Around 1747 he had a son by a Miss Edington, and though he gave his child James Smeaton Hutton financial assistance, he had little to do with the boy who went on to become a post-office clerk in London.
Ao redor de 1747 tivo un fillo, James Hutton Smeaton, coa señorita Edington, e aínda que asumiu prestarlle asistencia financeira, tivo pouca relación co mozo, que chegou a converterse en funcionario nunha oficina de correos en Londres.