Week 24 #52Ancestors: Dear Diary

PJ Helton, Lewis Sutton, and unknown man

My grandfather, Lewis Henry Sutton, was born in Tennessee but grew up in Fannin County, Texas.  He married Trentie Alice Leonard in 1916.  After struggling to support his family as a farmer, he became an employee of the Carter Oil Company and moved the family to Wolf, Oklahoma. Although he didn’t keep a diary, I like to think he may have made this entry one chilly November evening in 1935:

November 18, 1935

I’ve been thinking about my life and family lately cause Trentie and I have been blessed.  Farming back home in Lamasco, Texas was no good. Dad taught me all he knew but times have changed so I was sure happy cousin Shade Epperson told me about the oilfield jobs in Oklahoma. I got hired at Carter Oil.  Been there several years now and got a promotion to engineer.  Trentie was sure happy cause it afforded a move to a larger home for us.  That little camp house just wasn't big enough for us and the six kids.  Our oldest son, Doyle, is almost 18 and full of adventure. Nina is my little 16 year old songbird.  PJ is my 10-year old hunting sidekick.  Myrtle turned seven this year and started school.  Little Dorothy Jean has such pretty blue eyes and she’s 4.  My youngest, Donald Ray, will be two soon.  I've been looking at the family photos:

Lewis, Trentie and Doyle Sutton

Nina and Doyle Sutton

Lewis Sutton, PJ Sutton and Myrtle Sutton

Myrtle, Paul and Dottie Sutton

Nina Sutton

Trentie, Lewis and Donald Ray Sutton

Me and Trent got back into church.  She loves to play the piano at church and maybe I’ll buy her one soon.  After Doyle and Nina move out then I can afford it.   I am worried about Doyle as he is a little too adventurous.  Hopping the trains and staying away for days is worrying his mother to death.  I sure hope he gets a job soon and stays out of trouble.  

Carter Oil Postcard

Writing on the postcard

I sure miss seeing the family. Things haven’t been the same since my sister, Laura, and PJ Helton split up.  They lived close to us a few years ago here in Oklahoma but Laura left for Ranger, Texas where our sister Jessie lives.  She just married a man named Ray Todd about two years ago.  Jessie and her husband, Check Kelley, have lived there several years with their son Palmer Ray.  Trent stays in touch with Jessie.  My sister Lissie and her husband Pete Henderson have been in Denison, Texas several years.  Pete is a policeman and their kids are grown up now.  Their daughter Ethel married a man named Curley Broyles and moved to Missouri.  Guess that little brother of mine is taking his time finding someone to marry so Mom and Dad are lucky to have Jack's help on the farm.  I sure miss seeing Mom and Dad.  Maybe we’ll go for a visit soon...

November 19, 1935

Lewis is buried in the Willow Wild Cemetery in Bonham, Texas

I think Stephen King's quote sums it up best, "Life turns on a dime. Sometimes towards us, but more often it spins away, flirting and flashing as it goes: so long, honey, it was good while it lasted, wasn’t it?”

Many thanks to Susie Kelley Clarke for sharing many of these photos with me as the family lost many photos in a couple of house fires.