Jesse Sutton

SUTTON, BROWN, BARKER, BAKER

Posted By: Mark A. Hogan (email)
Date: 6/16/2008 at 16:58:21

Below is from Jame Craig Sutton, gr.gr.grandson of Jesse Sutton sent to Mark A. Hogan, also a gr.gr.grandson of Jesse Sutton

"In The History of Van Buren County it states that the first white man came to the region in 1832. The first militia was organized in 1837. On the 18th of the same month, the Governor appointed Justices of the Peace...Jesse Sutton. The first deed was recorded March 20 1837 and immigration flowed in this county rapidly from 1836-1842. By 1838 the population was 3,000 and in 1840-6,140 and in 1850 12, 270. In 1840 the New Purchase was opened to settlement and 16 towns were recorded. On pages 1502 and 1503 there is a sketch of the town of Portland. The town was liad out in 1834 and the plat entered in 1847. 'James Adams was the first blacksmith and Jesse Sutton kept the first store.'

Jesse's grandson, Jesse Edgar Sutton, born in 1871 stated the Jesse was an Indian trader at Stumptown where the town of Eddyville now stands on the Des Moines River. (Stumptown was the local name for the town of Independent which was the pioneer name of the present village and railway station of Selma. independent was laid out in 1851.) He related that his grandfather was honest in his dealing with the Indians.

Family tradition is that Jesse and Rhoda owned a walnut drop leaf table. Jesse, the grandson, said that 'Chief Black Hawk et off it many a time'. In the flood of the Des Moines River of 1851, the table was carried down the river for several miles, but later recovered by the family. Asbury Sutton's second wife, Sarah Patterson Sutton had this table in her home in Pleasantville, Iowa.

From an application for bounty land by Rhoda Sutton in 1881, we learn that her husband Jesse served in the War of 1812 against Great Britain. He served as a private under Captain Samuel Black in the 7th Regiment of the Ohio Militia.* Rhoda related that Jesse served in the place of his brother William who was married. He was discharged after 22 months of service. The appliation also stated that Jesse was 21 years old, a farmer by occupation and was about six feet in height and had black hair and blue eyes. It also stated that Jesse was first married to Keziah Branson.

*Mark Hogan (gr.gr.grandson of Jesse got a copy of the muster pay records for Jesse Sutton in the War of 1812, at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and these confirm the physical description.)

Note: (1) Jesse's children were Branson Sutton who married a Nancy Brown

(2) Lewis Sutton who married twice in Van Buren County, his first wife dying young,

(3) Emily Jane who married Gardner Betterton,
and possibly

(4) Caroline Sutton who married J.D. Baker in Van Buren County.