The progenitor of this family in Norwich was Samuel Dutton, a lineal descendant of Thomas Dutton of Washington, Connecticut. Samuel Dutton was born March 1, 1707, and married Abigail Merriam, May 6, 1729. He died in Royalton, Vermont, in 1802, and his wife April 6, 1799.
Mr. Dutton came from Washington, Connecticut, to Hartford, Vermont, and from the latter place to Norwich, locating on what is called Dutton hill, a little west of Norwich village. The original farm, with later additions, is now occupied by Otis Metcalf, son-in-law of the late Deacon John Dutton.
Mr. Samuel Dutton married (first) Johanna Root in 1764; and (second) Rachel Benedict, in 1772, to whom were born eight children.
Mr. Dutton died Feb. 22, 1813, and his wife died July 1, 1828.
Daniel Benedict Dutton, son of Samuel and Rachel Dutton, was born August 22, 1773, and died at Norwich September 1, 1849, aged seventy-six years. His wife, Lorana (Smith), to whom he was married December 5, 1796 (born February 15, 1779), died September 15, 1857. From Norwich he removed to Stowe, Vermont, and remained there until just before his father’s decease, when he returned to Norwich for a short time, then returned to Stowe.
In 1834 he again came to Norwich, and here died.
The late Deacon John Dutton, son of Daniel B. and Lorana (born at Stowe, Vermont, August 23, 1818), came to Norwich with his parents in 1834, and continued thereafter to reside on the ancestral acres until his decease January 16, 1888.
Although a lifelong farmer, Deacon Dutton interested himself in other ventures, at times. He represented his town in the Legislature in 1874 and 1876. He was a devoted member of the Congregational church for many years.
His wife (Harriet Anna Lord) to whom he was married June 14, 1848, is still living. Their children were six in number, two of whom are living: Charles Sumner Dutton and Hattie Elizabeth Metcalf, the latter the wife of Otis Metcalf.