Suter, Emory Cutting, 1858-1937

SUTER, PFEIF, WITEN

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:37

From the Hawarden Independent, March 18, 1937:

E. C. Suter Laid to Rest

Funeral services for E. C. Suter, who died at his home in Rock Valley early last Wednesday morning, were held from the home at 1:30 last Friday afternoon and from the Methodist Church at 2 o'clock, Rev. J. A. Kettle in charge. Loud speakers had been placed to take care of the crowds unable to get into the church to hear the touching sermon. Burial was made in the beautiful old cemetery, on the hill south of the town, which he loved and served so long and well. George Grau, R. S. Miller, Phil Walker, F. W. Schuette, Bert Goodmanson and Bert Rogers, members of the I.O.O.F. lodge, acted as honorary pall bearers.

Emery Cutting Suter was born April 29, 1858, at Baltimore, Md., being the second child in the family of seven, four sons and three daughters, born to Martin and Ann Suter, all of whom are deceased except one brother, John H. Suter of Libertyville, Ill. When Mr. Suter was 6 years of age his mother died. After the Civil War in which his father fought, the family moved to Chicago where he grew to manhood, learning the butcher business, and later entered the employ of Sprague Warner & Co., wholesale grocers, with whom he remained 18 years.

On Dec. 24, 1879, he married Minnie Pfeif, in Chicago and to them were born four children, two daughters and two sons, Mrs. Wm. Twillman and Mrs. Wm. Brown of Ireton; W. H. Suter of Sibley and Emory F. Suter of Rock Valley.

In 1890 the family came to Maurice, settling on a farm near Struble where they lived three years. In 1893 they moved onto a farm, 10 miles southwest of Ireton, and in 1904 moved onto a farm west of Rock Valley, where they lived until 1912 when they retired and moved to Rock Valley, which was his home continuously until death claimed him March 10th, following an illness of two weeks after all that medical aid and loving kindness of wife, nurse and daughters could do.

Remaining to remember and revere him as a loving husband and ever considerate father are his wife and four children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren and his brother John of Libertyville, Ill.

During his manhood Mr. Suter held many offices in townships where he resided as well as serving his fourth term as mayor of Rock Valley at the time of his death. He was a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge for 40 years. He was also a Mason and a member of the T. S. Parvin Consistory in Sioux City. When a child he was baptized in the Protestant Episcopal church, adhering to that during his lifetime although giving his support to the Methodist church here. In December last year he and his wife celebrated the 57th anniversary of their marriage amid the fellowship of their family.

Thus within the brief period of two weeks the curtain began to fall upon an active and interesting life of 78 years, 10 months and 11 days, and takes from the home, family and community that which makes human life dear to all of us—friendship, love and fidelity, which are the basic principles of one of the orders which he held dear and that of friendship, love and truth as the three links by which he sought to make brotherhood real.

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From the Alton Democrat, March 19, 1937:

ROCK VALLEY PIONEER GONE

Rock Valley.—Emory C. Suter passed away at his home in Rock Valley, Wednesday, March 10, 1937 at 4 o’clock in the morning after an illness of two weeks. Mr. Suter contracted pleurisy about two weeks ago and has suffered severe pain. Medical aid was summoned and a nurse secured but all that science knew how to do could not keep Mr. Suter our mayor here.

Emory Suter was born at Baltimore, Maryland, April 1, 1858 being the second of seven children. He came to Chicago as a young man. He was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Pfeif on Christmas eve, December 24, 1879 and to this union were born four children, namely Mrs. W. I. Twillman of Ireton, Mrs. Wm. F. Brown of Ireton, Will H. Suter of Sibley, Iowa, and Emory F. Suter of Rock Valley.

Because of ill health the family came to Sioux county locating near Struble and also in the vicinity of Ireton. In 1904 the family moved to a farm a little over three miles west of Rock Valley where they lived until twenty-five years ago when they moved to their present location in Rock Valley.

Mr. Suter was serving his fourth term as Mayor of Rock Valley and his eighteenth year as township clerk. He was a baptized member of the Protestant Episcopal church, an Odd Fellow for forty years, a 32nd Degree Mason, a member of the Order of Eastern Stars, a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He was an aid to all the co-operative organizations in town.

He leaves to mourn his passing his widow Mrs. Minnie Suter, his four children, several grandchildren and great grandchildren, and one brother John Suter of Libertyville, Ill. and a nephew Charles Suter, Supt. of Schools of South Sioux City, Nebraska.

Funeral services were held at the home at 1:30 o’clock and 2:00 o’clock at the Methodist church conducted by Rev. J. A. Kettle. Interment took place in Valley View cemetery conducted by the lodges.

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RESEARCH NOTES

Similar or shorter obituaries were also published in most of the other Sioux County newspapers. The Rock Valley Bee is missing for this time period.

FiondaGrave.com gives his name as Emory C. Suter, with a photo of his headstone.

His death certificate has Emery C. Suter; born April 29, 1858 in Baltimore, Maryland; parents Martin Suter and Ann [Willen?]; a retired farmer; wife Minnie Pfief; died at 4:00 a.m. March 10, 1937; cause, “Hiccough complicating[?] diaphregmatic pleurisy,” onset March 5, 1937; pleurisy started Feb. 22.

In the 1925 Iowa state census, his mother’s name appears to be Ann Nyland. The obituary of his father Martin (posted separately) gives her name as Ann Witen.