S. Frank Sutton
(Spartanburg Chain Gang Supervisor)
Story furnished by Clarence Crocker
Mr. Sutton, “S.F.”, as he was known and called, was a supervisor with Spartanburg County roads department. The inspection report made to the S.C. board of Public Works July 16, 1920, showed that as of June 1920, he was serving as foreman of the “colored” chain gang. It also showed that Spartanburg County chain gang had 47 black male and 15 black female prisoners. The camp was shown to be in need of a second cover for tent occupied by the “chain men”. Also, a new tent was needed for the cook and a new box was needed for food storage. The beds were considered excellent but the overall rating of the camp was listed as “fair”. “S. F.” was widely known and very popular throughout the county. According to his obituary he had been promoted to the position of Supervisor before his retirement.
S. Frank Sutton was the son of James Sutton of North Carolina and Icy Guthrie Sutton of South Carolina and was born in South Carolina March 9, 1859. Marrying Susan Alice Zimmerman, (the great Aunt of this writer) from Cedar Springs, South Carolina, they moved into their spacious two story home on a small farm just across the river from the mill in Glendale at the intersection of the Bethesda/Sutton Springs Road. The roads today are named “The Emma Cudd Road and the Sutton Road“. There was a spring up the hill behind their home from which water flowed by gravity through pipes into their house. I was told that at one point they installed a ram at the spring.
At the age of 61, “S.F.“ suffered serious injury in an automobile accident on August 1, 1920. He had bought a new seven passenger Buick car and carried a group of young people on a touring trip through up-state. Returning home they had a terrible accident in Mayo, South Carolina in which one was killed instantly, one died within thirty minutes, two died within 24 hours, two others were critically injured and not expected to live. S.F. was seriously injured and another young lady suffered broken bones and bruises. S.F. survived the wreck, returning to his home and farm where he was living when he died.
Though I was only 1 year old when Uncle Frank died, I remember Aunt Sue, (as we called her) very well. Susan Alice Sutton was my Grandmother’s sister. Living just across the valley from my grandparents, George & Margaret McCombs, we would oft times see her when we visited my grandparents. Since we did not get a car until the late 30s, we would either ride the trolley to Glendale and walk the short distance to my grandparent’s home or go in the buggy.
On one occasion Uncle Frank mentioned to my Grandpa, Frank’s brother in-law. that something was getting his chickens. Grandpa went that night to S. F.‘s chicken house and set steel traps. When he went back to check the trap the next morning, much to his surprise and sorrow, he found that he had caught a skunk. The odor on him and his clothes was so strong that everyone avoided him that could. When he stopped by John LeMaster’s store to pick up some things on the way home, the people scattered and John told him that he had run all his customers away.
Uncle Frank died in the Mary Black Hospital on Saturday night August 22, 1925. Funeral services were held in the Glendale Baptist Church with interment following in the Cedar Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. His obituary published in the Spartanburg Herald on Sunday August 23rd stated that he was survived by his widow, Mrs. S. F. Sutton, four sons and two daughters. His obituary stated “ Mr. Sutton was known to hundreds of persons who will be grieved to learn of his death”
Aunt Sue continued to live at the home place. I remember Aunt Sue as being a small lady, about five feet tall, loving and kind. She delighted in giving her visitors a little gift of some sort. On one occasion, when my brother Albert and our cousin, John Varner Jr., visited her, she gave to each of them a piece of civil war money as a keepsake.
Aunt Sue Sutton died at home on Wednesday morning May 27, 1936. Her funeral was held in the Glendale Baptist Church where she was a member with interment following along side of her husband in the Cedar Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.
They were survived by their four sons; S. Frank Sutton of Newberry, S. C., Charles H. Sutton of Pikesville, Ky., David R. Sutton of Jacksonville, Fla. and J. Larry Sutton of Spartanburg. Two daughters; Mrs. J. B. Williams of Columbia, S. C. and Mrs. Annie M. Henderson of Glendale. Their son, James Larry Sutton served as clerk of the Spartanburg County Board of Control.
Aunt Sue was also survived by her sister, Mrs. George (Margaret Ann Zimmerman) McCombs of Glendale, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
This web site has been started as a public service to share the story of Glendale. The web master and person to contact about putting information on the web site is Mary McKinney Teaster. Contact her at:
marylee@glendalesc.com or by telephone at (843) 873-8117. See more information about Mary and her Glendale connection at Mary McKinney Teaster.
