HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      227

improved the homestead on which he lived until his death at the age of
seventy-eight years. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Price,
survived him until she had reachcd the age of four score years and four.
    Alonzo Sutton, the father, was of a family of five children. He was
born in Clermont county, Ohio in 1845, and when ten years old came
with his parents to Indiana, attending the district schools of Washington
township, Putnam county, and assisting his father in the clearing of
the homestead land and the improvement of the farm. When ready to
establish a homestead on an independent basis he purchased land near
the parental homestead in Washington township, a portion of this tract
being cleared and having a log cabin as another feature of its improve-
ments. With the brightening of agricultural prospects and actual
condition as well, be bought adjoining land, including the old home farm,
and is now the owner of a valuable estate of two hundred acres. He has
erected substantial farm buildings, made other improvements and has
all the appointments of a modern farmer and the prosperous urbanite.
The elder Mr. Sutton married Miss Sarah C. Hutcheson, daughter of
Peyton and Keziah (Morelan) Hutcheson, and their six children are
Albert Luther, Herbert E., Clifford P., William H. H., James A. and
Nellie P. Sutton.
    Of a studious nature, Herbert E. Sutton was given excellent educa-
tional advantages, attending the public schools, the Central Normal Col-
lege at Danville, and the State Normal School at Terre Haute. At the
age of eighteen be began teaching in the Black Hawk district, Washing-
ton township, after which he taught one term in the primary school at
Manhattan, three terms in Hutton (Vigo county) and eleven terms in
Harrison township—a record of service that speaks for itself of his suc-
cess as an educator. In 1897 be returned to the calling of his forefathers
by renting land in Harrison township and engaging in general agricul-
tural operations. Later be bought a fine tract in the fertile valley of
the Eel river, and since that time has been very extensively employed in
general farming, both as a renter and an owner of land. He gives spe-
cial attention to the raising of grain, with corn as his chief and most
certain crop.
    On March 23, 1897, Mr. Sutton married Miss Sophronia Miller, a
native of Sullivan, Indiana, where she was born on the 13th of January,
1872. At the time she was also a successful teacher, being a lady of
thorough education and pedagogical training. After completing the
graded course at Sullivan, Mrs. Sutton spent three years in the Terre
Haute High School and a like period at the Indiana State Normal, after
which she taught four years in Benton county and two years in Vigo
county. Her father, James E. Miller, is now living in Danville, Illinois,
and was one of the pioneers of Sullivan county, Indiana. He is a native
of Edgar county, Illinois, but when five years of age came with his father
to that section of Indiana. He is a veteran of the Union army, and
although he saw much active service and survived the dangers of the
battle-field, he nevertheless narrowly escaped with his life, for while
guarding a bridge he received a shock from a lightning bolt which nearly
terminated his career and from the effects of which he has never fully
recovered. His service in the Civil war was as a member of the One
Hundred and Fifty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Mr.
Miller married Miss Nancy J. Parker and their offspring are Sophronia
(Mrs. Sutton) and Robert P. Miller. Robert and Mary Parker, the