Echoes of the Past: The Hutton Legacy

By Deb Lish

A little girl from a coal mining town in Ohio, May Arkwright, made the decision to migrate west to the gold rich in northern Idahos mining country. Her life changed when she met train engineer Levi (Al) Hutton and found they had common childhood goals and dreams. They married on January 17, 1887.

The Huttons became involved in the mining wars and Idaho Labor Strike in 1892. May became interested in womens suffrage movement, fighting for equal rights for women. From a small investment, they became millionaires twice over. The Huttons moved to Spokane, Washington, in 1907, where Al built May a mansion. During this time, she became ill and died shortly after.

For the first time in many years, Al was alone. His dream became true as the formation of the Hutton Settlement started taking shape for many orphans.

Levi (Al) Hutton died on November 3, 1928.

May and Al played prominent roles in the Coeur dAlene mining wars. They realized that the great joy in life was giving. Exploring the Huttons as partners makes their story significant to Western history as well as womens history. Their legacy should live on forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514490501

Deb Lish

Born to Charles and Theora Lish, both deceased. I have two sisters, Tina and Diana. I was a former history teacher at the University of Idaho and Lewis/Clark State College. I also developed online history courses for both colleges and taught online classes. I’ve written several articles for various newspapers. I’m very active in Rathdrum SDA Church. My degrees include the following: —AA, liberal arts, 1985, Mendocino Community College —BS, US History from 1865 to present, 1993, University of Idaho —MA, US history and European history, 1994, University of Idaho —PhD, history and special fields in Women’s history, African American history, and Native American studies, 1999, University of Idaho

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Copyright © 2016 by Deb Lish.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 06/25/2016

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1    The Hutton Beginnings

May’s Early Years

Al’s Early Years

Al and May’s Courtship and Marriage

Chapter 2    The Huttons And The Idaho Mining Wars

The Idaho Labor Strike of 1892

The Idaho Labor Confrontation of 1899

May Hutton’s Reflections on the Idaho Mining Wars

Chapter 3    May And The Suffrage Movement

The Women’s Suffrage Movement in the West, 1860s–1870

The Women’s Suffrage Movement in the Pacific Northwest, 1871–1907

May’s Continued Involvement in Women’s Suffrage, 1908–1909

May’s Other Social Contributions in Spokane, 1910–1911

Chapter 4    Two For The Money

Chapter 5    Hitching The Wagon To A Star

The Huttons Move to Spokane, 1907

May’s Health Declines, 1912–1915

Chapter 6    Living A Dream Alone

The Transformation of Spokane

Chapter 7    Formation Of The Hutton Settlement

The Hutton Settlement Children

Al Hutton, Investor to Philanthropist

Chapter 8    A Legacy Continued

A Bell, a Degree, and a Farewell

Conclusion

References

Acknowledgements

Introduction

May and Al Hutton had several children, none of their own, all fostered. However, the great legacy that they conceived and the recipients of their vast wealth were not their descendants. They were the orphans of Spokane. This is the story behind the home built for those orphans, the Hutton Settlement.

In 1883, Thomas Edison was establishing a light company, and Buffalo Bill Cody was starting a Wild West show. The volcanic island of Krakatoa exploded, killing nearly 40,000 people. An adventuresome young woman from Ohio named May Arkwright headed west to Idaho, to strike it rich and capture her dream of finding a better life. She joined the thousands of Americans and Europeans who would cross the continental United States in the last half of the nineteenth century, in one of the greatest migrations of modern times. Although fewer in numbers, women were a part of the westward journey (Myers 1982; Riley 1988; Armitage and Jameson 1987; Brown 1958; Jeffrey 1979; Schlissel 1982). According to May’s journal, she viewed each day as an exciting challenge because she believed that a better life for tomorrow could only be won by the hard work of today.

May let that philosophy direct her path in life. When she married a man who shared her ambitions and dreams, they formed a partnership that was to touch many lives. Levi Al Hutton balanced his quiet demeanor as a rudder against the high-spirited energy of May. Together, they embraced the American Dream of complete freedom in the West.

They achieved great financial success and utilized that wealth to help others in northern Idaho and eastern Washington.

At a time when the mines of northern Idaho made millionaires who took their capital elsewhere, May and Al invested not only their money but also their time and efforts to make viable contributions in the area, especially in newly burgeoning Spokane. Their story contributes to Pacific Northwest history in the way it describes two pioneer spirits, dedicated to a strong work ethic who left their mark on the Inland Pacific.

The story of May and Al Hutton is unique. Perhaps because of his quiet demeanor, Al has not shared the historical spotlight that has shown erratically on the more flamboyant May. Historians have tended to focus on her more colorful activities. May, however, often reiterated that Al’s influence affected her interests and activities.

This story differs from previous stories because it reflects on the Hutton’s as a team.

In Liberated Woman: The Life of May Arkwright Hutton, May’s biographer, James Montgomery, characterizes May almost as a cartoon character because of her overall appearance and outspoken behavior (Montgomery 1974). The objectives here are to emphasize her many philanthropic endeavors as well as shed new light on the Idaho suffrage movement, and to tell her entire life story, rather than focusing on the mid-life specifics. New research indicates that under May’s exterior was a kind and gentle woman, full of boundless confidence and caring; it reveals May not only as a major player in Washington suffrage, but also as a protagonist in the Idaho suffrage movement, magnifying May’s role in furthering women’s rights in the state.

Another objective is to present new material that illustrates the importance of the partnership between May and Al Hutton historians generally have neglected. This biography reveals how May and Al Hutton’s combined activities made an important contribution to the history of northern Idaho and eastern Washington. Their many joint philanthropic undertakings, still in existence, should be lauded.

Al and May are often remembered in historical accounts by derogatory remarks because of May’s flamboyant personality. For the first time, this book links the two of them in a positive light. It examines the joy of their lives together, their intense dedication to a myriad of causes, their willingness to step forward when the path was dark, and their ability to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.

The Huttons belong to that group who seem to come out of nowhere but who can make themselves at home everywhere. They both supported the rights of the underdog—Al in his easy-going manner, and May more often in an eccentric or cantankerous manner. Struggling against the prevailing influences of their times, Al and May Arkwright Hutton deserve to be remembered for their many efforts to better humanity.

Chapter 1

THE HUTTON BEGINNINGS

May Arkwright and Al Hutton each began life modestly. They both were drawn to northern Idaho during the gold rush of the 1880s, along with hundreds of others eager to strike it rich. A robust, ambitious woman from Ohio, May wielded an axe and shovel, mucking the mines, and when she became a millionaire, she wielded the same leverage in her fight for human rights and women’s suffrage. Al shared May’s ambitions and dreams.

May’s Early Years

May was born in the coal mining community of Washingtonville, Ohio, on July 21, 1860. Her mother, Mary Bittenbender disappeared when May was young and remained something of a mystery throughout her life. Although she often believed herself to be unwanted, it was characteristic of her whole life for May to think that she could help others. The illegitimate daughter of Isaac Arkwright, an itinerant preacher, herb doctor, and professional wanderer, May had to leave school at the age of ten to care for her blind grandfather, Asa Arkwright.

Asa constantly feared that she might turn out like her mother, whom he did not consider to be a good woman. May sensed that he was uneasy as she reached puberty. Even though he was blind, her grandfather felt her dresses to make sure that they were plain, simple, and demure. He firmly believed that a respectable young woman should wear dresses that were high necked and buttoned down the front (EWSHS nd:a, EWSHS MS 126, Montgomery 1974:7–9).

At the time of her illegitimate birth, May’s father already had a wife, a daughter, and three sons. May never attained the status of an immediate member of her father’s household, but she earned respect from her half-brothers and half-sister. Even after they married, they always welcomed May into their homes. (EWSHS nd:a)

May often took her grandfather to the public square, to hear speakers expound on current issues and political views. He told May about the disasters that took place in the Ohio coal mining industry, stressing that the companies took advantage of their workers. Listening to these soapbox orators made a lasting impression on the young girl.

One speaker who she met was a young lawyer, William McKinley, who later became president of the United States. Grandfather Arkwright invited McKinley to spend the night with the family. An accomplished cook by the age of ten, May had her first opportunity to show off her culinary skills, and she served cider and fresh fried doughnuts for dessert. Later she recalled that the men discussed the Civil War, reconstruction, and women’s rights long into the night. This discussion made her aware that women did not enjoy the same political and economic rights as men did. May later related hearing McKinley say, Women are the intellectual equal of man and should be his political equal, and as he patted May’s head, he also stated, I believe when this lassie grows up, she will be a voter. (Harper 1922:133–134, EWSHS nd:a) The chubby little girl with husky arms and inquiring eyes was a natural suffragist; she adhered to suffragist ideals before she had ever heard the word.

Although several sources indicate that May Arkwright married a Frank Day on June 6, 1878, and said that she used the Day surname; marriage records from Mahoning, Columbiana, and Trumbull counties fail to offer evidence to support this contention. This marriage never took place, and May did not use the name Day. Although James Montgomery and Lucile Fargo state that her mother went by the name of Day at that time, research indicates that her mother’s name was Bittenbender. (Youngstown, Ohio Division of Vital Statistics 1998; Fargo n.d.:18; Montgomery 1974:8–10; and Arkwright, pers. comm., 1998)

Evidence exists that Justice of the Peace J. L. Herzog married May Arkwright and Gilbert Munn, a coal miner from Washingtonville, Ohio, on June 6, 1882, in Trumbull County, Ohio (Youngstown, pers. comm., 1998). Several sources allege that Gilbert Munn took the family resources and disappeared when the marriage began to deteriorate. Some indication also exists that he may have drowned, which May believed was the case because she knew that he could not swim. Whatever really happened, May was again free, adventurous, and young. While married to Gilbert Munn, she took in boarders to supplement their income, and she provided both her husband and the boarders with excellent meals. May saved a portion of her earnings and spent the remainder on herself. In addition to being an excellent cook, May thought of herself as a skilled seamstress, but the gowns never quite looked like the picture on the pattern envelopes. May was known for her brightly colored flowered fabrics and wide brimmed hats, decorated with an assortment of brilliant bouquets or topped with elaborate feathers. (Horner 1988:27; EWSHS nd:a,b,c)

In 1883, 23-year old May heard about the gold rush in northern Idaho’s mining country. She was fascinated with