Homesteading with the Hutchins Family

I was recently published by the National Park Service, which has been featuring stories on their website about Black Americans that received land under the Homestead Act of 1862. My great-great grandfather was one of the recipients of these land patents, which were available to all citizens regardless of race and gender. The land patent for my ancestor Vandy Hutchins has been available on Ancestry.com, but his original Homestead Application files are housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. I was able to review the files and write my story with the help of veteran genealogist and radio host Bernice Bennett, but there is another descendant of Vandy Hutchins that accessed these files before me. Her name was Judge Sherry Hutchins-Henderson, and unfortunately, she lost her 16-year battle with cancer, just two weeks before my story was published. I never had the chance to meet her in person and review her research, but I am grateful for the fellowship and encouragement I received from her over the phone and on Zoom as she was fighting her illness.

This post is dedicated to her memory.

Click here to read Vandy’s homesteading journey at NPS.

The Honorable Judge Sherry Ann Hutchins-Henderson (March 16th, 1959 - August 4th, 2021)

Vandy Hutchins Descendants List

Vandy Hutchins ca.1853-1931 (m. Betty Horn)

1. Ella Law 1875-1940 (m. John Williams and Tom Harrison)

   1. Alto Williams

   2. Norman Williams

   3. Henry Williams

   4. Johnnie Pearl Williams

   5. John Williams

2. Henry Hutchins 1879-1948 (m. Mary Bradley)

   1. Henry Charleston Hutchins

3. Almaria Jane Hutchins 1882-1964 (m. Henry James)

   1. May Beulah James

   2. John James (m. Alma Bell)

   3. Minnie James (m. Ledger Alexander)

4. Clem Hutchins 1884-1946 (m. Mabel Foster)

   1. Rozell Spencer (m. Watson Brewster)

   2. Sam Spencer

5. Tyson Hutchins 1886-1932 (m. Ethel Reynolds and Hattie Mallard)

   1. Winston Hutchins

   2. Robert Lee Hutchinson (m. Annie Rie Barnes)

   3. Rebecca Marrill Hutchins

   4. Rosylea Hutchins

   5. Roy Lee Hutchison (m. Mary ?)

   6. Trevia Mae Hutchison

   7. Rose Mae Hutchison (m. Erias Williams)

   8. John Lee Hutchinson

   9. Ruth Mae Hutchison (m. Edward Jenkins)

6. Daisy Hutchins 1888-1934 (m. David Grice and Nathaniel Williams)

   1. Josie Grist

   2. Willie Preston Williams

   3. Susie M. Williams

7. Arnold Hutchinson 1890-1974 (m. Alice Robinson)

   1. Clemon Hutchins

8. Cora Hutchins 1892-ca.1915

   1. George Lee Hutchins (m. Ida ? and Eunice Gamble)

   2. Beulah Mae Hutchins (m. Solomon Jones and ? Wade)