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Friday, January 25, 2019

1944 War Bond Ads in The Sutton News

The War Department held several War Bond drives during World War II with each community being assessed a goal for the amount of money raised for the war effort.


Pressure was strong to participate but for the most part, little pressure was needed for citizens to live, and display their patriotism.


A bond drive was held 75 years ago this week with ads from local merchants appearing in The Sutton News on February 3rd, 1944. Here are four of those ads.












Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Harvard's Memorial Service for WWI Casualties

Harvard's three German churches held memorial services for the six members of those churches who had died in World War I. 












Flight to the Top of the World by David L. Bristow

David L. Bristow, an associate director at the Nebraska State Historical Society has written a book about Walter Wellman, Sutton's Arctic Explorer and otherwise noteworthy fellow of his era.


This is a 2018 publication by the University of Nebraska Press and adds wealth of new information about this fascinating figure from Sutton's past. 

Walter Wellman founded Sutton's first newspaper, The Sutton Times on June 20, 1873 when he was 14 years of age. He operated the paper for five years before moving on to a lifetime of adventure and fame as described by Mr. Bristow.





This blurb appears on the front inside flap of the dust cover.




The back of the dust cover has this blurb.






Sutton's connection to Walter Wellman's life occurred very early during his 14th through 19th years. His contribution to Sutton was the distinction of founding the town's first newspaper - beating a competitor by one day. But we can envision that Wellman's experiences as a teenage newspaper publisher in our town provided at least some of the ambition and confidence that drove him to a life of extraordinary accomplishments. 



This excerpt from page 5 is the small reference to Sutton in David Bristow's book confirming again that Wellman was one of the several one-time Sutton residents who went on to make a big mark out there in the big world. 



We've been posting our findings about Walter Wellman for several years. David Bristow's book gives us a great leap in our understanding of this one-time Sutton resident. Here are links to some of our earlier references to the Wellman story.




Our 2011 article about Walter Wellman



Voss Washing Machine - 1919

The washing machine ad appeared in The Harvard Courier newspaper in January, 1919. 


You only needed any gasoline engine to be done with the drudgery of wash day.




Monday, January 21, 2019

The 1967 Sutton Centennial Pageant Program

The city of Sutton held a centennial celebration in June 1967. Here is the program for the pageant held on June 17th. The last page mentions tape recordings and photos that were available. Does anyone have those in a box in the corner of the basement, or other carefully designated location? 


It could be fun to have a memorabilia party.


The 1967 event was in recognition of the centennial of the State of Nebraska. The event that we are now planning for 2021 is the sesquicentennial (150-year anniversary) of the 1871 beginnings of the city of Sutton. The state hit that milestone two years ago in 2017.










Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Sutton Coursing news - 1909 and 1911

Sutton hosted major coursing meets, including national championships during the years around 1910.


This item appeared in The Lincoln Star on 30 Sep 1909




This letter from S. A. Fischer, editor of The Sutton News was printed in the Nebraska State Journal on 20 Feb 1911





Coursing was outlawed in Nebraska for several years during the 1920's.