Nicholas Hutchins emigrated from England about the year 1670, in the reign of Charles the Second, and settled in Groton, Massachusetts. His two children were John and Joseph, the former of whom was born in Groton in the year 1678, and married a Miss Whitney. Their five children were: Joshua, John, Benjamin, Sarah and Abigail. Having lost his wife he removed to Plainfield, Connecticut, and married a Mrs. Pierce (formerly a Miss Weyman), whose children by this union were: Joseph, Weyman, Ezra, Silas, Anna, Keziah, Ruth and Mary. Joseph Hutchins was born in 1711, and married Sarah Levins, whose children were: Sarah, Rachel, Mahitable, John, Amasa, Judith, Sophia and Eunice. Amasa Hutchins was born in 1748, and in 1788 married Hannah Leffingwell, whose five children were: Joseph, Jeremiah, Samuel, Eunice and Marvin W. Joseph, of this number, whose birth occurred February 23d, 1789, in Killingly, removed to Plainfield and was married in 1817 to Nancy Bacon. Their children were Mary, Joseph, Horace, Hannah and Nancy.
The eldest son, Joseph Hutchins, the subject of this biography, was born March 4th, 1820, in the town of Plainfield, with which he has during his whole life been identified both as a public man and a private citizen. The public schools and the Plainfield Academy afforded the opportunity for acquiring a thorough knowledge of the elementary branches of study, after which for four years the summers were devoted to the work of the farm, and the winters to teaching. He was on the 26th of October, 1846, married to Lucy R., daughter of Lemuel Woodward, of Plainfield. Their children are: Alice, who was in 1876 married to Joseph C. Noyes, of Cincinnati, and two who died in infancy. Mr. Hutchins soon after his marriage settled on a farm in the village of Plainfield and for seven years followed an agricultural life. He then purchased the property which is his present home, his summers being spent in his native town and the winters in Cincinnati, where he has large interests in real estate.
Mr. Hutchins was formerly an old line whig in politics and has since affiliated with the republican party, of which he has been one of the leaders in his county. He was for several years one of the selectmen of the town, and represented his constituents in the Connecticut house of representatives for the years 1858, 1875 and 1885, and in the senate in 1887, serving on the committee on banks and constitutional amendments. Mr. Hutchins is a director of the Uncas National Bank of Norwich, trustee of the Chelsea Savings Bank of Norwich, trustee of the David Gallup Fund for the town of Plainfield, and of several personal estates. His religious belief is in harmony with the creed of the Congregational church of which he is a supporter. He is at present trustee of the Ecclesiastical Society Fund of Plainfield.
