Ida Anna (Smith) Dutcher was born on September 27, 1855, in Allegany, New York, the daughter of Allison “Orlando” and Julia (Knox) Smith. She married Dr. Egbert William Dutcher on September 29, 1873.
The family was living in Colesville, Broome County, New York, when the census was taken in 1880. Ida and Egbert had two children: Emma, born May 25, 1879, and Egbert K., born March 3, 1885. They came to Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, by way of California in July 1892.
They decided to move to Prescott after Ida was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Her husband wrote to her before she left Tulare, California, to join him in northern Arizona, advising her to "take a bottle of Porter or Vest Tonic daily and bring plenty of lemons and oranges on the train."
Dr. Dutcher died September 28, 1898, in Prescott from the result of burns received in a fruitless attempt to save the life of Mrs. H. T. Andrews. The Andrews’ residence had caught on fire a few weeks earlier. Ida and son Egbert accompanied his remains back to Allegany, New York, for burial in their family plot.
Ida was very active in the community with her name appearing almost weekly in the Weekly Journal-Miner social column, including an item dated August 9, 1911, recounting: “Mrs. E. W. Dutcher was a charming hostess on Wednesday afternoon, when she entertained four tables at bridge, in honor of Mrs. Charles C. Walcutt, Jr.”
Ida had entries in the poultry show at the Northern Arizona Fair. An article carried in the Weekly Journal Miner on November 3, 1915, reported that Ida had a display in the Single Comb Rhode Island and “Mrs. Dutcher secured the coveted ribbon on first cockerel, another of her cockerels (a male fowl) being placed third.”
The family lived at 119 N. Pleasant Street. Ida lived in Prescott until September 1918 before moving to Skull Valley where her son lived. She died on April 18, 1918, at her home in Skull Valley after a short illness and was interred in Allegany Cemetery, Cattaraugus County, New York.
Donor: Emma Dutcher
Photo Located: RGC MS-39, Box D, F-Dutcher, Ida
Updated: 11/04/ 2015, D. Sue Kissel
