William Hutton was a member of the US House of Representatives (D-IN) during the American Civil War. He was voted out of office in 1864, and President Abraham Lincoln sought his support in ratifying the Thirteenth Amendment in January 1865, claiming that Hutton's younger brother Frederick died so that African-Americans could vote. However, Hutton despised black people, and, when he was called to vote on the amendment, Hutton left his silent prayer for his brother and voted against the amendment.