Jesse's Story

Jesse E. Sutton son of John Benjamin Sutton and Mercy Ann Cutler was born Nov. 27th 1813 in Scott County Indiana. He married Esther Daniel Nov 1st 1838. To this union was born a son named, John Sutton. Son, John died a few months before his 4th birthday. Jesses’ wife Esther along with his second son passed away due to compilations with his birth on Aug. 11 1841.

He married his second wife, Nancy Starr April 18th 1844 in the state of Missouri. The couple relocated to Douglas County Kansas in 1855 a couple of years later they relocated to Anderson County Kansas. Only 6 years after their move to Anderson County Kansas state voters elected delegates to a statewide convention, which rejected the secession vote of 89-1. The couple would find their home state called upon to support the Union efforts to abolish slavery and stop the succession of the Confederate states. The state of Kansas was at war.

The first Kansas regiment was called into service June 3rd 1861. Over 20,000 Kansas men would eventual join the Kansas military including the 49 year old Jesse E Sutton.

Jesse was assigned to the 9th Calvary, Company “H” which originally organized at Fort Leavenworth Kansas on March 27th 1862. His troop participated in several battles in Kansas and Missouri as well as having involvement in guerilla warfare. Jesse's nephew Ottawa Sutton was also assighed to Jesse's Company. Others noted in the book "TheHistory of Anderson County From its First Settlement to the Fourth of July 1876 were;

Jacobs R Shields, William H Nichols, Edward Bulson. Henry Strickland, Cyrus H Lowery, Alfred Brown, William P. Aldridge, Charles A. Rankin, James R. Eaton, sergeants; Daniel Harmon William G. Hill. Thos Means, Jesse Sutton, John Aldridge, Corporals; James M. Aldridge, William Cooper. Ottawa Sutton, Redington J. Shields. Travis Farmer, William Starr, Julian S. White, Herbert Brown. William G. Eaton, John J Martin, Patrick B. Redington. William Skinner Eliliue Wilson, privates

At the time of the war Jesse and Nancy had 8 children; Sarah Ann, Mercy Ellen, William Isco (Bill), Jacob Cutler, James Jonas, Silas Kansas, Richard Lafayette, and Jesse Ottawa. A daughter would be born during war time; Mary Caroline, and son Thomas Seborn would arrive three and half months after General Lee surrendered ending the war in April of 1865.

He mustered out on 16 Jan 1865 at DeVall's Bluff, AR. The last born Sutton child; Michael Sylvester came along in 1868.

It’s not hard to imagine that during war time Nancy’s eldest sons William Isco, Jacob Cutler and James Jonas would have had to take on the responsibilities of their father Jesse. William the eldest would have been old enough to join the war efforts and there were several William Suttons listed among the Kansas regiments however I have not been able to firmly link our William. It stands to reason since his brothers were younger he would have been left in charge of protecting the family.

Statistics indicated that losses of Kansas soldiers killed in battle and from disease are greater per thousand than those of any other State.

Jesse was listed as a private at the time of his enlistment and rose to the rank of Corporal. The picture attached to the Fold 3 Wall of Honor is of Jesse proudly displaying a medal possibly a Civil War Medal.

Jesse and Nancy Sutton lived a long life and their final resting place is in the Sutton Valley Cemetery adjacent to their original home site in Greely Anderson County Kansas. Jesse Sutton died on a Wednesday afternoon, March 8th, 1899 at 20 minutes of 5 o'clock. He had rounded out a full eighty three years; he died of Rose cancer.

His obituary printed in the Greely News stated; “He came to Kansas when it took real courage to endure the hardship pioneers had to undergo.” “He was a man of good and kind disposition and whoever became his friend remained such through all the years.”

As of 2014 the Greely home where they raised their children was still standing

Family history collection written by Phillip Suton (Family Researcher) notes the following: On May 21, 1856, the city of Lawrence was sacked by Missourians led by Samuel Jones. And in June of that same year the Battle of Black Jack took place just east of where the Sutton’s had settled. The Sutton’s did not escape harassment. Isco, Silas, and Jesse E. had their log cabins burned and crops destroyed. By July, Isco, Silas and Jesse E. left Kansas in fear for their lives.

As far as I know, John D. Sutton did stay in Douglas County during this time, because it is recorded that John was asked to look out for their property until Isco, Silas, and Jesse E. could return. The three brothers didn’t return until March of 1857 to find their farms and property destroyed. Where they went during those eight months is unknown, except for the fact that Jesse E. Sutton had a son born in Iowa in September of 1857. I’m assuming that possibly all of them took refuge in Iowa.

Upon their return, Isco, Silas and Jesse E. made their way to Anderson County, where their brother, James had been for almost two years. Some Anderson County Sutton’s served in the Union army. Other’s that remained in Osage County, Missouri served in the Confederate army. I haven’t heard of any major conflicts among the Sutton’s in regards to the North and South issue, but there were sure to have been some hard feelings among some of them. My great grandfather’s daughter, Mercy Jane Sutton, was married to Richard Robinson who was sympathetic to the South. He had to hide out in a cave in Sutton Valley to avoid Free Staters out for blood. The story goes that when the coast was clear his children would leave food on a tree stump for him. He later made his way out of Sutton Valley and served in the Confederate Army.

In 1864, those Sutton’s that weren’t serving in the regular army volunteered and served in the Battle of Westport in Kansas City, routing the invading Confederate army. I don’t know of any fatalities to the Sutton’s, but there were some injuries. A Julian S. White, who was married to Jane South (another Sutton cousin), did die of illness while serving in 1862. Jesse N. Sutton (son of Benjamin Cutler Sutton) lost a leg in the war and Isco Sutton suffered from a shell burst that broke his leg. Also Isco “Pony” Sutton (son of James Sutton) suffered from a war wound that contributed to his death in 1884.

The Civil War ended and the Sutton’s and associated families returned to their farms. Even Richard Robinson, who had to hide from his neighbors because of his Pro-Slavery beliefs, returned and farmed in Sutton Valley until his death in 1870.

Jesse is mentioned seveal times in the book; The History of Anderson County From its First Settlement to the Fourth of July 1876, by William G. Cutler, published 1877. He is mentioned on pages 36,90, and 234. He was among the first settlers of the territory prior to statehood. In 1855 he served as a petit juror in the Anderson county probate court at Shannon. The presiding Judge, J. Y. Campbell delivered a 3 hour long address on the state of their country during their session. No other records regarding the court proceeding have been located.

Historical Records - Census Reports

1840 U.S. census, Gasconade, Missouri, p. 266, Jesse E. Sutton; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Dec 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 223;

1 male - under 5,
1 male - 20-30,
1 female - 20-30

1850 U.S. census, Osage, Missouri, population schedule, Linn Township, p. 468a, dwelling 744, family 744, Jesse E. Sutton; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Dec 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll 408;

Jesse Sutton 32
Nancy Sutton 23
Sarah Sutton 5
Mercy Sutton 2
William Sutton 3/12
Andrew M Carwile 11
Sarah Carwile 10
Jacob Carwile 9

1860 U.S. census, Anderson, Kansas Territory, population schedule, Walker Township, p. 112, dwelling 235, family 240, Jesse E. Sutton; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Dec 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 346;

Jesse Sutton 44
Nancy Sutton 34
Sarah A Sutton 15
Mercy C Sutton 11
William J Sutton 10
Jacob Sutton 8
Jonas Sutton 6
Silas Sutton 4
Richard L Sutton 1

1865 state census, Anderson, Kansas, population schedule, Walker Township, dwelling 155, family 163, line 9, Jessee E. Sutton; microfilm ks1865, item 1;

Jessee Sutton 49
Nancy Sutton 40
Sarah A Sutton 20
Mercy E Sutton 17
Wm Isco Sutton 14
Jacob C Sutton 12
James J Sutton 10
Silas Sutton 8
Jessee O Sutton 6
Richard L Sutton 4
Mary C Sutton 2

1870 U.S. census, Anderson, Kansas, population schedule, Walker Township, p. 152b, dwelling 115, family 116, Jesse E. Sutton; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Dec 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 428;

Jesse Sallen 54
Nancy Sallen 44
Willim I Sallen 20
Jacobb Sallen 18
James Sallen 16
Ldas Sallen 14
Richard I Sallen 12
Jesse O Sallen 10
May C Sallen 8
Thomas C Sallen 5
Sylvesta M Sallen 2;
(Above surname should read Sutton not Sallen)

1875 state census, Anderson, Kansas, population schedule, Walker Township, p. 18, dwelling 128, family 128, line 10, Jessee E. Sutton; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Dec 2009); citing Kansas State Historical Society;

Jesse Sutton 60
Nancy Sutton 48
William Sutton 25
Jacob Sutton 23
James Sutton 21
Silas Sutton 19
Richard Sutton 17
ot Sutton 15
Mary Sutton 13
Thomas Sutton 11
Michael Sutton 9

1880 U.S. census, Anderson, Kansas, population schedule, Walker Township, enumeration district (ED) 22, p. 222, dwelling 129, family 140, Jesse E. Sutton; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Dec 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 372;

Jesse Sutton 63
Nancy Sutton 52
Jake C. Sutton 27
Silas Sutton 22
Richard Sutton 21
Jesse Sutton 19
Mary C. Sutton 16
Thomas Sutton 14
Michael Sutton 12

1885 state census, Anderson, Kansas, population schedule, Union Township, p. 15, dwelling 1, family 1, line 1, Jesse E. Sutton; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Dec 2009); citing Kansas State Historical Society;

Jesse Sutton 69
Nancy Sutton 59
Leafortt Sutton 23
Att Sutton 22
Thomas Sutton 19
Mike Sutton 16
Alice South 9
Mary Sutton 22