see a HH, age 53 years old (so born 1714), labourer, resident in the township for 53 years and "R" his wife age 50 years old (so born 1717), resident in the township for 50 years.  There are no children with them.

The next reference is the Egton Recusant list of 1780.  Here Henry and wife Rebecca are listed with no children or servants.  On the same list is recorded John and Ann Hutchinson with 3 children, and John and Margaret Hutchinson with 3 children.  Henry Hutchinson died and was buried at Egton on September 3, 1782.  There is no will for him.  Rebecca Hutchinson died and was buried at Egton on May 3, 1792 noted as "poor" in the Egton parish records.

Is one of these John Hutchinsons the son of Henry and Rebecca?  Is the other John descended from John Hutchinson (brother of Henry) listed on the Egton Recusant list of 1735?

John and Margaret Hutchinson are my great great great great grandparents.

Any help on this family would be greatly appreciated. You can contact me at kikoamoki at yahoo.ca

All information and photographs on this site are copyrighted and may not be used without my permission. No use for commercial purposes is permitted.  © Copyright Michael Harrison 2009.  All rights reserved.

Family of John and Margaret Hutchinson of Shorefoot, Egton, North Yorkshire

My great great great grandmother was Mary Hutchinson, daughter of John Hutchinson, Tailor, and his wife Margaret. Her ancestry, as well as the relationship between her and other Hutchinsons in England and Canada in the 1830s was a mystery to me for a very long time. However much of this has now been solved by the will of John Hutchinson, who died in Egton in 1824.

John Hutchinson (c. 1742 – 1824) married Margaret ? (c. 1750 – d. 1825) of Shorefoot, Egton, North Yorkshire. According to Leslie O'Connor's MSS Hearts of Oak, John was a tailor and Shorefoot is present day Shortwaite.

John and Margaret appear together on the 1788 Easter Communion List for the Catholic Chapel at Ugthorpe and noted as living at Westonby.  In 1780 they appear on the recusant list for Egton with three children. I cannot find their marriage in Egton. It was most likely a secret Catholic marriage.  They do not appear to have also married in the Anglican Church (which was required under the Hardwicke Act in order for a marriage to be legally recognized).   John's burial in the cemetery at Egton on August 19, 1824 is recorded in the Egton Anglican Church Register. It indicates that he was "R. Catholic" and that at the time of his death his "abode" was "Horse Mire Head" (present day Watergate Farm just east of Egton). His age is given as 82 years. John's will lists a number of children including Mary HARRISON, John HUTCHINSON, William HUTCHINSON, Francis HUTCHINSON, Ann HARRISON, Jane ROBINSON and Elizabeth WALKER, as well as his son-in-law George WOOD. The burial of his wife Margaret is also recorded in the Egton Parish Register on November 27, 1825. Her abode is Egton Village and her age is given as 75.

They had the following known children:

• John (1778- Feb 10, 1826) married Jane Wompra in Whitby on April 25, 1801 at the Roman Catholic Church.  The family made its home in Sleights close to Whitby.  He was one of the executors of his father’s estate. According to the probate records he was a farmer in Whitby at the time (1825) and then died the following year.  They had seven children all baptized at the Roman Catholic Church in Whitby.

• Mary (May 13, 1782 - 1856) – Mary's birth date of May 13, 1782 was registered by her father in the Anglican Church in Egton.  She emigrated to Canada with her husband William Harrison and family in 1831 on board the King William from Whitby to Quebec.

• Ann (1784 - 1832) married John Harrison at Egton January 28, 1805. The witnesses were Margaret Hutchinson (her sister) and John Peckett (bailiff of the Egton Estate).  I can only find one child born in Egton. A daughter Mary who was baptized in the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge on September 24, 1814, one of the sponsors was Margaret Leadley (her aunt), the other was her uncle William Hutchinson.  She died a few years later and was buried at Egton on February 3, 1817, aged 2 years, designated RC in the Egton Anglican Register.  John Harrison of Egton Bridge died on February 14, 1831 and was buried at Egton on February 17, 1831, designated "R. Catholic" in the Egton Anglican Register, aged 59.    Finally, Ann Harrison, nee Hutchinson of Egton Village was buried in Egton on February 16, 1832, aged 47, also designated "R. Catholic" in the Egton Anglican Register.   I am certain that this Ann Harrison was Ann Hutchinson.  The administration documents for John Harrison's probate from 1831 include a William Leidler (Leadley).  Various Leadley family members were sponsors at the baptisms of various Hutchinson and Harrison family members.   It is believed (though I continue to look for more evidence) that this John Harrison was the son of  Joseph and Mary Dale.

• Eleanor (1785-1785)– listed as one of the children in Hearts of Oak - she was registered by her father in the Egton Anglican Church register, - daughter of John Hutchinson of Shorefoot, Tailor.  She died and was buried at Egton on April 19, 1785.

• Eleanor (April 22, 1787-?)– listed as one of the children in Hearts of Oak. She was not mentioned in her father's will and so must have died before 1824.

• Margaret (1789-?)– married Matthew LAIDLER/LEADLEY, bachelor, carpenter at Whitby Anglican on Nov 25 1806, both of this parish, banns; the witnesses were Ellen Haydock (who I believe was the sister of the Roman Catholic priest Father Haydock) and William White.  They had at least one daughter in 1810 but she died in 1811 and was buried at Whitby.  Matthew must have died as Margaret LAIDLER, widow, married George WOOD, bachelor at Egton, by Licence on September 30, 1819.  The witnesses were William WOOD, Robert COOPER, and Ann WOOD.  Margaret must have died before her father in 1824 as she is not mentioned in his will, though her husband George Wood is (he was one of the executors). I think he might be the George Wood of Low Wood [Side?], Glaisdale who died and was buried at Egton on November 6, 1829, aged 50 years.  

• William (?-?) married Susanna LAW (1797-?), daughter of William LAW and Ann YEOMAN, at Whitby on January 29, 1821.  This family later emigrated to Canada in 1832 on board the Columbus from Whitby to Quebec. William signed a petition in Toronto Gore Township in 1834. The 1837 Directory for the Home District lists him as living on Lot 15, Concession 11, Toronto Gore Township, Peel County.

• Francis (?-1843)– emigrated to Canada in 1831 or 1832. Francis signed a petition in Toronto Gore Township in 1834. The 1837 Directory for the Home District lists him as living on Lot 15, Concession 11, Toronto Gore Township, Peel County.  He died in 1843.  An obituary of the death  a Francis Hutcheason on Monday Jan 9th, 1843 in the Township of the Gore of Toronto, Peel County from the Toronto Mirror. The obituary reads:  "At the Gore of Toronto, on Monday the 9th inst. Mr. Francis Hutcheson, an old and respectable inhabitant of that Township."  He does not appear to have been married.

• Jane (?-?) married John Robinson at Whitby on January 11, 1812. Stayed in England? I can't find any children for them at all.

• Elizabeth (Dec 6, 1789 - baptized 1790 in Ugthorpe-?) Her father registered her birth date in the Egton Anglican Church.  She married Thomas Walker at Whitby on April 6, 1812. Did she remain in England? I have the following children for them all baptized in the Roman Catholic Church in Whitby: William b. 1812; John b. 1814; Elizabeth b. 1816; John b. 1818 and Margaret b. 1822.


Where Does Matthew Hutchinson Fit In?

That leaves Matthew Hutchinson unaccounted for. He is not mentioned in the will of John Hutchinson so perhaps he is a cousin of Mary Hutchinson? In 1834 he also signed the petition in Toronto Gore Township, Upper Canada.

On May 11, 1840 Mathew Hutchaeson of the Gore (of Toronto) married the widow Small of Adjala (Simcoe County) at St James Roman Catholic Church, Colgan. (Was this the widow of Daniel Small who settled on the east half of Lot 10, Con 7 in Adjala?)  The 1852 census for Simcoe County is missing.  Is this the same Matthew in the 1852 Census in Toronto Gore Township, Peel County? In that he is listed as single not widowed. According to the Land Book of Upper Canada and the Crown Land Letters at the Archives of Ontario, Matthew Hutchinson purchased the W 1/2 of Lot 12, Concession 8, Albion Township, Peel County from James Long on March 23, 1837 for £62 10s by private sale. He sold the land to William Meaghen on March 21, 1840 for £90. As these sales all occurred "off the books" so to speak, there are a number of letters in the files from others certifying the improvements that occurred to the lands, who sold what to whom, etc..

The following information is in the 1852 Canadian Census for Toronto Gore Township, Peel County

– Ann Hutchinson, aged 82 years (b c. 1768), Roman Catholic
- Matthew Hutchinson, aged 45 years (b c 1804), Roman Catholic

They are living in a log shanty. Matthew is listed as single. Ann is listed as widowed but both are listed as the same family suggesting that Ann is Matthew's mother.  Could this be Hannah Jackson who married John Hutchinson in Egton on Dec 13, 1790 (witnesses James Dodd and Robert Jackson)? I can't find the baptisms of any children in either the Roman Catholic or Church of England records for Egton.

The following information is from the 1861 Canadian Census for Toronto Gore Township, Peel county

– Matthew Hutchinson, aged 62 years (b c. 1799) – Roman Catholic – Matthew is living with the family of Matthew Harrison and Ann Hewgill. If he was living with my gggrandparents he must have been a relative.

The following information is from the 1881 Canadian Census for Toronto Gore Township, Peel county

- Matthew Hutchinson, aged 77 years (b.c. 1804) - Roman Catholic, listed as a widower - Matthew is living with the family of William Kellum.

Family of John Hutchinson and Ann Harrison

At the time there was another known Catholic Hutchinson family around - John Hutchinson and Ann Harrison of Egton (listed as the daughter of John Harrison and Helen Lyth of Greenhouses in Hearts of Oak). They were originally married in the Catholic Church but remarried in the Church of England on June 16, 1781 to give their marriage legal standing before the law.  They also show up on the 1780 recusant list for Egton with 3 children.  Both John and Ann died in 1822. According to John's will they had 3 daughters - Elizabeth Cornforth, wife of Francis Cornforth, Mary Hutchinson and Ellen Hutchinson. Elizabeth Hutchinson (of Egton) married Francis Cornforth (of Whitby Parish) in Egton on November 26, 1817.  Witnesses were George Cornforth, Ellen Hutchinson and William Lyth.  John Hutchinson and Ann Harrison lived in Stangbridge, near present day Beckside Farm according to Hearts of Oak. Beckside Farm is located east of Egton Bridge on Barnard's Road. 

There must have been some relationship between the two Johns. Perhaps their fathers were brothers making them first cousins?

Family of William Hutchinson and Susanna Law

William (?-?) married Susanna LAW (1797-?), daughter of William LAW and Ann YEOMAN, at Whitby on January 29, 1821

The family emigrated to Canada in 1832 on board the Columbus from Whitby to Quebec. There is a reference in a letter from John Dixon who was on the Columbus that left Whitby in 1832 who wrote to George Dixon of Darlington after he reached Canada – in the letter he makes reference to William Hutchinson and his youngest child being ill on May 13th. It then mentions the child died on May 14th and was buried at sea. I think the child who died at sea was Francis Hutchinson b. November 24, 1831 in Whitby, North Yorkshire to William Hutchinson and Susanna Law.  Once they arrived in Quebec they boarded the Chambly Steamer on May 30, 1832 arriving in Montreal on June 1, 1832.  From there they would have had to board another ship for the journey to the Town of York (Toronto).

The family's first record in Canada is an agreement of purchase dated December 31, 1832 recording the fact that William Hutchinson purchased 50 acres of Lot 12, 10th Concession, (part of the east half of the lot) Toronto Gore Township, Peel County from Patrick Bulger for £40.  Interestingly a John Hutchinson also witnessed the document.  This document is found in the Township Papers for Toronto Gore Township as the agreement was executed before Patrick Bulger had been granted the patent for the land.  In effect, Bulger promised in the document to convey the lands to William Hutchinson when he obtained his land patent from the Crown.  However, William did not hold the land for very long choosing to sell his interest in it to William Campbell for £30 (at a loss of  £10) on October 15, 1833.  Interestingly he signed the two legal documents with slightly different signatures.  Why he sold his interest in the land for a loss is a mystery.

On August 22, 1833 Thomas Hutchinson, aged 4 days, son of William Hutchinson and Susana Law was baptized in St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Toronto Gore Township, Peel County.   The sponsors were Rev. Lalor and Mary Kelly of the Gore.

William signed a petition in Toronto Gore Township in 1834. The 1837 Directory for the Home District lists him as living on Lot 15, Concession 11, Toronto Gore Township, Peel County.

According to the information I have they had the following children:

William in 1823 (according to the IGI he died 10 days after his birth), Ann in 1825, Margaret in 1827, Francis in 1829; Francis in 1831. Both of their sons named Francis died however. The one born in 1829 in England and the one born in 1831 on board the Columbus on the voyage to Canada in 1832. There was also a son John though I am not sure when he was born.

On April 15, 1844 John Hutchinson married Harriet Bell in St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Wildfield, Peel County. They later had children baptised – William (3 weeks old March 23, 1845 – sponsor was Matthew Harrison (my gggrandfather) –John (3 weeks old Jan 10, 1847 – sponsors were William Harrison and Mary Harrison (William and his wife Mary O’Connor). This family later moved to Grey County - Collingwood Township by 1852 - living on S 1/2 of Lot 17, Concession 12 - as they appear in the census taken that year - though Harriet was away when the enumerator came by and is listed with the family of Patrick Burns nearby. In the 1871 Census they are living in Euphrasia Township, Grey County. Harriet Bell (named Margaret in cemetery records) died on May 17, 1879 and is buried in Thornbury-Clarksburg Union Cemetery, Collingwood Township, Grey County (present day Town of Blue Mountains).  On June 21, 1880 John married his second wife Alice McDonald daughter of Thomas McDonald and Martha York in Meaford. On the marriage certificate for his second marriage he listed his parents as William and Susanna Hutchinson. Therefore he must be the son of William Hutchinson and Susanna Law. However I have not found a record of his baptism. John last appears on the 1891 Census for Euphrasia Township, Grey County. It appears that after they moved to Grey County they became Methodists.  He died in Grey County on November 18, 1903 and is buried in the Thornbury-Clarksburg Union Cemetery.  His is listed as being a native of Yorkshire, England.

On July 20, 1845 there is the baptism of Ann 4 days old of the marriage of William Huchson and Margaret Talbot, Pinegrove. This is in the parish records of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Wildfield, Toronto Gore Township, Peel County. Could this be the same William in Grey County in 1852? If so where are Margaret and their daughter Ann? Could this be the son of William Hutchinson and Susanna Law baptised on August 15, 1823 at St. Hilda's Roman Catholic Church in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England? According to the IGI he died on August 25, 1823. Of could he be another Hutchinson relative?

The following information is in the 1852 Canadian Census for Euphrasia Township, Grey County

- William Hutchinson, aged 25 years b. England, Roman Catholic
- Mrs. Hutchinson, aged 50 years, widow, b. England, Roman Catholic

William is listed as single while Mrs. Hutchinson is listed as widowed and is listed as not a resident of this family suggesting that she actually lived somewhere else and was just visiting. Or did the enumerator make a mistake and should have included her in the list of family members even if she lived somewhere else? Both were born in England. It also indicates in Mrs. Hutchinson's line that one death occurred in 1851. William was living in a one storey log house. Is William the son of William Hutchinson and Susanna Law born in England in 1823? According to the IGI he died in England 10 days after his birth. Is he another Hutchinson relative? Is Mrs. Hutchinson his mother (Susanna???). Where are all the other children? If Susanna was born about 1800 (married in 1821) then this Mrs. Hutchinson being 50 is about the right age for Susanna. Could she have gone to live with her son when her husband died and was buried in Toronto (if the William below is him?).

There is a William Hutchinson, b, England, d. Aug 7, 1854 buried in St. Paul's RC Cemetery in Toronto (same as above?). Is this the husband of Susanna Law?

The Hutchinson family were Catholic Recusants

The Hutchinson family were Catholic Recusants which meant that they resisted conversion to the Church of England when it was created by Henry VIII in 1534. They recused themselves from participating in the new Church of England and so were called "recusants". The area of North Yorkshire where they lived was well known for Catholic Recusancy and many families were persecuted for continuing to practice the Catholic faith. However it was not because of this that they left and emigrated to Canada. Catholics were able to worship openly from 1790, and the Catholic Relief Act of 1829 repealed the last restrictions. A Roman Catholic Chapel was built in Egton Bridge in 1798. So it was not religious persecution that drove the Hutchinsons to Canada, they emigrated for economic reasons. Looking for a better life in Canada.

© Michael Harrison 2009 

Roman Catholic Chapel, Egton Bridge, North Yorkshire, built 1798. Now St. Hedda's Roman Catholic School.