Austin S. Hutson
Austin S. Hutson, P. O. London, Superintendent of the Buffenburg farm—probably the largest one in Ohio—was born near South Solen, in Stokes Township, this county, August 14, 1839. His grandfather, Skinner Hutson, was a native of London, England, and came to America and settled in Kentucky. He came to Madison County, locating in Stokes Township, in 1804, where he resided till his death. One son, John Hutson, the father of our subject, was born in Kentucky in 1799, but was reared mostly in this county. He was the owner of a farm of 266½ acres, a portion of which is the site of the village of South Solon. Mr. Hutson laid out this portion of the farm in village lots, which he donated to those wishing to locate thereon. He married Hannah Mahaffey, a native of Adams County, Ohio. They were the parents of twelve children—five living. One child, Angelina, present wife of Richard T. Colburn, of Elizabeth town, N. J., married for her first husband "Major" Peter Buffenburg, the owner of this large estate. He departed this life in 1878. Mr. Hutson died in 1874, and his wife in 1874. The subject of this sketch was early educated in the district schools, and when thirteen years of age left his home to reside with "Major" Peter Buffenburg, where he remained until September 17, 1861. On that day, he enlisted in Company B, Fourth Ohio Cavalry, at Cincinnati, and formed a portion of the ten thousand men under Gen. Ormsby McKnight Mitchell, and always known as the old Army of the Cumberland. He subsequently served under Gens. Burnside and Grant, re-enlisted as a veteran, and was musterd out as a non-commissioned officer, after a term of service covering four years and two months. He returned to the Buffenburg farm, and was united in marriage on December 7, 1865 ("Thanksgiving Day"), to Fannie, daughter of Jesse and Charlotte (Patterson) Curtis, the former an early brick maker, of London. The latter's grandfather, Patterson, was a glass-blower by trade, and subsequently owned the "Judge Hurt farm." near South Solon, in Stokes Township. After marriage, Mr. Hutson became an assistant to "Major Buff," as he was known, and upon the latter's death was placed in charge of the vast estate, then consisting of 5,200 acres. The farm has since been reduced to 4,100 acres, and is considered the best blue-grass farm in the State of Ohio. Besides being the Superintendent of these many acres, Mr. Hutson rents from 500 to to 600 acres for his own use, which he annually farms. He is very careful in the management of this estate, and during the panic of 1873, when other land-holders suffered from non-payment of rents, Mr. Hutson was fortunate in not losing a dollar. There are some fifty-two tenants on this farm, all of whom have business relations with Mr. Hutson, as Superintendent. Mr Hutson raises a large amount of cattle, and handles only the best grades. He is a member of Fielding Lodge, No. 192, Masonic, of South Charleston, and the Chapter at London. Politically, he is a Prohibition Republican; has been a member of the School Board for many years, and is now one of the Board of Township Trustees. Mr. and Mrs. Hutson have two adopted sons—William Rudel and Austin S. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Hutson are members of Pancake Chapel of the Methodist Episcopal denomination in Stokes Township, the former officiating as Trustee and Recording Steward.
From History of Madison County - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]