Gathering Kin: Week 7 #52Ancestors: Love

“There’s no place like home” is one of my favorite movie lines from The Wizard of Oz. This quote rings true when I visit east Tennessee as it truly feels like home. The ancestral roots began there as early as 1792 when my 4^thgreat-grandfather, Joseph Epperson, purchased 500 acres in Hawkins County, Tennessee. My 3^rdgreat-grandfather, Thomas Sutton, purchased 100 acres in Claiborne County, Tennessee in 1827. Many descendants from these men still reside in nearby communities. However, my great-grandparents, Noah Sutton and Allie Epperson, along with Noah’s brothers, John and James, would leave Tennessee and eventually settle in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

I love the thought of their adventurous spirit but wonder why they would take their families so far from home. Each brother would become farmers following in the footsteps of their father and grandfather. However, Noah and James sold the land they inherited from their father around 1889. This was soon after their mother had died. By that time, James had already moved to Fannin County, Texas with his wife, Louiasy Martela Purkey, and children. It appears that John was also in Fannin County as his daughter, Hattie, was born there in 1889. Noah would move his family to Fannin County, Texas around 1892. John and James soon left their little brother and moved their families to Arkansas. However, after residing there for about 20 years, James would move once again and settle in northeastern Oklahoma. The photo below is most likely Noah, James, and John. It was a large photo that was part of Noah and Allie’s collection.

My family has wonderful memories of Noah and Allie’s farm in Telephone, Texas. Cheryl Noble, my sister, has told me of Noah’s wit as he challenged my mother to make breakfast biscuits during a visit. She was a bit intimidated as her cooking skills weren’t the best at this time but Noah just laughed and proceeded to make them. He must have become quite the cook after Allie’s death, in 1936, as he never remarried and remained on the farm with his youngest son, Jack. Cheryl also recalls Noah harvesting honey from his honeybees and that fascinated her. He died in 1954 at 89 years of age so I never had a chance to meet him.

Laura Sutton Todd, Jack Sutton (in bee garb), and Noah Sutton.

My memories of the farm would be with my great-uncle Jack as he continued to live there until he died in 1988 at the age of 81. He raised cattle and so my father and I followed him out to the pasture on a visit when I was about 9 years old. For some odd reason, a bull took an interest in me and began following us. I began to get nervous and ran to Jack and my dad for protection. I wanted them to make him go away. I guess my uncle and dad got a kick out of that as they laughed for quit a bit. Another lesson learned on the farm was to be sure the mother hen was not nearby when trying to capture a chick. Hell hath no fury like a mother hen in flogging mode!

Jack Sutton

Rummaging through family photos and letters inherited by Susie Clarke (nee Kelley) gave us clues that, although the families had moved apart, they stayed in touch. It has been fun to share these photos with distant relatives and have their help in identifying some unknowns. Our third cousin, Pam Epperson, has been able to assist us in identifying some of the unknowns.