Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hutton, John (d.1712)
HUTTON, JOHN, M.D. (d. 1712), physician, a native of Caerlaverock, Dumfriesshire, began life as a herd-boy to the episcopalian minister of that parish. Through his master's kindness he received a good education, and became a physician, graduating M.D. at Padua. He chanced to be the nearest doctor at hand when the Princess Mary of Orange met with a fall from her horse in Holland, and thus gained the regard of Prince William, who on ascending the English throne appointed him his first physician. As such Hutton was admitted a fellow of the College of Physicians on 30 Sept. 1690, when he presented the college with a sum of money, and intimated that he hoped to be able to repeat his generosity. He accompanied the king to Ireland, and was with him at the battle of the Boyne and at the siege of Limerick. On 9 Nov. 1695 he was incorporated M.D. at Oxford, and was elected F.R.S. on 30 Nov. 1697. Queen Anne continued him in his place of first physician. He provided liberally for his poor relations. At his own expense he built in 1708 a manse for the minister at Caerlaverock, bequeathed to the parish 1,000l. sterling for pious and educational purposes, and also gave all his books to the ministers of the presbytery of Dumfries 'to be carefully kept in that town.' The collection, which at one time contained the prayer-book which Charles I carried to the scaffold, was suffered for many years to lie neglected in the ruinous attic of the presbytery house, but is now provided with more suitable accommodation. In 1710 Hutton was elected M.P. for the Dumfries burghs, and sat until his death. He died in 1712, and was apparently buried in Somerset House chapel. In his will, dated 13 Aug. and 2 Sept. 1712, and proved on the following 4 Dec., he describes himself as living in the parish of St. Clement's, Westminster (P. C. C. 236, Barnes).
[New Statistical Account of Scotland, iv. 350-351, 356-60; Foster's Members of Parliament of Scotland, 2nd edit., p. 191; Munk's Coll. of Phys. (1878), i. 481-2; Athenæum, 12 July 1884, pp. 51-2.]