As I continue working through the records surrounding the estate of Lewis N. Hutchinson, I keep finding new pieces of the puzzle.
An 1885 deed involving Lewis N. Hutchinson’s estate identifies Esther A. Lusk and Mary Rupert as plaintiffs. After spending considerable time identifying the heirs named as defendants, I decided it was time to learn more about the plaintiffs.
A search of Newspapers.com led me to an 1882 obituary for Esther Lusk published in the Jefferson City Tribune of Jefferson City, Missouri. The obituary immediately provided an important clue to Esther’s identity:
“Mrs. Lusk was the daughter of Julius Sutliff and Dolly Hutchinson, and her native place was Smyrna.”
This statement places Esther squarely within the Hutchinson family. Dolly Hutchinson was Polly Hutchinson Sutliff, a sister of Lewis N. Hutchinson. Thus, Esther A. Lusk was one of Lewis’s nieces.
The obituary also confirms Esther’s relationship to Lewis:
“On the death of Mr. Lusk, she returned to this State, residing with her sister, Mrs. H. Harmon, and subsequently with her uncle, Lewis N. Hutchinson—both now deceased.”
Not only does this identify Lewis as Esther’s uncle, but it also suggests that she maintained close ties to the Hutchinson family after returning to New York.
Further newspaper searching uncovered a legal notice relating to the probate of Esther Lusk’s estate. The notice identified her heirs-at-law and next of kin:
H. Charles Harmon, Smyrna, New York; Julius Harmon, Smyrna, New York; Julius S. Barber, Smyrna, New York; Charles W. Sutliff, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Morris K. Sutliff, Cleveland, Ohio; Milo Hutchinson Sutliff, East Cleveland, Ohio; Elmira Draper Sutliff, East Cleveland, Ohio; and Viola Ella Sutliff, East Cleveland, Ohio.
At first glance, this appears to be a separate family matter. However, these same individuals—or their equivalent names—also appear among the heirs identified in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed.
Descendants of Hope Sutliff Harmon
Hope (Hopy) Sutliff Harmon was a daughter of Polly Hutchinson Sutliff and therefore a niece of Lewis N. Hutchinson.
- H. Charles Harmon — named in Esther’s probate notice and in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed.
- Julius Harmon — named in Esther’s probate notice and in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed.
Descendants of Cynthia Sutliff Barber
Cynthia Sutliff Barber was another daughter of Polly Hutchinson Sutliff.
- Julius S. Barber — named in Esther’s probate notice and in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed.
Descendants of Milo Sutliff
Milo Sutliff was Esther’s brother.
Children of Milo Sutliff and Adaline Pratt:
- Charles W. Sutliff — named in Esther’s probate notice; appears as Charles Sutliff in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed.
- Morris K. Sutliff — named in Esther’s probate notice and in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed.
Children of Milo Sutliff and Elmina Dickinson:
- Milo Hutchinson Sutliff — appears as Milo H. Sutliff in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed.
- Elmira Draper Sutliff — appears as Elmira D. Sutliff in the deed.
- Viola Ella Sutliff — appears as Viola E. Sutliff in the deed.
Why This Matters
Esther’s obituary and probate notice provide independent evidence linking many of the individuals named in the Lewis N. Hutchinson deed to the descendants of Polly Hutchinson Sutliff.
In other words, the probate of Esther Lusk helps explain the probate of Lewis N. Hutchinson.
By tracing Esther’s heirs, I was able to confirm the identities of several individuals named in Lewis’s estate records and better understand how the various Harmon, Barber, and Sutliff descendants fit into the larger Hutchinson family.
While I am still searching for evidence that directly connects my ancestor Albert Hutchinson to Lewis N. Hutchinson’s family, each new document helps reconstruct the descendants of Aaron Hutchinson and Hannah Nettleton. Sometimes a record created for one family member turns out to be the key to understanding an entirely different branch of the family.