Person:William Sutton (65)

(Author: F. S. Bash, for sixteen years city editor of the Huntington Herald)

The Sutton Hill is an imperishable landmark. As such it was christened ninety years ago and by the appellation it is still known today. The name started contemporaneously with a good many other early names many of which have vanished with the flow of years. Even street names that were sacredly designated by General Tipton and Ellis Murray have been erased from the map. Old buildings disappear and with them perish the name, but throughout almost a century, while men have come and men have gone, the Sutton Hill is still known by the same old time honored title. While the name itself remains I am happy to state that grades over the hill have been changed, for may of us remember when the Sutton Hill was a formidable obstacle to climb over with loaded wagon. Even when bicycles came into general use the steep climb was the despair of every rider. It was William G. Sutton after whom the hill was named. He was the grandfather of the Misses Ida V. and Louis May Sutton, who live at 305 North Lafontaine St., this city, and from whom I learned the facts for this article.

William G. Sutton was born in 1802, in Green county, Ohio, near Xenia. He was a son of Jeniah Sutton born in New Jersey in 1775. But it is of the Huntington pioneer, William G. Sutton, I wish to write at this time. He married Eliza Pendroy, in Green county, Ohio, the date of her birth having been 1807. The couple went to housekeeping in their native county and continued there until three children were added to the family circle, the youngest of whom was Betsy, aged four.

Meet Sorrow At Old Fort.
In 1836, the family pulled up stakes and left Ohio in a covered wagon for Huntington, Indiana, news having reached them that the canal (Wabash and Erie Canal) was opening up an inviting field for settlement. The weary miles were traversed without unusual incident until Fort Wayne was reached. It was there that poignant grief crossed their pathway unexpectedly. The cruel specter of death awaited the little family within the confines of the old fort in which they tarried for the night. After the team was cared for and supper was over, discovery was made that "little Betsy" complained of a sore throat.

Soon the symptoms were alarming. Every possible means to relieve her was resorted to but before morning the little one died of membranous croup. The parents who, a few hours previously, were buoyed up with the spirit of adventure and anticipations of joy and romance in taking up life on the frontier, were now crushed with a weight of sorrow which only the silent reaper can bring to parents. When daylight came misfortune increased, for it was found that one of the horses had died during the night after seeming perfectly normal the evening before. It was now impossible to proceed further by team and wagon. For a time the husband and wife paused in silent meditation.

Then the husband found a purchaser for his surviving horse, after which passage was secured on a canal boat leaving for Huntington. The silent little form of Betsy was tenderly borne of board the packet, the rough and ready, though tender hearted members of the boat crew, trying to render the sorrowing little family every possible kindness.

Stayed at Rook House
In due time the boat was docked at Huntington and the Suttons found refuge at the Rook House, where the remains of their child were prepared for burial. Mr. Sutton took steps within the next few days to bargain for land, finally deciding to purchase eighty acres in the solid forest south of the village. Since there was no cabin on the land it was decided to spend the winter in town. Another reason for this was that the children could attend school in a cabin which stood in the woods somewhere in the vicinity of where the county jail now stands. When spring came the husband and wife were anxious to take up their Claim on their own land. It seems a sheep owner had built a rough log shack for his flock. It stood at the foot of the hill about where the newcomers preferred to locate their buildings. Grandmother Sutton declared she would be willing to try and live in the sheepfold if it would help to get things started on the land without further delay. So cleaned and thoroughly renovated the family moved in.

There was no floor or windows, but the parents and children managed to get along very happily. Grandmother Sutton (Eliza) was a woman of aesthetic tastes and dearly loved flowers. Winter snows had hardly all disappeared in that spring of '37. when she was busy making beds in which to sow the seed for old-fashioned flowers like she had grown in Ohio. Back in the woods she found a lone wild rosebush and asked her husband if he would not help dig it out for transplanting at the side of the cabin. When the task was finished the husband discovered hiding down in the cluster of thorny rose canes a tiny elm tree which had started from a seed the previous season. To his wife he said "Eliza, here's a little tree in this rosebush that I hadn't noticed. I'd better pull it out" "Oh, no, don't do that" the wife argued. "Let it grow if it wants to. I don't see that it can do any harm."

An Elm With A History.
In passing the old Sutton homestead, on the Warren Road, has the reader ever chanced to observe a towering elm lifting its proud branches up into the azure blue? If not, please look it over the next time you pass that way. The lofty tree stands there like a brave sentinel to guard the sacred story of the past, reaching back nearly a century ago when Grandfather Sutton and wife planted the tree unknowingly, then discovered it among thorny environments and spared its life. It is one of the rapid growing and long lived white elm species and is destined to live for centuries and reach enormous proportions like the famous Chillicothe elm, of Ohio, or the historic elms of Cambridge and Withersfield, Mass. After conversing with the Misses Sutton I made it my business to drive out and measure the old homestead tree. Four feet from the ground it shows a girth of approximately twelve feet or about four feet in diameter. Its spread of top is over 100 feet.

The pioneer Suttons soon built a two-story cabin with floors, windows and other more up-to-date improvements quite different from the old cabin. Again the life of the elm tree, then a fingerling in size, was carefully preserved. The new cabin was planned so the tree would stand at the bedroom end of the building. The elm and Mrs. Sutton were early separated on account of the death of the pioneer woman in 1850. Her children often related how she told of this elm tree's start and of Indians calling on her and helping themselves to food she was cooking. They would take her hot corn pone and sop it in the kettle broth, then eat ravenously and indulge in gestures of ecstasy because of its good flavor.
Mrs. Sutton used to explain that she and her family were there too early for wild berries, as these had to spring up after clearings and deadening were made. She told of the first blackberries they found, some of which were sold in town and the proceeds used for the purchase of white flour out of which pie crust was made.

Blackberry pies made at that time were never forgotten by the children. That first supply of white flour also suggested biscuits but they could not be baked without baking soda,and right at that time none was available or procurable. Here necessity pointed the way out of the dilemma. Grandfather Sutton must have understood the requirements of biscuit chemistry, so he converted certain kinds of wood and vegetable products into ashes and then produce a soda-ash which lightened his wife's biscuits to a queen's taste.

When the little girl died at the old fort on the way out to Indiana, she left an older sister and brother, Catherine and Christopher C. Three other children were born in the old homestead at the Sutton Hill. These were Jeniah, William W. and Albert D. Sutton. All are now dead.

I learned from the Sutton sisters that their great-grandfather for a while prior to his death lived with the William G. Sutton family at the Sutton Hill. He died there in 1870 at the age of ninety-five. His body was taken to Kosciusko County for burial.

Grandfather W[illia]m G. Sutton was twice married his second wife having been Abigail Patterson of Xenia, Ohio, to whom he was married in 1851.

Teacher Marries His Pupil:
Christopher C. Sutton, father of Ida and Louis M. Sutton, was urged by his father to gain an education. He attended school at times under serious handicaps. In his youth he walked from the Sutton Hill through the woods, crossed the river on longs or on the ice at a place east of where the dam was built in later years. Early in life he joined the Baptist church and became a zealous worker at that place of worship. After reaching adult years he engaged in teaching at the Nave school on the Markle Road and also taught a term or two at the Amiss school.

One of his pupils out on the Markle road was Mary Nave, who was destined to become his wife, the marriage taking place in 1857.

Here Miss Louie Sutton remarked. "We still have a large white silk handkerchief and monster black silk tie which formed a part of our father's wedding outfit. I'll just show you how well they have been cared for all these years." At this she left the room and soon returned with the old relics, which verified her statement. They looked good considering they were worn seventy-one years ago. After marriage the couple moved to the John Renbarger farm, remaining there a time, after which the husband abandoned farming and clerked in Rely Purviance's store.

After his marriage Mr. Sutton [Christopher C.] craved a knowledge of the higher branches and for a year or two, attended the Baptist college at Franklin, an institution rather inaccessible to students in this part of Indiana in those days of slow transportation. The daughters still have some of the text books he studied in college. One of the daughters said: "I think it was about 1860 my father went to college and he certainly did have to go a long distance out of the way to reach Franklin.

He told about taking a canal boat here at Huntington and going to Lafayette. Then he traveled by steamboat on the Wabash river and up the Ohio to Madison, Indiana, where he could go by railroad to Franklin. When he quit college he read medicine with Dr. Lyons, and in 1862, went to Ann Arbor to finish his medical course. Then he located at Columbia City and took up the practice.

After some years he found that riding horseback day and night was breaking down his health. He decided to purchase a drug store at Antioch. In this business he continued sometime, then sold out to his clerk, Albert Sloan. We next moved to Reynolds, White county, and from there to Romney, Tippecanoe county.

Mary Armstrong Paints Portrait:
"The way we happened to come back to Huntington," explained one of the daughters, "came to pass in this way. The old log cabin on the homestead was replaced by the large frame house in 1858. My grandfather's second wife had a life lease on the farm. She died in 1898 and when the estate was divided, the buildings fell to us and we moved there from Romney in 1899. We soon did some remodeling of the house. I don't know but what S.E. Stemen, the present owner, also made some changes".

"There are three of us children living. Our brother Ole E. Sutton, lives at Anderson. An infant brother was burned to death when eighteen months old. One evening my father was late with his chores and other went out to help with the milking. My father said he could take care of all the work and he believed she had better not leave the baby alone. All at once the little fellow came toddling out screaming with pain and his clothing was in a blaze. He only lived a few hours. Evidence showed he had been playing with live coals in the cook stove".

"We have a little portrait of him: commented Miss Sutton, "and, it was considered a good likeness of him".
'It was painted by Mary Armstrong from memory, after the child was buried. Mary must have been talented in art to produce a picture like this from memory."

After looking at the picture I remarked that perhaps the owners of the picture were not aware of the fact that a daughter of the artist referred to was Miss Mollie Cupp, who resides on Home Street, this city. Mary Armstrong, before marriage, taught school and when a girl spent some time in the study of art.

Dr. C. C. Sutton died in 1913 at the age of eighty-five, the death of his wife occurring in 1911.

Ida and Louis Sutton showed me old keepsakes in which I was interested, among them a good sized autograph album which belonged to their mother. The album was a gift to Mary Nave from Dr. A. H. Shaffer, who will be a hundred his next birthday.

On the first page of the book are the following lines written seventy-two years ago: Huntington, Nov. 17, 1856 -
To Mary; Remember me I pray, but not in flora's gay and blooming hour when every brake hath found its note and sunshine smiles in every flower, but when the falling leaf is sere and withers sadly on the tree and over the ruins of the year old autumn weeps---then remember me. Signed A. H. Shaffer.

WILLIAM G. SUTTON, deceased, was born in Green County Ohio, August 8, 1807. When but a lad his parents moved to Madison County, in the same State, but a little later returned to Greene County. Here in 1826, he was married to Eliza Jane Pendroy, with whom he lived happily until her death in 1850.
To them nine children were born, four of whom, Christopher, Jeniah, William W. and Albert are still living. In 1836 he moved to Huntington, then a few straggling houses, and in the same year he purchased and moved to a farm in Huntington Township, where he spent the remainder of his life.
In 1850 his first wife Eliza Jane Pendroy died, and in 1851 he married Abigail Edith Patterson, of Greene County Ohio, who continues to reside upon the farm.
From a wilderness he helped to make a garden and from a mere trading post, he helped to build a flourishing little city. For nearly half a century he labored to advance the condition of Huntington County, and the interests of her people. He was a vigorous, positive man, stern by nature but with a heart of whose tenderness many were made to know. He never held but one office of any importance, that being Township Trustee, which he held four terms, being elected first in 1849.
He never identified himself with any church, but his life was none the less upright and honorable. About the 1st of November 1884, Mr. Sutton had his left foot trampled upon while in the act of un-harnessing a horse, and curiously enough, the wound sustained by this incident resulted in his death

No pioneer of this county deserves to be held in more grateful remembrance than William G. Sutton. The following obituary notice of the late W. G. Sutton Prepared by Rev. L. B. Smith and delivered at the funeral. It will be interesting to the readers of the Herald.
William Gardner Sutton was born in Greene County, Ohio, August 8, 1807, died February--1885, age 77 yrs. 6 months and 16 days. He was married to Eliza Jane Pendroy, Dec. 26, 1826, by whom he had nine children, six sons and three daughters. All the daughters and two of the sons, as well as their mother, preceded him to the spirit world.
Four sons survive him, three of whom are here present today to follow to the home appointed for all the living, the remains of the best and wisest counselor they have every had.
His first wife (Eliza Jane Pendroy) died on the 11 of March 1850 and he was again married on the 10th of April 1851, to Abigail E. Patterson whom he had known in his youth.... By this marriage there were no children. He had nineteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
In early life he was of a genial-jovial disposition and this spirit often manifested itself after years. Though when the shadows of life began to fall and the sorrows of life began to multiply he grew more sedate, he was still a most companionable friend and rejoiced in the happiness and prosperity of others as well as himself, and was always glad to take a friend by the hand and bid him Godspeed.
Of the old pioneers who settled here at about the same time with their families only eight remain, so far as I have been informed, James M. Bratton, John Roche, John Lawler, George Sietsel and Henry Brown of this city, and John Oliver, and Samuel and Anthony Ensley of Clear creek township and several of them have passed the allotment of human life-three score year and ten.
It will not be long until all the old pioneer landmarks will be gone, and will be known only in the hearts of a grateful people. I always feel like uncovering my head in the presence of these "old pioneers" as if to the presence of royalty, a royalty more dignified and nobel, and better and dearer to an American citizen then that of any King or Emperor or Potentate of earth.
I fear that we are sometimes forgetful of the debt of gratitude we owe...... They have suffered and toiled, and denied themselves the comforts and luxuries and enjoyments of life that they might give them to us and our children in rich profusion. They have conquered the primeval forests, subdued the wilderness and made it to bud and blossom as the rose, with richest perfumes and sweetest flowers, and to bring forth in the most bountiful profusion the fruits for rising generations.
They have labored and others have enjoyed their labors. We all, my friends, are partaking today of these benefits to a greater or less extent. How thankful to them we ought to be, and how sacredly should we cherish their memory.
As indicative of the sacrifices these pioneers were compelled to make, and of the cheerfulness with which they bore their hardships, I present you with the following extracts from a letter written by the son of the deceased, Dr. C.C. Sutton for a very different occasion than this:
"On the 8th day of September, 1836, the sun at full meridian, commenced the trip to the family goal. Then, with full hearts and quivering lips we bade adieu to familiar faces and familiar scenes and started for a new country.
On the fourth of October, after two weeks travel, we found a place new enough to satisfy our wants, and stopped at Huntington, where we happened to find Uncle Mike Quinn and family and moved into the house with them. On the 12th of October, a son, Jeniah, was born.
The house being small we soon tired of living two families together, and another house had to be found, but where? Houses were scare and we were strangers, but father is strong, for he is now only twenty-nine years old.
Finally one is found, father returns and describes it to the family. The spring was mentioned by way of escape, father saying he had taken the best drink from the cooling waters that he had since coming into the State. Mother said she would go anywhere that would afford us shelter from the coming winter, that we might be to ourselves, and it was then and there settled that we would move to the country.
So on a beautiful day early in November, the date I don't remember, but the day is firmly photographed on my memory, we loaded our goods and started for our new home, which we reached in good time, and such a place it was! A little cabin....and this was our new home;
A home for people who had been living in luxury, surrounded with all the comforts of life. But there was no grumbling in that little circle that day, we were all disposed to make the best of it. The hurry of unloading was soon over, and we were alone by all but Uncle Mike.
Mother was sick and had to lay down, our children were hungry and clamorous for something to eat, but who would cook, with mother in bed? Uncle Mike, being handy fell to cooking and in short time the meal was prepared. But where shall we eat? We have no table?
The want was soon supplied by spreading a snowy white cloth over a goods box and on this the smoking vessels were placed, and to this the family sat, surrounded by the primeval forest and ate their first dinner in our new home. Although it is forty-seven years since that meal, I remember it was the best a hungry boy ever ate.
Though many times seized with hunger afterward, this one crops out in my recollection the most vivid and the one best of all. In common with the youth of that period, he received a very limited education, going to a common school but three months. Consequently when he commenced to do business for himself, he could not write his own name.
He kept his own accounts by making marks with pen and ink, which he alone could read. Every Saturday night he went to a merchant (Mr. Samuel Peterbaugh) of Xenia, Ohio, a special friend and he would transcribe them into a day book in regular business form for him, which he soon learned to read and imitate, and thus he learned to do business with a busy world. How successful he has been in this you all know.
What an inspiration and encouragement is such an example to the youth of our land and indeed to all. Perseverance under the most adverse circumstances, determination to conquer, earnest application, down right hard work and energetic action will sooner or later bring success. But his labors are all over and he's resting now. Peace to his ashes, a good man has fallen and he will be missed; a helper of the helpless; a friend to the needy; a neighbor to the poor; and all these will miss him.
A useful, upright, honest and most highly respected citizen, and the community will miss him. A kind father and these children and grandchildren will miss him. A devoted husband and his wife will miss him. Aye, more than all this said he to me, I have no fear of death. I have lived long enough and whatever God's will is, I am satisfied with it. Remembering his wife, "if we could only both go together, she will be so lonely without me". That was his great anxiety, his only regret. For her sake he would stay longer, as he himself, he had no choice. I have knowingly wronged no man. I have tried to do the best I could and to do onto others as I would have them do onto me. I believe in God and the Bible and in Christ my savior. I pray for the patience to bear my sufferings and for relief of them. His prayer was heard in that he was granted patience to bear his suffering. There is only one thing I have not done and I did not think that necessary.
I have never united with the church, there are so many of them, and so different, I could not tell which was right or which was wrong, but I have changed my mind.. I believe that God, would not have given a church to the world if he had not intended to live in it.
I only refer to this as an admonition from one of the best and purest of men to those who may entertain the same opinions. He is gone - let his example be instructive to us. He speaks to us from the eternal, shares and in all things I know he would have us do and pursue the right. He has gone to his reward to be rewarded according to the deeds done in the by. This at last will be our reward.
Let us strive to make it a desirable one. To these dear friends, wife and children, we commend you to God for comfort. This large concourse of friends speaks of the deep sympathy of the community and the high esteem in which they hold both you and your dear departed companion and father. May God bless you and sanctify to you in deepest distress.