ELKANAH HUTCHENS made settlement on the southwest quarter of section 5, in this township(Woodville) during the year 1831.

ELKANAH HUTCHENS, an early settler of Greene county, was born in Surrey county, N.C., Nov. 20, 1803, his parents being John and Jane (Brazwell) Hutchens. His father was a native of Virginia, his mother of South Carolina. Elkanah was reared in North Carolina, living with his parents until the time of their death. His father was a farmer and mill owner, and Elkanah learned the miller's trade, and spent his early life in that business. At his father's death, he succeeded to the ownership of the mill and continued in the management until he removed to Illinois, in 1829, arriving in Morgan county in May, when he commenced farming. He remained in that county until 1831, when he removed to Greene county, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 5, in this township, where he found a cabin on the premises, but had about all the improvements to make himself. He had been married in Surrey county, N.C., in 1821, to Frances Pilcher, a native of that state, and a daughter of James Pilcher. By this marriage there were 14 children, of whom five grew to manhood and womanhood. Gideon, married Rebecca Short, lives in Marion county, Kan.; Brazwell, died in July 1878, and his widow now lives near Woodville; Mary T., wife of Samuel B. Hill, living in Marion, Kan.; Ellis B., married Almira Starling, and Elkanah D., whose sketch follows this. Mr. Hutchens made his home on the tract of land on which he first settled in Greene county, for over half a century, but in the spring of 1882 he removed to Marion, Kan., where he now resides, at an advanced age. His wife died there, July 7, 1884.