The Hutchinson Brothers were, from left, John, Judson and Asa. John, who will be featured in Sunday''s tour, led a colorful life. He will be portrayed by Paul Otte.
Most of us know a few things about Hutchinson's founders.
We know our community was established by three idealistic singing brothers from New England. We know their music promoted the abolition of slavery, workers' rights, temperance from alcohol, and women's rights.
But we don't know much more.
Fortunately, former Mayor Steve Cook, with the City Council's encouragement, is seeking a grant to bring more attention to the Hutchinson Brothers' story as well as Chief Little Crow and his significance to our city's early days.
The grant is a long shot, but if approved, would help bring interpretive signage to the site of the Hutchinson Brothers and Little Crow statues. And that's just the start of Mr. Cook's vision. The grant could also help pay for a "legacy trail," arts and cultural events, all aimed at deepening our understanding of the city's founding.
This request couldn't come at a better time. One year from now, March 14, 2017, marks the 200th birthday of Judson, the eldest of the three singing Hutchinson Brothers, which also included John and Asa, the two dominant personalities of the Hutchinson Family Singers. A fourth brother, Jesse, was responsible for coming up with lyrics with abolitionist and temperance themes. He later left the troupe and was replaced by sister Abby.
We think residents would benefit from knowing more about the entire Hutchinson family. Perhaps the city or a local group would like to honor Judson - along with the rest of the Hutchinson siblings - with a special reception next year. The event could be simple. Perhaps a short performance of Hutchinson Brothers' music would be appropriate.
There's much to know about this family.
The musicians formed their group in New England in 1841, initially performing as a quartet. Their antislavery rallies in Boston attracted as many as 20,000 concertgoers. They were the Beatles of their day.
By the mid-1850s, the group was down to the three brothers, who sought to use their fame to promote their abolitionist cause by founding a city in Kansas, where antislavery forces from New England were battling with pro-slavery settlers to determine whether the territory would become a free or slave state.
Talked out of the undertaking by a friend, the three, along with R.H. Pendergast, Lewis Harington and seven others, instead journeyed to relatively safe McLeod County, Minnesota. It is here where, on a late November afternoon, they stepped out onto the crest of a hill and beheld the river below, proclaiming, "We found it."
Asa Hutchinson was the only brother to move to Hutchinson as each brother independently carried out the family's singing legacy.
Judson, a tenor, was said to be highly skilled as a fiddler and ventriloquist. Audiences said his performances conveyed a magical quality.
He also suffered from mental illness, which involved hallucinations and long spells of despair. This led to his early death in 1859. His brother, John, found him hanging in the basement of a home in Lynn, Massachusetts.
To some, the 200th anniversary of the birth of a city's co-founder might not be a big deal. We think it is for Hutchinson, just as Lincoln's 200th birthday in 2009 was celebrated with fanfare across the U.S., and Charles Dickens' 200th was observed in 2012 by fans of his works.
Do you have ideas to celebrate the Hutchinson brothers? If so, please let us know and we'll spread the word.