Thumb Nail Sketches

No. 33 Judge E.S.B. Sutton

Judge E.S.B. Sutton is known as the small man who smokes large cigars. Mr. Sutton knows a good cigar when he sees it, and insists on smoking the best Havanas local dealers keep in stock. The judge doesn’t own any stock in the Standard Oil company, but when he puts a fresh cigar in his mouth, tips back in his chair and rests his feet on his desk, he takes about as much comfort as any man in the country.

Mr. Sutton was born in famous Oakland county, where they grow gubernatorial candidates and cucumber pickles. When but a small lad he learned how to “look wise,” followed this up with a law course and thus developed into a full fledged lawyer. He came to the Soo many years ago and by steady work has risen to a high position in legal circles.

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On A Long Journey

Nephew of E.S.B. Sutton with His Bride Left For South Africa Today

Mr. and Mrs. Linton B. Sutton, of Randfontein, South Africa, are the guests of Mr. Sutton’s uncle, E.S.B. Sutton. They are leaving this afternoon on the first stage of their journey to their distant home in the Transvaal.  Mr. Sutton is a noted mining engineer and is developing a gold property in Randfontein for a syndicate of English and American capitalists, among whom are Mark Hanna and Gen. Alger.  Mrs. Sutton was Miss Edith Hanby, of Riddlesburg, Pa., and they were united in marriage just a month ago.  Mr. Sutton returned to the United States to claim his bride and they are now about to go back to Africa to make their home for an indefinite number of years.

Source:  Sault Ste. Marie Evening News, November 7, 1902.

Fearing Insanity, Lawyer Commits Suicide In Hotel

Joseph H. Sutton Goes to Manhattan and Shoots Himself Dead.

SENT LETTERS TO FRIENDS, WHO ARRIVED TOO LATE

Clergyman’s Son Wrote That He Had Been “Going Crazy for Some Time.”

Joseph H. Sutton, unmarried, thirty-two years old, employed as managing clerk for the law firm of Hollis, Wagner & Burghardt, at No. 120 Broadway, committed suicide in a room at the Manhattan hotel during last night by shooting himself in the head. He was found dead by Mr. Edwin R. Patch, the manager of the hotel, and a porter to-day.

Several persons called to see Mr. Sutton to-day, and it was on account of their anxiety about the man that Mr. Patch and the porter broke into the room he had been assigned to and found the body. Mr. Sutton went to the hotel yesterday afternoon and registered. He had patronized the hotel before and was known slightly to the clerks in the office.

What Is Mr. Sutton Wanted For?

E.S.B. Sutton received a telegram yesterday from Adjutant General Irish, requesting him to go to Inland Lake. Mr. Sutton departed on the 4:50 train. He did not know the reason of the summons. Now his friends are wondering what is wanted of him. Some of the knowing ones call attention to the fact that Mr. Sutton and Gen. Irish are intimate friends, and that Mr. Sutton was for four years lieutenant-colonel in the uniformed grant, Knights of Pythias. They believe he may be tendered an appointment with the Michigan volunteers.

Source: Saginaw News, May 21, 1898.

Short News Items from 1897

A social dance was given at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Rorick, in Rockland last night. A number of young folks from The Dalles attended. (The Dalles Times-Mountaineer, February 27, 1897)

Mrs. Casterline is visiting her son, Asa Casterline. Mrs. Casterline is 86 years old and quite smart. (Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record, April 16, 1897)

E.S.B. Sutton, of the Soo, was on the Alpena bound to Detroit on business Thursday, looking as if life agreed with him. Mr. Sutton is very well known in Cheboygan and used frequently to visit his brother J.P. Sutton in the old days. (Cheboygan Democrat, June 26, 1897)

Kansas City Life Underwriters Will Make A Fight For Him.

Annual Convention of National Association of Life Underwriters Opens at Milwaukee Next Wednesday.

For president of the National Association of Life Underwriters, J. D. Sutton, general agent of the Washington Life Insurance Company at Kansas City. This banner will be planted in the Pfister hotel at Milwaukee, the general headquarters of the delegates to the National Life Underwriters’ convention. On one side of the banner will be painted the picture of George Washington, which is used in all the advertising matter of the Washington Life, and on the other side, the likeness of J. D. Sutton. George M. Ackley, secretary of the Kansas City Association of Life Underwriters, will leave to-night for Milwaukee, arriving with the advance van of delegates and at once entering the arena of the battle for the presidency. The Kansas City delegation to the convention will leave to-morrow night, going by rail to Chicago, and thence by steamer to Milwaukee. The convention opens Wednesday and continues Thursday and Friday. The Kansas City delegation is composed of J. D. Sutton. C. C. Courtney, general agent of the Mutual Benefit Life; F.O. Chesney, general agent of the State Mutual: P. H. Showalter, general agent of the Prudential: John A. Brown, general agent of the Equitable; George M. Ackley, manager of the Life Insurance Clearing Company: H: K. Lyon, general agent of the New York Life, and C. E. Hochstetler, general agent of the Travelers’. The delegation has one principal object. It favors the election of J. D. Sutton to the presidency of the national association. Mr. Sutton was a member of the first regularly constituted executive committee of the national association. This was at a time when the fifteen members of the executive committee controlled the affairs of the association. He was re-elected a member of the executive committee, and when the rules of the association were so changed that one vice president from each local association constituted the executive committee of the national organization, Mr. Sutton was elected a vice president.

Business & Professional Notices from 1892

D.D. Rorick, secretary of the Democratic county committee, is for the district plan and against instruction. Cleveland is his first choice with Boies for second. He thinks with a free coinage plank we should carry three or four western states. (Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, May 23, 1892)

Clifford Ball, of Ballston, has been appointed a railway mail clerk for this state and expects to secure an engagement. (Oregon Statesman, June 24, 1892)

Short News Items from the 1880s

J.P. Sutton returned Saturday night. He visited his mother in Detroit at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. J.W. Linderman, and her friends will be glad to learn that she was enjoying excellent health. Mr. and Mrs. Linderman are in good health and prospering. (Cheboygan Northern Tribune, February 26, 1885)

A.R. Sutton, of East Saginaw, state agent for Walter A. Wood’s harvesting machine, made his brother, J.P. Sutton and family of this village a visit Thursday. (Cheboygan Democrat, January 14, 1886)

Business & Professional Notices from the 1880s

HUDSON, October 3.—The Democrats of the third Lenawee County Representative District, assembled in convention at Clayton to-day, nominated C. Rorick, of Seneca, for the State Legislature. (Detroit Free Press, October 4, 1882)

Rev. Dr. Joseph Ford Sutton has been called to the Murray Hill (Presbyterian) church, New York city, to succeed Dr. Burchard, and installed. (Washington Evening Star, January 2, 1886)

Wat Rorick is now assisting Postmaster Beeson in his book store. Wat is a steady, reliable clerk and is the kind of man that always finds some position open for him. (Caldwell Advance, November 3, 1887)

Short News Items from 1889

Mrs. Sutton, mother of Judge Sutton and Mrs. J.W. Linderman, with her daughter, Mrs. D.W. Bennett, and children arrived on the Garden City last evening for a visit with their relatives and friends in the village. (Cheboygan Northern Tribune, March 22, 1889)

Mrs. Alvin Holmes and son, and Mrs. Chandler Williams and daughter, Miss Ida, are spending a few weeks at Long Branch and other summer resorts. (Pittston Gazette, August 2, 1889)

Mrs. John Kirkwood and Mrs. Walling, mother of our townsman Grant Walling, spent Friday and Saturday with friends in Guy. (Pullman Herald, October 5, 1889)