John Strangeway HUTTON

                   In June of 1998 I obtained a document entilted: "The Selected Papers of Charles Willson Peale and His Family". In this document is a section entitled
"CWP: Account of John Strangeways Hutton", dated September 3, 1792 from Philadelphia, Penn. It is reported to be an account of JSH, "in the 109th year of his age, now living in Philadelphia. By [M]r. C. W. Peale."

This account says JSH was born in New York in 1684.  If this is correct, the person in this record, John Strangeway Hutton, born in Virginia in 1714, could be JSH's son .  The account says JSH died 12-20-1792.

This account gives much history about JSH, describing him as a sea-faring man for 30 years and who had many adventures.  After his days at sea were over he became a noted and respected  silversmith in Philedelphia.  The artical claims that JSH married Catherine Cheesman in New York, and by her had 8 children, 25 grandchildren, 23 great grand children, and 3 great great grandchildren.  At age 51, the article says, JSH married Ann Vanlear, who was 19, in Philadelphia, and they had 17 children, 41 grand children, and 15 great grand children. (If this account is accurate, and Ann Vanlear had one child per year, then JSH's last child was born when JSH was approximately 68 years of age. Considering that he lived until he was 109, I guess that is possible.)

Ann Vanlear died 11-14-1788 at age 73.

Another source of information has this persons mother as "Katrine Strangnish".


This is the acutual accound of the above information:

PIRATE JOHN STRANGEWAY HUTTON

(Ancestor of Nancy Hutton, wife of Andrew Cornessus Branson)

Taken from "The Windham Herald" (aka "The Phoenix), issue of Saturday, September 22, 1792:

Hutton, now living in this city, in the 109th year of his age, may it interest the public, they are communicated, with his consent, by your humble servant, C.W. Peale. Philadelphia, Sept. 3, 1792. Which is to be preserved in my Museum, the following particular respecting the old gentleman were collected from his children, and apprentice to a sea-faring man, who put him to school in New-York to learn navigation; at which time he became intimate with a boy who worked at the white-smiths trade, with whom he amused himself in acquiring the use of the hammer; from whence he obtained a facility in working at platework in the silver-smith's business.

He followed a sea faring life for 30 years, and then commenced the silver-smith's trade, without having served any apprenticeship to it; yet, in Philadelphia, he has been esteemed one of the best workmen, at hollow work, in that line of business; and there are still pieces of his work in this city much esteemed. He made a tumbler in silver when he was 94 years old. Was always plain and temperate in his eating and drinking; and avoided spiritous liquors, excepting once, when he was a lieutenant in a cruise on the Spanish main, he, with 50 or 60 men made a descent on a village; in pillaging of which, himself, with most of the men, became intoxicated. The Spaniards took advantage of their situation, and got between them and the sea, and killed every man of his party, except himself & one other, whom they made prisoners; from which state he attempted an escape, by cutting out a sloop, but was detected, and again put into confinement.

Catherine Chessman, by whom he had 8 children, 25 grand children, 23 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grand children, and second wife, maiden name Ann Vanlear, 19 years old when he married her; by whom he had 17 children, 41 grandchildren, and 15 great grand children. (That's a total of 25 children)

More notes: Apparently, John Strangeway Hutton was a pirate It is well known that pirates often pillaged the Spaniards who had settled in that area of the Caribbean then referred to as the "Spanish Main".


This site maintained by Sandra  Branson Young