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James Hutchison
 

Genealogy  | The Hutchisons in Queanbeyan and Wanniassa 1848 – 1871

James Hutchison 1848 Monaro 

James and Selina Lampett Hayes arrived in Queanbeyan from Buckinghamshire England (formerly of Dumfries Scotland) aboard the General Hewitt. They had building contracts with their friends Nutters, General Store and horse driven Flour Mill owner. The Hutchison’s quickly made their mark on the town, active in all areas of building, farming. Flour milling, undertaking, masons. Selina’s  grave stands alone in the old pioneer cemetery Queanbeyan. Son Eddie died, and wife Emily started the first Day School that was given a Government annuity to run it. She did dressmaking by needle, and tutored adults at night who had little schooling.  

But the most important of all, Emily kept a diary of her voyage, and wrote letters back to her family describing life in this new settlement. These letters were kept and bought back to Australia by a descendent and given to Errol Scarlett to print in the Queanbeyan Age. It was the first record of life in the colony before newspapers began on the Monaro. Hutchison’s and two partners built the first steam driven flour mill in Australia at Queanbeyan. Sadly both partners perished on board the Dunbar shipwreck at Watson’s Bay, Sydney soon after. The Mill was then caught in legal matters by the three families, and sold. 

Hutchison’s are featured widely in books of the history of Queanbeyan by Errol Scarlett and Bert Sheedy, including photos of Eddie (son of Emily) in ‘The Limestone Plains”, Eddie did after his return from the Boer War in South Africa. He returned to Africa later as a photographer. 

‘Jumping Creek’ Sawmill, Beef Cattle, Dairy Farming and Builders. 

James (son) married Jane Patterson in 1860 in Cooma. James and his brothers often went to the Kiandra Goldfields, and was part of the building of the Abattoirs in Cooma. They bought 9,500 acres of land at the top of the Brown Mountain area. This had lush green pasture and massive growth of hardwood timber. Rainfall was high in this part, and water springs plentiful, with dams as big as a lake (at present). Sawmilling with a steam driven motor made them the first sawmillers in the Monaro.  

Beef cattle roamed the mountainous terrain and lush grasses throughout. A dairy farm was run alongside neighbours and close friends, Holmes, also a large family with similar holdings. Building continued to be a big part in this family’s active life and many houses are standing monuments to the Hutchisons. Son Colin died in a sudden blizzard on this property, having gone out on a warm afternoon to shoot possums for a rug, the weather suddenly whipped itself into a fierce blizzard, in which Colin became disorientated by the whiteout, and couldn’t find his way back. Poems by Jane bearing her grief is very real as the snow and the blizzards of the mountains still takes lives today. 

James was active in the community, his family being signatories with others to start the first school at Nimmitabel. He supplied the fencing posts for the showground at Nimmitabel, and cut timber and built the   pews in the small Presbyterian Church of which the family were active members. Son William continued the Dairy farming and building with his wife Florence Amelia Hunt, school teacher of Goulburn. The Hutchison family moved to Queanbeyan while Bill and son Dave worked on the Old Parliament House. Bill and Dave were a close team in building, while Alec continued the dairy farming. When the Hutchison family sold ‘Jumping Creek’, and their home in Nimmitabel, and left to follow other professions, Norman and Annie stayed on at ‘Whylonga’ where sheep grazing was done in retirement. 

The Pioneer Cemetery holds the graves of James, James and Colin. 

Contributed by: Jan Harris 4 Stanton Street, Nimmitabel. 2631

Edward Alexander Hutchison with his father William

James Hutchison Jnr
Cooma 1862

James Hutchison, born 1803 in Dumphries married Selina Ann Lampit Haynes in England, James and Selina set sail for the colony of NSW on the 22.7.1848, on board the General Hewitt.

Upon arriving in Australia the couple lived in Queanbeyan.

James Hutchison was born c1834 to James and Selina and married Jane Patterson in Cooma 1862, the couple had 14 children. Both James and Jane are buried in the Nimmitabel Old Cemetery.

William Andrew Hutchison was one of the 14 children born to James and Jane, born 1867, he married Florence Amelia Hunt of Goulburn in 1901, the couple mainly resided at Nimmitabel with 5 of their 7 children born in Nimmitabel, they are both buried at Nimmitabel Cemetery.

Edward Alexander Hutchison (known as Alex) was one of the 2 children not born in Nimmitabel, he was born in Sydney 1911. Alex served in WW2 for over 5 years as a driver and upon his return married Mary Florence Holmes (known as Molly) in 1947 at Bega, NSW, the couple had 3 children. Gwen, June and William (Bill) the couple lived around Bega, Nimmitabel for many years before settling in Cooma. Alex passed away in 1984 and is buried in Cooma, Molly lived for a further 19 years before passing away in at the age of 91 in November 2003, she would have been 92 in January'.

NORMAN HUTCHISON

Norman was the youngest child of James and Jane (nee Patterson) born 1880.
He lived all of his life at Nimmitabel, never marrying.

In the Express, Thursday August 12 1971 notice of his death.

The death occurred on Monday morning of Mr Norman Hutchison, at the advanced age of 93. He was being conveyed by ambulance to Cooma District Hospital, but was dead on arrival. He had been found lying on the floor of his home ‘Whylonga’ by his nephew Mr Alec Hutchison, and it is believed that he had been there, exposed to low temperatures for several hours. 

In another newspaper extract
DYING MAN FOUND

A 93 year old man Mr Norman Hutchison, died yesterday after spending the night semi conscious on the floor of his home at "Whylonga" near Nimmitabel.

Mr Hutchison, who is believed to have suffered a stroke, was found by his nephew, Mr Alex Hutchison of Bega at 9:15am yesterday.

Mr Alex Hutchison summoned help and Constable R Warren, of Nimmitabel Police, and the Nimmitabel Bush Nursing Sister went to the house.

Constable Warren said this morning Mr Hutchison's fire had apparently burnt out and he had lain on the floor too weak to call for help, all night in below freezing conditions. Constable Warren said Mr Hutchison's nephew and the bush nurse tried to make the man as comfortable as possible while he called for an ambulance.

Mr Norman Hutchison was dead on arrival at Cooma District Hospital.

Express, Tuesday, August 17 1971
FUNERAL OF MR NORMAN HUTCHISON

A funeral service was held at Nimmitabel Presbyterian Church on Friday afternoon for Mr Norman Hutchison who died last week aged 91.

Mr Hutchison of "Whylonga", Nimmitabel was a bachelor.

He was well known and respected among the residents of Nimmitabel where he lived all his life. A grazier in later years Mr Hutchison worked much of his life in the sawmilling industry. His parents were among the earliest settlers in the district and his father is credited with establishing the first sawmill in the Nimmitabel district. Mr Hutchison was a life member of the Cooma chapter of the Masonic Lodge and prayers were said at the lodge for him on Thursday night.

Mr Hutchison was buried at Nimmitabel Cemetery on Friday.

Submitted by Michelle Edwards  <shellmarked-at-bigpond.com>