Born March 11, 1900 in Henning, Tennessee, Hutcheson attended Ripley Elementary School, Columbia Military Academy, University of Tennessee, Southwestern and earned his M.D. from the University of Tennessee School of Medicine. He did his internship with the U.S. Marine Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia and postgraduate work in public health at Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene. In 1931 he was named assistant director of the Rutherford County Health Department. He became director of the Williamson County Health Department in 1932 and in 1935 he was name Director, Local Health Service, Tennessee Department of Public Health. He served as Assistant Commissioner from 1940 to 1943 and was appointed Commissioner September, 1943.

During his career, Hutcheson served as secretary of the Tennessee Public Health Association and president of the  Southern Branch of the American Public Health Association. He was Associate Professor in preventive medicine, Vanderbilt University; president, State and Territorial Health Officers Association; was a Fellow for the American College of Preventative Medicine and Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine.