Week 30 #52Ancestors: Easy

Nothing is really easy about genealogy research but there are some ancestors that aren’t very difficult to find.  In fact, when Thomas Sutton descendants began to research their roots in the 1990’s, my father was given a story about this ancestor.  I have mentioned him in Week 5 and 6 but I want to expand his story.  This would be Henley Sutton.  He is the son of Nathan Sutton and Nancy Virginia Dodson and my 1^stcousin 3x removed. 

Sutton Hollow in Sneedville, Tennessee taken on my 2013 trip

Henley was born in Hancock County, Tennessee in 1848 and lived there until his death.  He married Dorcas Williams around 1867 at the relatively young age of 19 years and they had five children: Tilman, Lydia, Matilda, John, and Minerva.   Henley’s death is intriguing to many researchers and is obviously still written about today.  What else can we learn about this cousin before his death that occurred in January 1889? 

Henley Sutton's home taken on my 2013 trip to Tennessee

The Morristown Gazette (Morristown, Tennessee) published an article on Wednesday, May 28, 1879, page 2, “Circuit Court at Sneedville. Letter from Clinch”, second paragraph:

“Henly Sutton, James Wilburn, Robt. Barnett and Larkin Carroll, who were charged with bushwhacking a Revenue posse recently, came into Sneedville on Monday and submitted to a trial before U.S. Commissioner, Joe Baker, and were all acquitted. Capt. Thos. Barnett and Henry Jackson, U.S. Deputy Marshals, represented the U.S., and made the impression on people here that they knew their business, and also knew how to conduct themselves as gentlemen, as well as Revenue officers, which, it seems, is a rare accomplishment.” 

This was a surprising discovery given that Henley found himself on the opposite side of the law.  However, I was curious about the other three men mentioned in the bushwhacking charge.  All four men lived in district 7, Hancock County, Tennessee in either 1870 and 1880 (source: District 7, Hancock County, TN census). There are also family ties to two of these men  - Robert Barnett and James Wilburn.  Robert Barnett is most likely a Barnard and son of Anderson Barnard and Nancy Carpenter.  I believe James Wilburn is the brother of Sarah Wilburn.  She married McHenry Sutton.  The Wilburn name has some variations such as Welborne  and Whalebone and this is of interest given that Smith Sutton (possible father or uncle to Thomas Sutton) was the bondsman to a Sina Whaleborn who married a James Canaday in Caswell County, North Carolina in 1804. Thanks to this article, I have another avenue to pursue in North Carolina.

According to an article I found in Knoxville Daily Chronicle (Knoxville, Tennessee) on Wednesday, June 29, 1881, Henley was a deputy marshal and at least this person had something good to say about him. A letter to the editor by someone with the initials of J.E.H. wrote:

 “I have just returned from Hancock county, where I started last Monday to look after some crooked work. To my surprise I found five illicit distilleries, which I demolished. Notwithstanding I was surprised to find so many, yet I must say for Hancock it has wonderfully reformed. No resistance whatever was offered.  I was accompanied by G. C. Mays of Greene; G. W. Ray, of Grainger and Henley Sutton of Hancock counties.  The last two named are deputy marshals and at efficient ones as I have every met.  Mr. Ray secured most of the information that led to the discovery of the distilleries.  The moonshiners of Hancocke respect Mr. Sutton, and never offer any resistance when he goes to serve a process on any of them.  They know that he means to discharge his official duties regardless of what they may say or do.  The citizens of Hancocke who formerly were engaged in the moonshining business are turning their attention to farming and say they have learned that there is no money to be made in the violation of the law.  The distilleries I found were operated by boys and women of a very irresponsible character.  I was down the famous Blackwater, and found everybody quiet.  The men were at home attending to their farming business.  I am of the opinion that a genuine reformation is going on in the county.”

While researching some deeds in Hancock County, I discovered a land sale recorded on February 8, 1886. Henley and Dorcus sold 100 acres in the 7^thcivil district for $100 to Joseph Leedy.  

Source: Familysearch.org Hancock County, TN catalog

After his death involving the Barnards on January 12, 1889, the newspapers would soon follow the trials of the Barnards and one article published on Wednesday, November 6, 1889 in The Sun (New York, New York), page 10, “A Family on the Gallows. Five Condemned for a Wild Tragedy of the Tennessee Mountains. Here is an excerpt from the article:

“Henley Sutton who fell with Big John Barnard’s rifle bullet in his heart, was a man of violence, with a record of desperate deeds preeminent even in a country where every man gains more or less reputation as a shedder of blood. In all the Cumberland range south of Wils Howard’s domain, no man was more dangerous than Hen Sutton.  He was a splendidly made man, of giant stature, straight as his rifle barrel, quick and wiry as a cat.  No one ever got the drop on him, and he pulled his pistol on the slightest provocation.  As a marksman he had almost as great a reputation as Rube Burrow, the Alabama outlaw of deadly aim.

“But part your lips and I’ll send a bullet through your heart.”was his favorite threat when some trivial annoyance aroused him.

Hen’s first crime was a most despicable one.  When only 20 years old his father and mother separated.  In the division of property there was a dispute over a colt.  The father and a younger son claimed it and started away with it to an adjoining county.  Hen with a constable overtook them.  There was a fight, and finally the father started to run away.  Hen deliberately raised his rifle and shot the old man dead.  Then he took possession of the colt and returned home.  He was never even arrested for his crime.

The whole mountain region is naturally a stronghold of the moonshiners. The Government could make no progress in the war upon them, until a dozen years ago it was determined to pursue the with their own weapons.  Hen Sutton’s fame as a desperate man who knew no fear then extended throughout the mountains.  He was made a United States deputy marshal, and for eight years he was the terror of the illicit distillers of the district.  The moonshiners hated him, but they were awed by his desperate valor, and none dared oppose him.  He was removed early in Cleveland’s Administration, and for a while he acted as a deputy sheriff.  Then he began running a small still, and that was his employment until he was killed.

A mile or two from the still is the Barnard homestead.  There are two divisions of the Barnard family, the sons of two brothers.  In one family are Big John, Anderson, and Elijah; in the other are Little John and Clint.  These are the men now under sentence of death.  Big John is the leader of the Barnard faction, and splendidly proportioned, and strikingly handsome.  His good looks made him the favorite of all the mountain maidens, and this had something to do with the terrible scrape in which he now finds himself. Sutton, although a married man, with a family, was also very much a ladies’ man, and rivalry for the favor of a certain fair young woman intensified the bitterness between the two men.  The origin of the feud between the two families is not known.  It has long existed, and Sutton was by far the most violent in his enmity.  There was a boundary dispute between Sutton and Little John’s father some years ago, which was made a family matter.  Then came the dispute with Big John about the girl, and finally the immediate cause of the tragedy was a trick which some unknown person played on Sutton.  He found one morning that somebody had cut his hogs, and he charged Big John with doing it. Big John denied it, and to avoid trouble he sent a friend to Sutton to make explanations and peace. Sutton would listen to nothing, and sent word:

“I consider I have lived over half my years and I’m ready to die.  I am afraid of no man above ground, and the gun will have to settle this thing.”

The declaration of war was taken to Big John, and the Barnard family took its precautions.  They knew it meant shooting at sight, and that the man quickest with his gun would win.”

Headstone for Henley Sutton buried above the Drewery Lawson Cemetery

I know this article has some truth to it but I am sure the writer put his spin on it.  There are several theories as to why this feud occurred but this was the first time I saw that jealousy over a woman was involved.  As I mentioned in a previous blog about the Sutton-Barnard feud, the Barnards sentence was overturned but I want to know why there are drawings of the Barnards in the newspaper (and later we have the actual photos of Big John) but nothing of Henley.  I can’t help but think someone has a photo of this man and I would love to see it.