This information was copied from the pre-2023 SDHC website. The location of an original version was unknown at the time of cataloging.

Warner P. Sutton by His Daughter Ethel Felice Sutton Kimball (d. 1879), tredo from November 1889 to July 1893. President Grover Cleveland did not reappoint him. From 1893 to 1900, he had an office in Washington, D. C. for the practice of International Law. (The summers were spent in Saugatuck. ) In 1898, the War Department assigned him as Aide to General Miles in Puerto Rico (the Spanish-American War years). From 1900 until his death in 1913, he was an invalid (basular meningitis as a result of malaria contracted in Puerto Rico). Source: http://sdhistoricalsociety.net/research/SDHSWeb/Stories/WarnerPSuttonSketch.htm

From the Bulletin of the Pan American Union, Volume 37, 1913 WARNER P. SUTTON The recent death of WARNER P. SUTTON, at Madison, Ohio, removes another faithful worker from the field of Pan Americanism. Former delegates to the Pan American Conference in 1899 and the public generally will recall the fact that the secretary of the conference was Mr. Sutton, whose untiring energy and aptitude for the work contributed very materially to its success. Mr. Sutton was born in Michigan in 1849 and at the time of his death was only 64 years of age. He began life as a teacher and soon became principal and superintendent of schools in various sections of his native State until 1878, when he was appointed commercial agent of the United States at Matamoros, Mexico, later receiving the appointment successively as consul and consul general. In 1889 he was called to Washington by Mr. Blaine, then Secretary of State, to act as secretary of the American delegates of the Pan American Conference. Mr. Sutton had previously spent some months in Washington, working on the reciprocity treaty with Mexico, which, however, failed of ratification in the Senate. After leaving the consular service Mr. Sutton engaged in the practice of international law and carried a number of important cases to a successful termination. The case which brought him the most fame and profit was that of Cheek v. the King of Siam, in which he won a fortune of nearly $1,000,900, for his client, Mrs. Cheek. Mr. Sutton was an intimate friend of Zachariah Chandler, and later of Senator T. W. Ferry, by whom he was assisted in obtaining his first appointment in the foreign service. Throughout his life. whether in the service of his country or as a private citizen, Mr. Sutton contributed liberally to the improvement of commercial and friendly relations between the United States and the Latin Republics, and his untimely death will be deeply regretted by hosts of friends all over the Americas.

Saida had come by Clipper - 35 hours of flying. Mother had clung to life by sheer spirit - so weak - so low - though aware of every sound and activity in our house. Carl and I met Saida at the Cleveland Airport; her plane was delayed by heavy fog and we feared Mother would not survive the extra time of waiting. When Saida's cable came, we told Mother - and from that time on she just waited - asking often, "When is she coming? Jean and Mrs. Whipple were with Mother. She insisted on being up and dressed as she didn't want Saida to see her in bed. Of course that couldn't be - but she had her hair nicely done - and wore her pretty blue gown. Saida walked into Mother's room and. said., "Here I am, Mother" -- what happened then seems a miracle. Mother opened her eyes - began to talk and in a few minutes sounded quite like herself - even laughing. This was after a week of lying with eyes closed and speaking is a whisper. Carl, Saida, Jean, and had quite a gay little party with her. Dr. Judd came on his morning call - he was amazed. Mother said, "Dr. Judd, what do you call my trouble" He explained that her heart was a little too slow and that he was giving her medicines to help that. Then she asked her next questions "Do you know how old I am?" "Do you think that my age has anything to do with my trouble?" The Doctor looked at us - quite distressed by this cross questioning and finally explained that her age made it take longer to get a response from the treatment. Then Mother looked at us a moment and said, "Its all right. I've lived a long and happy life and I have good children." That was the end of her conversation. It was like an audience with royalty. We were dismissed. Dr. Judd said he had never seen anything to compare with it - it was pure spirit and will power. After that, Mother was quiet - with eyes closed, though not asleep. She whispered when she wanted to speak - but said, "I hear everything you say." Saida and I were constantly with her, holding the hand that she reached out to us. She would ask, "Saida?" or "Ethel?" and seemed quite content. In the early days of her illness, she had a regular procession of family. Enid and most of her family were here in early September - Later Caroline and her family came: Tommy and Dicky walked into her room bringing flowers they had picked for her. Jean and Warner came each week end, and later Jean came to stay - a wonderful help to us all. And, at last, Saida came - She told Mother that Alice and White sent their love - that completed her family. Several times she referred to that - "Alice and White sent their love" - as if it were a tangible substance. Mother had every attention from friends and neighbors and the church, and with this complete sense of "family" she seemed content. At "Bed time" Carl and 1 had read her favorite scripture to her, so it was by custom That we read or repeated a Psalm. Most often it was the 23rd. - her favorite. The last night - September 30 - she was in sone pain. We had given her medicine for quieting and thought that if we began the Psalm, she would feel it was "Bed time." Saida and I began- we could see Mother's lips shaping the wordy - no. sound at first. After a few lines she was whispering them and near the end was speaking them plainly. We finished the Psalm - "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me - all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Mother continued - "All the days of my life" and again "All the days of my life." Those were her last words - for her wonderful spirit left the next day - October 1, 1939. That phrase has come to me over and over - so constantly recurring that I feel impelled to recall some of the "Days of her life." Mother liked to tell us that she had seen ox carts - stage coaches - river boats - trains - automobiles - ships and planes - in fact she had traveled in most of these ways - now she wanted to fly. In Cleveland we had opportunity to take her up in a small dirigible. She enjoyed it, but still wanted to go in a "real plane." She remembered the nows of Lincoln's assassination - brought by the stage driver - as he went by the little town in Michigan - Maple Grove. When she was very young, she taught a distract school in Sheffield Township - near Elyria. A cousin has told us how gay and pretty she was and how she managed to teach great boys - older than she was: Her Grandfather, Arnold Burrell, was a member of the school board which explains the teaching position in Ohio. Mother and Father met at a Teachers' Meeting in. Michigan. He asked a class if it was possible to divide backyards. Mother thought it could be dose and proceeded to prove it. After their marriage in 1874 . they both taught in several Michigan towns - I think - of Watervleit and Luddington. Later they went to Saugatuck and bought "The Beeches" where all of us have spent so many happy summers. Father's appointment to Matamoros came through Senator Thomas White Ferry - about 1878. They went to New Orleans - much of the way by river boat there they found a yellow fever quarantine - Mother and Saida went north again to wait a safer time but Father was permitted to go to Matamoros. We have no idea how many times that long trip was made going across the Gulf - via Galveston or New Orleans. Saugatuck was a heavenly place to go back to about once in two years - other vacations were spent at Point Isabel or Corpus Christi. Going to Mexico was a great change for both Father and Mother _ apparently they adapted themselves easily and made many friends. There were American businessmen and missionaries - quite a number of Germans and some English. MATAMOROS Playing with other children at Santa Cruz the street car ride - picking flowers - the Zocolo -the ferry across the river to Brownsville - where we visited the Halls. The big place in Matamoros - huge rooms - little balconies over the attest - the big corridor on the patio - horse hair furniture - Dr. MacManus - the lovely four-poster canopied rosewood bed - Antonio - in the kitchen and our nurses - Chona, Florencia - with her cigarette - the busy patio - the peacocks - Mr. Ituria and his him wheeled bicycle the plaza - the Little mission church with service and catechism in Spanish. Vacations at Point Isable - were a joy. We stayed in a large warehouse - had bathing - fishing and boating - we gathered shrimp - caught crabs - saw sharks and "Stingarees" - (sting ray?). Often we went in a sail boat with "Pasqual" around the island out into the Gulf. One high point was coming home in the evening and Father and Mother singing the little Scotch song - "When ye gang away Jamie," Also - Pasqual - used to call out "Baca la centaboa" - something about the centre board. .. in the little sail boat. On these trips, the Graybills and Halls would be with us - and there were children of our own age to play with. Another impression is of the chubascos - when we were taken down under an archway of the building for safety - always there was small pox and sometimes great epidemics. Near us was the big Theater - this I remember only as a place full of bright lights and full of beautifully dressed people - Mother had a beautiful costume with a fan and by hearsay only - there ''as the occasion of a Grand Ball for the President Porfirio Diaz - when he asked Mother for the honor of a dance - these stories and places are only vague - but I can remember being in a box in the theater and seeing these things, though I do not remember the occasion. Father took us to see things and always explained them in detail. In the spring we drove out of the city to fly huge kites that were made for us. I remember a sugar mill - somewhere - and the lighthouse at Point Isabel - on a ship or on a train we saw everything and he explained it to us. I remember, too, the fine dame he brought home in the winter season: ducks, quail, plover. Mother had to be teacher for all of us in Matamoros - each in a different grade - Saida was so advanced with history and novels - White and. I had simpler studies, but how we loved it. She was a gifted teacher: piano lessons were given by Miss Braids - and we loved those, too - one more diversion in a very restricted life. There were about 11 years in Matamoros - one outstanding experience was Saida's terrible illness, She had visited the Halls during Christmas holidays and soon after coming home had a severe attack of pain - (abdominal) ~ I can still see Father walking Saida up and down the corridor - telling her to "Brace up" - it would soon pas. It did "pass" no doubt a ruptured appendix - and this was followed by endless weeks of terrible illness (peritonitis). Every Doctor within reach was called Surgeons and Doctors from the Army Post as well as our own Dr. MacManus. Father made arrangements to have Saida removed to Texas in case of death - as the Mexican 1aw required prompt burial (24 hours). I must have been about five or six, but the memory is vivid: it was terrible for all of us - and months before Saida could walk again; Mother had to cope with the climate and the servants - Antonio - who was good when he was not drunk; and nurses - a procession of them - I remember only two: Florencia - Who seemed always to be sitting in a doorway by the corridor, knees to chin and smoking a cigarette. Chona was the other - she was good to us and we loved her dearly. There were Chubascos or small pox epidemics and the threat of the "evil eye" if some dirty old woman was not permitted to kiss us on the street. Because we were "hueritas" we were considered beautiful. One incident I remember because Father was very angry about it. Some officers wines from the Post in Brownsville made a social call on Mother - but used the call to put yards of dress goods bought in Matamoros - duty free - under their skirts to smuggle across to the U.S. Father was incensed that they had the nerve to use the U.S. Consulate to defraud the U.S. Government. It never was tried again. Mother's best dresses were made at Madame Demarest's in New York. They were complete ensembles - dresses-wraps and hats - etc. Her summer clothes and most of ours were made at our house with a sewing woman to help - Mother was a nice seamstress herself. She used to tell us of her first sewing for Saida. She had no pattern so made one by laying Saida on a table and drawing the outline: then she made 12 pairs of panties trimmed with lace and embroidery: they were perfect as long as Saida stood up, but she could not sit down.. Besides sewing and teaching, she entertained us reading - playing games - and I especially remember marching around before bed time to her playing. It was a problem to keep three children happy and fairly quiet - her only peace carne when the nurse took us out every afternoon. Going to see the Halls in Brownsville . it was exciting to ride in the ferry boat: this was a hand-propelled flat bottom boat: the current was strong and Father explained why the ferry man headed up stream to get us to the opposite shore - he also gave us strict training about correct behavior in a, row boat - something we never forgot. Early in '89 Father was called to Washington as Secretary of the First Pan American Congress. He was also appointed Consul General at Nuevo Laredo to take office later in the year. Mother and Uncle Charlie arranged for packing and shipping our household goods - they were sent by stage and ship and railroad. My recollection is only of excitement and pleasure, but it must have been an ordeal for them. Next came our own journey . we went by stage to Camargo about 18 miles over dusty roads - Mother Uncle Charlie, Saida, White, and myself. My only memory of that stop is that we were to someone's house and I fell out of the upper of a double decker screaming with fright - White being younger., was in the lower. From there we started on a two-day cross-country trip in army coaches or ambulances with an escort of soldiers from Fort Ringold there was no road jest a direction across endless plains, cactus, sage brush, buzzards and some cattle. There were tents and a good cook and how we enjoyed the meals prepared for us! The first night we camped near a small lake or water hole. There was a violent thunder storm: the next night we were near a small settlement - Los Positos - Uncle Charlie slept at the door of our tent - and we learned later that the village was the camp of a notorious band of brigands. Our escort purposely camped there and were on guard all night - we were not molested in any way. Late in the afternoon of the second day we reached a railroad station - the end of the journey by coach. We were tired and cross and sore and sometime later, we took a train to Laredo. There we stayed, Uncle Charlie making arrangements for coming back in the fall and soon we went north. That summer of 1889 - passed like a dream just a few incidents stand out - Grandmother Andrus was with us at a cottage at Long Lake. We had a glorious time - such freedom! In July we went to Uncle Charlie and Aunt Lou's wedding. Probably it was September when with Grandmother we went to Washington. Mother had been there all the season. Mother was so pretty'- so well dressed and seemed to know a12 about the city. We were at 1301 K. on Franklin Square, We children were quite impressed by Mother - I especially remember two lovely - gowns - they were made by the same dressmaker who made gowns for the President's wife. One dress was a black silk grenadine with heavy trimming and another was a green printed silk with facings of white. We were very proud of Mother and Father seemed to be, 'too. It was a happy time. We children attended Franklin School and found that Mother had been a thorough teacher. Saida had to have glasses. Her oculist was Dr. Burnett, Frances Hodgson's husband. And Little Lord Fauntleroy was in Saida's class, I believe, I remember this as a happy bright spot. So many new things - Father's work was interesting and important - Mother happy, radiant and pretty. In late fall - probably November - we returned to Nuevo Laredo - living in a small house - while suitable one was being built for us. The bridge across the river connecting the Mexican National and the I, sad G. N. had been finished and made this an important port of entry. Father was the first Consul General, there. We three children were seat to a Seminary on the Texas side and in time we moved into the new house - there was a large. household - beside our own family -Uncle Charlie and Aunt Lou and some of the time Mr. Coddington - a friend of Uncle Charlie's who was a clerk in the Consulate. There was a large yard with alfalfa set out like strawberry plants and constantly watered - a nice garden with roses and a tall screen of "carissos" - mulberry trees for shade across the front. The four years in Laredo were busy and eventful. There was the large household - Antonio came as cook. The first thing on waking was the aroma of roasting coffee - toasted fresh every day and made from choice berries from a mountain plantation. We bought it "green" in fifty-pound sacks. Another good taste was Antonio's corn bread --this was made from corn meal ground every day - he made it without eggs or milk - but it was delicious. About once a month after "pay day" Antonio got gloriously drunk and landed in jail. On that Monday morning there was no cook - until Father went to pay his fine. Thomas and Maria lived near by - they did most of the house work - floors were washed often and we hid no fleas. We had a lovely garden and lawn. The grass with much watering made a solid turf in time; the passersby used to shop and look though the high picket fence to see the green yard - 1t was a curiosity. There was much illness in Laredo - always "grippe" and Dengue fever but the worst of all was White's case of small pox. He was kept in the south end of the house - while Mother's baby - Enid - arrived at the north end. Father cared for White until danger was past - then was well disinfected - and took care of the family - all of us had been thoroughly vaccinated- White's did not take. Our school days were spent at Laredo Seminary with weekends at home. Father tried garden experiments - trying to grow the vegetables that Mother missed so much but without success. When Grower Cleveland was elected for his second term.- he removed every Republican - great and small - so in 1893 we came north - Father and Mother and Saida and lived there about fifteen years. We stooped in Chicago for the World's Fair - some of Father's Consular Reports were in on exhibit and then spent a glorious summer in Saugatuck. It must have been an anxious time for Father and Mother with no position no salary and quite a family. In the fall of 1893 we went to Washington - staying at the Strathmore Arms - 1101 K. St. Father opened. a law office ~ mostly International Law, Some of his cases involved the Mexican Government -. also against our Government. In time be had many interesting and remunerative cases, some cases took him to the West Coast - one to the City of Mexico - Mother and Enid went with him . We three children - the older ones attended Washington schools. Saida went to Oberlin the next year. At the Strathmore Arms - we heard many people of note - the company was more illustrious than the food, but it was as interesting time for all of us. Here again Father and Mother took us to visit points of interest. We had bicycles - went on long trips. It was during this time that the "Cheek Cased" was settled and that meant comfort to us all in the years of Father's illness. How we loved the Saugatuck summers: Our school days were from November to May. It was only by the use of imagination that we met the entrance requirements for Oberlin. In Saugatuck - the house was always full - some friends spent most of the summer. Everyone visited us there. We had great time with a canoe - a skiff and small motor boat - picnics - swimming and fishing - and Mother of course had to plan for us all and somehow we all had our duties and things were done and everyone has a good time, In 1898 Father offered his services - if needed he did not want to go - but was called to serve with General Nelson Miles in Puerto Rico - a confidential secretary .. not a military duty. He heard a few bullets - the war was soon over - but he was left with malaria - which caused his long years of illness and his death in 1913.. Here again Mother had more duties - she took over all his business affairs under his direction she managed very wall - accounts - letters - investing - and with all this, cared for him until a fulltime nurse was needed. In spite of his illness they managed to put all the children through college. Caring for Father - even with a nurse - finally brought an illness and Mother and Father came to Madison in March of 1909 - Mother lived with us and Father was cared for in the home of his nurse Earnest Robinson. Most devotedly Mother cared for Father for the next four years - twice a day she walked down to spend hours with him. People along the street said they could set their clocks by seeing her. She was so punctilious about her visits to him. She read many, many volumes to him - and wrote his letters. He was comfortable and quite contest. He always expected to go home to Michigan, but he grew increasingly helpless and Mother's health made it inadvisable for them to undertake the trip or to start again to live so far away from us. Father was quite content and comfortable and had a short, acute illness just one day. He died May 30, 1913. Mother felt she had nothing to live for - before Father's death she had felt keenly the need to live so that no one else should have that care. Now her hands were empty. She spoke of it often. In 1914 - Mother went to Honolulu. She was at sea - when war was declared. There - she had a happy visit with her children - she cherished the memory and spoke of it in later years. After finishing her college work, Enid joined Mother and they returned' in early spring of 1916 when Enid received her Master's Degree at June Commencement. From that time on - Mother made a real place for herself in Madison. She made a round of calls on invalids and isolated people - walking many miles often to make a call. Her calls were always short. During the year she made several hundred calls people still speak of her with appreciation - no one since has filled her place. I remember that she did the same thing in Saugatuck - though to a limited group - the Newnhams - Taylors - Sailors and Grace Rutter. When she was not able to walk so far, she made calls nearer home - continuing this until she was nearly 80. After that she seemed to live in her interest in our activities: she death loved automobile trips and was always ready to go - one trip when she was past 84 - we left Madison very early and crossed the Mississippi by daylight - after 596 miles we decided to stop for the night - her comment was characteristic: "I hope you aren't stopping on my account. I'm not tired." The rest of us were groggy from weariness. In the morning she was the first one up - ready for another day. Little by little she had to give up, but she was methodical about each activity - table setting - drying dishes - putting things in order mending - crocheting - she made three medallions every day - and had made four lovely bed spreads and was well on toward a fifth - she read some Spanish - and a magazine article every day - she loved the yard and picking flowers. She delighted in any little thing we did for her - and was proud of any accomplishment we might have or seem to have - she was loyal to the limit to us all. Saida's visits were high spots in her life. She wore her best clothes and loved going on drives and to nice places for dinner or a show - on that last trip - when she expected Saida - she wanted to be dressed and ready for whatever good time Saida might plan. It was sweet - but tragic too. She met life with courage and a kind of gaiety she was always exquisite and lovely to the last. "All the days of my life" keeps repeating in my mind as I think of her - and what an interesting life she had: One picture I have of her is the way I often saw her - when I went to her room and saw her reflection in the mirror - sitting with her Bible reading - and looking out of the window .. too - from time to time. She found pleasure in everything. These are only a few of the many incidents that I recall. Many are vague. This is just a sketch which may serve to help you recall other events - perhaps you will put them in writing and send them to me. She surely was a Mother to remember with love and pride - and amusement, too. Written by Ethel May 1946 Source: http://sdhistoricalsociety.net/research/SDHSWeb/Stories/LoisAndrusSuttonSketch.htm