Biographies of Wyandotte County, Kansas

WYANDOTTE COUNTY, KANSAS

BIOGRAPHIES

WEST, OWEN M.

A pre-eminent figure in commercial education in Kansas is Professor Owen M. West, president of the Kansas Commercial College, whose enlightened ideas and splendid methods have proved of marvelous benefit to the youth of this section. This institution which is the pride of the city, is one of the best in the United States and presents advantages which cannot be found anywhere else. There are at the head of this school men of education, ability and experience, who have made a success of the commercial school business and who are here combining their ability and knowledge in making this the foremost institution of America. The Kansas Commercial College is particularly fortunate in its president; scholar, educator, gentleman, he has been summed up, and not only is he esteemed in highest degree as an educator and instructor, but as a citizen of unusual public spirit.

The Kansas Commercial College, located at 721-723 Minnesota Avenue, was founded in the year 1903, its original location being the corner of Fifth and Minnesota avenue. Its founders were the McKee brothers, F. J. and E. E. It first had capacity for about one hundred and twenty-five pupils and afforded a general business and commercial course. From the first its results were unusually gratifying. After remaining at the first address for three years the college was moved to the present location.

On March 19, 1910, a corporation was formed by the McKee brothers with a capital of thirty-five thousand dollars, and Professor West was made president, which position he holds at the present time. The corporation owns and manages two other schools, one at Lebanon and one at Norton, Kansas. Their present location is most advantageous and the college which is attended by about five hundred pupils annually, has the benefit of the most modern equipment, while the handsome building which houses the institution was especially built for the purpose. The various departments are as follows: Commercial (This is not necessarily to prepare one for a business position, but to give him the practical knowledge he needs in commercial law, accounts, etc., whether he is to be a doctor, business man, preacher or farmer; Bookkeeping taught by actual business; Commercial Law; Rapid Calculation; Penmanship; Shorthand, the Gregg and Pittman systems being taught; Grammar; Correspondence; and English. It is of such an institution as the Kansas Commercial College that Horace Mann was doubtless thinking when he said: "If a father wishes to give his son a legacy better than houses, land, gold or silver, let him send him to an institution where he can obtain a practical business education. Such knowledge is most directly conducive to mercantile honor and success." And to such did Henry Ward Beecher refer when he observed: "Whatever occupation you may choose as your life work, the first step is to secure a practical business education. By all means attend a good college."

The Kansas Commercial College makes a specialty of preparing stenographers and bookkeepers for civil service and it also has courses preparing aspirants for the positions of rural mail carriers and mail clerks, custom house assistants, departmental clerks, salesmen, and mechanical and architectural drawing and drafting. In addition to the day school, there is a night school for those who cannot attend during the day, this being on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, and covering the same line of studies. At the present time the teaching force numbers six. The official personnel of the college is as follows: president and treasurer, Owen M. West; secretary, S. R. Maxwell; vice president, Louis Tedder; board of directors, Messrs. O. M. West, S. R. Maxwell, Louis Tedder, Samuel McWilliams and J. D. Rice.

The Kansas Commercial College has prepared hundreds of students, most of whom are holding positions high in the business world; they are in the government employ and also in that of the state, county, city; they are found in the largest commercial and manufacturing houses in the country.

Owen M. West was born and reared at Fithian, Illinois, fourteen miles west of Danville, his parents being James H. and Lura J. (Davis) West. When young Owen was a boy about nine years of age he removed to Linn county, Kansas, and there he received his public school education, He subsequently entered the Kansas Normal School from which he was graduated in 1897. He at once entered upon a career as a teacher and was eventually elected county superintendent of schools of Linn county, Kansas, serving two elective and one appointive terms. He continued in the field of public school education until 1902, when he engaged with the National School of Correspondence and had charge of their vast interests in Kansas and Oklahoma, with the most excellent results. In 1903 he resigned to accept the principalship of the Chelsea School of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas, which position he retained until after his election as president of the Kansas Commercial College. He resigned that, however, to take full charge of college affairs.

Professor West is a prominent and popular fraternity man, holding membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the Knights of Pythias; the Redmen; the Fraternal Aid; the Life and Annuity; the Workmen; the Modern Woodmen of America; Ben Hur; the Triple Tie; and the Yeomen. Politically he is independent and akes great interest in putting the man into office who stands for the cleanest and most altruistic service to the people. He has never married.

Professor West is a man who takes a fatherly interest in the welfare and progress of his students and he with his educational staff, do everything possible to advance the pupils as much as possible in every direction. He is a big hearted gentleman and stands at the head of his profession. While county superintendent of school of Linn county, he did much to improve the school system, making it one of the best in the state and this zeal is apparent in all his endeavors. In fact, he is known throughout the state and far beyond it, as an educational leader.

Professor West is of peculiarly philanthropic and admirable nature. He has done much to help the needy and poor, and his every day life is replete with "kind deeds. During the year 1911 his home was broken and fond ties were severed, death claiming his mother.

Professor West is of most lovable personality and has hosts of enthusiastic friends. One of them, the editor of Popular Therapeutics, published at Nevada, Missouri, recently was moved to an appreciation, from which a few enlightening paragraphs are here taken:

"I knew Mr. West some fifteen or more years ago, during the stormy days in Kansas. He lived in Linn county and I was residing for a time in the southwest part of the state, and both of us were active in politics in those good old days when politics in Kansas was the most militant thing in the world. West as a young man was successful in politics in his own county for the reason that he obtained that reputation invaluable to a politician: i. e. "He always delivers the goods."

He has a great school in Kansas City, Kansas. The college has adequate equipment and the students it turns out are in demand, because of their thorough training and capability to do the work along various commercial lines. The course taught at the Kansas Commercial College is in advance of the large majority of courses taught in the various colleges in this country. Civics and Political Economy are thoroughly taught and also a course of instruction in salesmanship. This latter course is practically psychology as applied to the selling of the commodities of commerce. The course in Commercial Law is the best course I have ever come in contact with in a business college.

The Kansas City Journal of August 7, 1911, says:

"A test of the practical efficiency of the class of shorthand of the Kansas Commercial College was made last week in the district court, Kansas City, Kansas, when the members of the class successfully took the proceedings of a case on trial. It is said that within thirty minutes after the trial had closed copies of the evidence were presented to the court and attorneys which corresponded verbatim with that of the official court stenographer. Friends of Prof. West, president of the school, have been congratulating him on the success of this demonstration, as well as for the distinction his school is winning as an institution of complete business training."

In concluding this brief record of an admirable man there can be no more fitting manner of so doing than to quote from the clever tribute of a fraternal friend. Says this gentleman:

"West has been immortalized by the poets. "Let me have about me men who are fat, sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights," said William Shakespeare, and had West in mind. James Whitcomb Biley, speaking of West said: 'When God made Jim, I bet he didn't do anything else that day but just set round and feel good." And O. W. Holmes, anticipating West, said, "You hear that boy laughing You think he's all fun, but the angels laugh too at the good he has done. The children laugh loud as they troop to his call-and the poor man who knows him laughs loudest of all." (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Pages 613-615)

LEEFROM, JOSEPH

Among the representative citizens of Wyandotte county, Kansas, is Joseph Leefrom of Walcott.

Mr. Leefrom was born in Illinois, in the year 1851, son of John and Mary (Scott) Leefrom, the former a native of Germany and the latter of France. John Leefrom came to this country in early life, and it was in Illinois that he met and married Miss Scott. To them were born three children: Mary, now the wife of Edward Blackman; Joseph, the subject of this sketch, and Andrew. The father was reared in the Catholic faith, to which he faithfully adhered throughout his life. By occupation he was a farmer. And it was on his father's farm in Illinois that Joseph Leefrom passed his boyhood days, his only educational advantages being those of the district schools. On attaining his majority in 1871, he left the scenes of his childhood and came west to Kansas, Wyandotte county his objective point, where he found employment as a farm hand. Later he went to Atchison county. There he became the owner of several farms, which he subsequently sold. He now owns the principal houses in Walcott, which he rents, and here he makes his home, he having returned to Wyandotte county several years ago.

Mr. Leefrom married, in 1877, Miss Lizzie Horstman, like himself, a native of Illinois. She shared the joys and sorrows of this life with him for nearly twenty-five years, until her death, which occurred in 1901; and their happy union was blessed in the birth of seven children, namely: Jessie, Alvin, "Edward, Fred, Cora, Mamie and Andrew. Two of the daughters are married-Jessie and Cora, the former being the wife of Fred Hinkenbrant of Leavenworth; the latter, the wife of Clark Robinson, a farmer and dairyman of Wyandotte county. Two sons, Edward and Andrew, are residents of Kansas City, Missouri and one son, Fred, died three years ago. The other two are with their father. Mr. Leefrom has always voted the Democratic ticket, but has never been active in political affairs. (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Pages 615-616)

McFADDEN, JOHN E.

Bringing to bear an alert mentality, through technical discipline, broad and exact knowledge of the science of jurisprudence, and a personal integrity of the most impregnable order, John Edward McFadden, who is engaged in the successful practice of his profession in Kansas City, is to be designated as one of the essentially representative members of the bar of Wyandotte county, where he has secure place in popular confidence and regard.

John E. McFadden was born at Gananoque, York county, province of Ontario, Canada, not far distant from the beautiful city of Toronto, and the date of his nativity was November 1, 1862. He is a son of Edward and Bridget (Malone) McFadden, both of whom were born and reared in Ireland, where their marriage was solemnized. Not long after their marriage the parents immigrated to America and took up their abode in the province of Ontario, Canada, whence they later removed to the state of Michigan, where they maintained their home for a number of years. In 1871 they left the Wolverine commonwealth to cast in their lot with the state of Kansas, and they were numbered among the early settlers of Jackson county, where the father secured a tract of land and eventually developed a productive farm. Of the twelve children of Edward and Bridget McFadden the youngest is he whose name introduces this sketch, and of the others four sons and two daughters are now living.

John E. McFadden was a lad of nine years at the time of the family removal to Kansas, and he duly assisted in the work of the home farm, the while he availed himself of the advantages of the public schools of the locality and period. Through close application to his studies he prepared himself for collegiate work, his ambition along this line being of most insistent order. He finally was matriculated in Lane University, at Lecompton, this state, where he remained until the latter part of his senior year, when the death of his honored father rendered it necessary for him to return home. In 1884-5 he was engaged in teaching in the schools of Jackson county, and in November, 1887, in pursuance of carefully formulated plans for a future career, he entered the law office of one of the representative members of the bar of Kansas City, Kansas, where, under effective preceptorship, he continued the study of law, which he had previously carried forward while engaged in teaching school. Here he was admitted to the bar in 1889, and here he has since given his time and attention to the work of his chosen profession, in which his success has been of unequivocal order, denoting his technical ability and also his close application. Mr. McFadden is known as a specially strong and effective trial lawyer and he never presents a cause before court or jury without thorough preparation of the same, so that his percentatige of forensic victories has been specially large.

Loyal to all civic duties, Mr. McFadden is at all times ready to lend his influence and co-operation in the furtherance of measures for the general welfare, and he served two years as a member of the city council, though he has had no desire for public office of any description. His political allegiance is given to the Democratic party.

In the year 1890 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. McFadden to Miss Emma Cruise, of Kansas City, Kansas, and they have one daughter, Margaret. (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Pages 616-617)

WOESTEMEYER, HENRY F.

If we were to pick out the one characteristic which has done more than anything else to make of the United States the leading commercial country that it now is we should mention enterprise. If we were to pick out the one man in Bethel, Kansas, who has this characteristic to a remarkable extent, we should mention Henry F. Woestemeyer, the prominent merchant. By enterprise we mean the ability to hustle, to make things go, to bring things to pass that a less capable man would deem impossible.

Henry F. Woestemeyer was born in Marthasville, Missouri, July 5, 1873. He was the son of Fred C. and Wilhelmina (Oberhelman) Woestemeyer, natives of Missouri. They came to Quindaro township in December, 1886.

Henry was educated in the public schools of Kansas City, whither he had come with his parents when he was a small boy. After he had finished the public school course he entered a commercial college and took a business course. In March, 1898, he entered mercantile life at Bethel, where he has built up a very prosperous business.

On June 14, 1899, he was married to Clara Belle Hendrickson, the daughter of James F. and Mary (Cooley) Hendrickson, the father a native of Kentucky, the mother of Ohio. Mrs. Woestemeyer was born at Larned, Kansas, February 13, 1878, and she is a graduate of the class of 1897 of the Kansas City, Kansas, high school. Three children were born to this union, Henry James, born May 10, 1901; F. Shirley, born January 21, 1904; and Ina Fay, born April 14, 1906.

Mr. Woestemeyer is a Republican and has done good work for his party. In 1894 he was elected clerk of Quindaro township, in which capacity he served two years. He was later elected justice of the peace, serving one term. He is a member of the Masonic Order, holding membership in Blue Lodge, No. 96, of White Church. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Lodge No. 88, in which organization he has passed all of the chairs. He has high standing in both of these fraternal orders, indeed he is universally liked and respected by all who know him in his official capacity, in his business relations and in his social life. (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Page 617)

MATNEY, DAVID B.

The life history of David B. Matney is certainly worthy of commendation and of emulation, for along honorable and straightforward lines he has won the success which crowns his efforts and makes him one of the substantial residents of Shawnee township, in Wyandotte county, Kansas. During the greater portion of his active career Mr. Matney has been identified with agricultural pursuits and he is now the owner of a farm of one hundred and seventy-three acres of most arable land, eligibly located two miles from Argentine.

A native of the fine old Dominion commonwealth, David B. Matney was born on the 3rd of August, 1836, and he is a son of Charles and Abigail (Brown) Matney, the former of whom passed to the life eternal on the 6th of October, 1891, and the latter of whom died in November, 1865, aged fifty-eight years. The Matney family first located in Jackson county, Missouri, but came to Wyandotte county, Kansas, in the year 1844, and here Charles Matney purchased land and remained during the residue of his life. David B. Matney was reared in this county and educated in the schools of the locality and period and on January 26, 1860, was solemnized his marriage to Miss Emily Puckett. In 1867 he and his wife settled on a tract of forty acres of land in Shawnee township, this county, coming to the place where he now lives in 1865, and after clearing the same they have added to it until they now own one hundred and seventy three acres of finely improved land. Mr. Matney was at Shawnee during the border times when the town was burned and he has a distinct recollection of the troublous Civil war times. Mr. Matney was twice arrested by the Confederacy as a Rebel and a third time, when he started across the plains, he was followed, arrested and taken to Fort Leavenworth where all" his belongings were taken from him and he was given his release.

In 1863 his house was burned at Shawnee during the raid and he then established the family home at Westport for a time. When war was ended and peace again established throughout the country Mr. Matney returned with his family to the farm in Shawnee township and here has resided during the long intervening years to the present time. He has devoted his attention to diversified agriculture and the raising of high grade stock during most of his life time but is now living virtually retired, the old homestead being operated by his sons. Some of the land is set out to fruit trees and the beautiful buildings in the midst of well cultivated fields well indicate the thrift and industry of the practical owner.

On the 26th of January, 1860, at West Port, Mr. Matney was united in marriage to Miss Emily Puckett, who was born in Virginia, on the 5th of July, 1842, and who is a daughter of John and Mary (Carl) Puckett. The Puckett family came west in 1851, at which time Mrs. Matney was a child of nine years of age. Settlement was made in an old warehouse in Wyandotte county in 1850 and Mrs. Matney was educated in the district school in the vicinity of the present site of Kansas City. Her childhood was one of great interest and excitement and her reminiscences of pioneer days are unusually vivid. Mr. and Mrs. Matney became the parents of five children, whose names are here entered in respective order of birth: John, George, Joseph, Elisha and Earl. The four older children are married and live on the old home place and the youngest son, Earl, remains at home with his aged parents.

Mr. Matney is a stalwart Democrat in his political proclivities and he has served for a number of years as a member of the local school board. In early days he and his family were devout members of the Baptist church but in 1900 transferred their allegiance to the Methodist church, in which he is a Sunday School teacher and a member of the board of deacons. Mr. Matney was made a Mason in Shawnee some forty years ago but he is now a member of Argentine Lodge, No. 332, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons. lie is a man of sterling integrity and fine moral fiber. Although he has attained to the venerable age of seventy-eight years, he is still erect and retains in much of their pristine vigor the splendid physical and mental qualities of his youth. He and his wife are held in high esteem throughout this community, where their exemplary lives and innate kindliness of spirit have won them the lasting friendship of all with whom they have come in contact. (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Pages 618-619)

FULCHER, BENJAMIN W.

Benjamin W. Fulcher, who has recently identified himself with the agricultural interests of Wyandotte county, Kansas, own a nice farm near Wallula.

Mr. Fulcher is a native of Platte county, Missouri, where he was born April 22, 1855, a son of Jacob and Mary (Carson) Fulcher, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Ireland. Of their family of twelve children, he is the eldest of the six now living, the others being as follows: Mina, wife of James 0. Johnson, a merchant in Platte City, Missouri; Alexander P., a merchant at Tracy, Missouri; Jacob M., a farmer of Platte county, Missouri; Robert L., a farmer of Leavenworth county, Kansas; and Fanny, wife of John L. Stapp, an electrician of Platte City, Missouri. Jacob Fulcher, the father, was born in 1833, and spent his early boyhood days in Tennessee. When he was thirteen the family moved over into Missouri, where he and his father engaged in freighting with ox teams. At that time the Indians were still here. The elder Fulcher lost his scalp and met his death at the hands of the red men. Jacob Fulcher is still living, now a strong and hearty old man, and while he calls Platte county his home, he visits around among his children. He belonged to the Home Guards, and continued freighting a number of years after his father was killed. His wife died some twenty years ago. Politically he is a Democrat; religiously, a Methodist, and in both politics and religion is followed by his son Benjamin W.

Benjamin W. Fulcher was reared on his father's farm in Platte county, and has been engaged in farming all his life. His only educational advantages were those he had in the district school, but he has always taken an interest in helping to maintain good schools and for ten years was a member of the Lee township school board in Platte county. Also while there he served as constable and township road commissioner. In 1911 he came to Wyandotte county, Kansas, where he purchased a farm of eighty-three acres, near Wallula, where he is carrying on general farming, raising fruit and keeping a dairy.

February 17, 1881, Mr. Fulcher married Miss Fannie J. Moss, a native of Platte county, Missouri, and a daughter of Henry Moss, a retired farmer, now seventy-three years of age. Her mother is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Pulcher have eight children, namely: Gertrude A. and Mattie M., school teachers; Bertha; Alvin, who died at the age of five years; Raymond B., Hazel, Josephine, Jacob Guy.

Fraternally, Mr. Pulcher has membership in the Modern Woodmen of America Camp No. 3500, Boling, Leavenworth county, Kansas. (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Pages 619-620)

THENO, MATHIAS A.

Mathias A. Theno, who is now living virtually retired from active participation in business affairs, gained wide renown as a particularly skilled contractor and builder in Kansas City, where he established his home in the year 1886. Since 1910 he has resided on his attractive little estate of ten acres in Quindaro township, Wyandotte county, Kansas, devoting his spare time to the growing of small fruits and raspberries. He is a man of fine personality and extraordinary ability. His life achievements worthily illustrate what may be attained by persistent and painstaking effort. In every sense of the word he is a representative citizen and he gives freely of his aid and influence in support of all measures and enterprises advanced for the good of the general welfare.

Of French parentage, Mathias A. Theno was born in Luxemburg, Germany, the date of his nativity being the 14th of March, 1848. He is a son of Peter and Mary Theno, who immigrated to the United States about the year 1850, coming to this country on the old sailing ship, Pederatio, and making the trip in twenty-seven days. Landing in New York city, practically penniless, the father pawned some of his tools in order to get to Buffalo, where he was engaged in the carpenter's trade for a number of years. In 1852 the family home was established in Wisconsin, where Peter Theno continued to reside until his death, in 1901, at the venerable age of seventy-seven years. After the death of her honored husband the mother came to Kansas City, where she contracted a severe cold and died, in 1908, at the age of eighty-eight years. Her grandfather, Mathias Hoffman, was a soldier under Napoleon and he lived to the patriarchal age of one hundred and seven years.

The first in order of birth in a family of seven children, Mathias A. Theno was a child of three years of age at the time of his parents' immigration to this country, After availing himself of such opportunities as offered for an educational training, he entered upon an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, learning the same from his father. In 1886 he decided to try his fortunes in Kansas and in that year settled in Kansas City, where he immediately secured work as a carpenter. With the passage of time he became an extensive contractor and was instrumental in the erection of some of the finest buildings in Kansas City. In addition to other work he put in the Center street cable line and did a great deal of other street railway work. He continued to devote his attention to contracting and building until 1910, when he retired to his country estate in Quindaro township. In 1891 he purchased a tract of five acres of land near Bethel and subsequently he bought another five acres. This was originally wild land but under his careful direction it has been cleared and placed under cultivation. He is the owner of one of the most attractive homes in Wyandotte county and all the buildings and improvements on his place are of the most modern type. He has set out four hundred trees and makes a specialty of raising small fruits and raspberries, his market for the same being Kansas City.

In politics Mr. Theno maintains an independent attitude and while he has never been incumbent of any public office he has been urged to run for treasurer of his town. In fraternal circles he is a valued and appreciative member of the German Workmen and in religious matters attends and gives his support to the Catholic church, in whose faith he has reared his children. Mr. Theno is a great advocate of the license in Kansas and has seen a great deal of danger done by Prohibition in Kansas City, where he maintains many houses have stood vacant since they stopped selling liquor. He also maintains that there is a great difference in the taxes, tracing the same to Prohibition. Mr. Theno is a man of broad information and deep human sympathy and as a citizen he is everywhere accorded the unalloyed confidence and esteem of his fellow men.

On the 15th of November, 1869, Mr. Theno was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Smith, a native of Wisconsin and a daughter of Cornelius and Magdalena (Schritz) Smith, both of whom were born in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Theno became the parents of eleven children, concerning whom the following brief data are here recorded: Mary is Mrs. George M. Holt, of Kansas City, Kansas; Margaret died on the 14th of November, 1904, at the age of thirty-two years, and is survived by three children, all of whom reside in Seattle, Washington; Mathias J., Jr., is a prosperous farmer in the vicinity of Nearman, Kansas; Catherine died in infancy; Peter died in 1876, aged one year; Jacob died in 1880, aged two years; John died in infancy in 1880; Adeline died in 1882, aged one year; Michael is engaged in farming operations in Quindaro township, he having married Estella Edwards; Nicholas learned the carpenter and stone trades of his father and is engaged in that work in Kansas City. He married Marie Schevemann and has two children, Frederick N. and Raymond K.; and Magdalena, born on the 7th of November, 1886, is the wife of Otto Elver, who is the owner of twenty acres of land adjacent to Mr. Theno his estate in Quindaro township. (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Pages 620-621)

SUTTON, WILLIAM B.

In the varied and cosmopolitan citizenship of Kansas City, William B. Sutton represents the eastern element, his birth having occurred in Pennsylvania, and his early career having been inaugurated in Utica, New York, where he was recognized as an able member of the legal fraternity. He has now resided in Kansas for over twenty-five years and has justified the hopes engendered by the brilliancy of the earlier achievements. He has given efficient service as a member of the state legislature, representing Russell county, Kansas, while resident there. He is remarkably loyal to the state, knowing it in all its phases, even to the free life of the prairie, for he experienced a season as a ranchman.

Mr. Sutton was born in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1849, his parents being James and Sarah (Stanborough) Sutton. The father was born in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1812, and died in 1870, at the age of fifty-seven years. The mother, who was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, long survived her devoted husband, her demise occurring in 1899, at the age of eighty-four years. Ten children were born to the union of this worthy couple, five surviving at the present time and the subject being the fifth in order of birth. James Sutton was a man of consequence and for many years held the position of president of the First National Bank of Indiana, Pennsylvania. He was originally a Democrat in political conviction, but subsequently espoused the doctrines of the Republican party.
Mr. Sutton received the advantage of a particularly good education. The several institutions of learning in which he pursued his studies were the Tuscarora Academy, in Juniata county, Pennsylvania; the Elders Ridge Academy, in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, and, Washington and Jefferson College at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, from which latter institution he was graduated with the class of 1868. After deciding upon a profession Mr. Sutton studied law with Judge Biair of Indiana and was admitted to the bar at Utica, New York, in the year 1870. His career was from the first successful and for the first ten years of his residence in the Empire state he engaged in general practice, being elected judge in 1880, and serving in that high capacity until 1887, when he removed to Russell county, Kansas, and there engaged in ranching for a time. He also practiced law and became well and favorably known in Russell county, and in 1895-7, he was called upon to represent Russell county in the state legislature. Also in 1895 he was appointed a member of the state board of irrigation by Governor Morrill. From his earliest voting days Mr. Sutton has given heart and hand to the Republican party and has ever proved himself ready to do everything in his power for the cause. His fraternal relations extend to Wyandotte Lodge, No. 3, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons.

On the 8th of June, 1868, Mr. Sutton was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Black,*the foundations of a happy household being thus established. She was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and is the daughter of John E. and Alice (Hanson) Black, both of whom were natives of the Keystone state. By a somewhat singular coincidence, Mrs. Sutton, like her husband, is the fifth in order of birth of a family of ten children, and her father was likewise associated with banking interests, being cashier of the bank at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and that worthy gentleman was also treasurer of Washington and Jefferson College. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Sutton has been blessed by the birth of seven children, five of whom are living at the present time, these five are all sons. Charles E., is a stockman and agriculturist and resides in Lawrence, Kansas, he is president of the State Board of Agriculture. He married Miss Elizabeth Whitney, of Ellsworth, Kansas, her father, Chauncey Whitney, being one of the survivors of the battle of Arickaree. The second son, James, is in the hardware business in Harper, Kansas, and his wife before her marriage was May Davis. William B. Jr., is associated with his father in his practice of law, and was graduated in 1899 from the University of Kansas. His wife was Marguerite Wise, daughter of Zenas L. Wise, of Hutchinson, Kansas. Walter S. was graduated from the University of Kansas with the class of 1900, and from the college of Physicians and Surgeons, at New York, in 1907, and now associate professor of surgery in the medical school of that institution. The youngest member of the family, Everett B., is a senior in the University of Kansas, which has proved truly an "Alma Mater" to this quintet of fine young citizens.
The Suttons are all active in the best business, professional and social life of Kansas City and their homes are centers of a gracious hospitality. (History of Wyandotte County, Kansas and It's People, by Perl W. Morgan, Vol. II, 1911, Pages 621-623)