Thomas Setzer Hutchison

Thomas Setzer Hutchison (29 October 1875 – 11 March 1936) was an American military officer, volunteer officer in Greece, police commissioner, civil reformer, author and inventor.

Military service Son of J. H. Hutchison and Suzen Powell; brother of Albert Hutchison. At 17 years of age, Thomas Setzer Hutchison joined the Washington Artillery of Tennessee as a private soldier, and saw service in the mountains of East Tennessee during the mining troubles. He was quickly promoted through all of the ranks of his battery from Gun Corporal, to Gun Sergeant, to Quartermaster-Sergeant, and finally to First Sergeant. Hutchison received commissions as Second Lieutenant of the Artillery by Tennessee Governor Robert Love Taylor (in office 1887 to 1891), and shortly after Captain and given a new artillery battery. With the outbreak of the Spanish–American War in April 1898, Hutchison was transferred to the Second Regiment of Infantry as Captain of Company D and served with distinction during that conflict. After the war, he was discharged and returned to his home in Tennessee, where Governor Benton McMillin (in office 1899 to 1903) commissioned him as Captain of Company K of the Fifth Regiment. After only a few days, Hutchison was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel and a week later, promoted to Colonel of that regiment (at 22 years of age). He served as Colonel for five years and during that time commanded all of the troops of Tennessee, as he was the ranking officer of the State. During this time Hutchison wrote the rules and regulations of that governed the military forces of Tennessee. After serving continuously for nine years he voluntarily went on retirement as a Brigadier-General.

Civilian career The new Governor of Tennessee, Malcolm R. Patterson (in office 1907 to 1911), appointed Hutchison as the Commissary General of Tennessee and also a member of his personal military staff. About the same time, the Mayor of Nashville appointed Hutchison to the board of Civil Service Commissioners, and confirmed by the City Council on October 25, 1907 as a Police Commissioner of the city, in which capacity he made new rules and regulations for the police. Concerned about the need to regulate cruelty to animals and to protect and care for the youth and children of the city, Hutchison went before the Legislature of Tennessee and his testimony resulted in a commission being created to address those issues. Hutchison joined the commission resulting in concrete reforms in Nashville that targeted cruel drivers of animals and organized a Juvenile Court. He would create several coin-operated games in his later life including the game Steeplechase distributed by Keeney & Sons and the early pinball table Scram.

Death Hutchison died on March 11, 1936. He is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville.