Ulmer Family with 4 Sons in WWII

Mr. and Mrs Jabob Ulmer (she was Julia Serr) had four sons on active duty with two more, age 21 and 18 who expected to be called up. This from The Sutton News on Sept. 7, 1944.

Sutton High's 1969 Football Roster

Here is the roster of the 1969 Sutton High Football Team.

Zion Lutheran Church celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 1969 - in an earlier building

In 1969, the Zion Lutheran Church celebrated its 75th anniversary in this building.

Early Harvard History item

This 1919 item in The Harvard Courier was a bit of early Harvard history from Tom Matters.

Tom Matters made news during this period for his participation in a banking scheme by Melchoir Luebben that led to the demise of the 1st National Bank of Sutton and the opportunity for the two men to enjoy some time off in state lodging facilities. 

1919 Jail escapee in Clay and then Adams Counties

This fine fellow had been held in the Clay County jail a few weeks earlier when he tried to escape. When authorities caught him, they took him to Hastings to lock him up in a better, more secure jail.

He took up the challenge:

Tax Auction - 1944

The August 24, 1944 issue of The Sutton News had this account of a two-day tax auction of Sutton properties. Did anybody you know, or some property you know about play in this day's festivities?

1944 First Day of School

Ads in August 1944

1944 tidbits

From the August 3, 1944 issue of The Sutton News we learn of the second sale of the local sale barn within a short period with Alex MacDonald buying the business.

The banker was a handyman.

Writing the weekly history column for the newspaper provides exposure to the minutia of the past. Here is where our neighbor bought his farm in 1944. They were within rural District #16 where Jerry Erickson entered kindergarten in the final year of the school when I was in the fifth grade. The next year we were all town kids. 

1969 Sutton Schools Faculty Quiz

Fifty years ago on Wednesday, August 27th Sutton Schools opened for the 1969-1970 school year. How many faculty members do you remember? How about a quiz?

Here is a brutally cropped image from The Clay County News which identified the faculty and staff. You have to live with yourself if you peek.

I'll post the full announcement in this space soon, let's say on Tuesday evening, the 13th, or so, if I remember. I have a few years on those in school 50 years ago so you folks may still have the CRS syndrome to look forward to.  (Can't Remember... Stuff)

UPDATE - Full ad posted below - UPDATE

Early Photo of Downtown Sutton North Side

This early photo of downtown Sutton is looking north from the railroad tracks. The photo offers us several pieces of information about this part of town.

The street was not paved. Sidewalks were elevated a bit above the mud and the goo. There were utility poles in the sidewalk on the west side. There was a balcony at about the 2nd floor level mid-block on the west side. Is that cool, or what? The near building on the east side would become Fred Hanke's tailor shop - I believe Fred and his wife lived upstairs. It must have been one of the news offices (Register?) at the time. 

The next three buildings going north were still standing about 55 years ago where two of the pool halls and taverns were located. One of them was identified as one of Sutton's two "fancy houses" from the day. Those older buildings were torn down as a consequence of deteriorating mortar credited to vibrations from passing trains.  

The steeple of the Methodist (later Federated) Church is in the distance on the left of the street. The dark outline behind the fellow in the middle of the street is the frame over the Iron Bridge across School Creek. 

There is a restaurant sign midway down the east side of the street. Nearer, at the second building is a tantalizing sign we can just barely make out. I see ".....TATORIUM"  "AND"  "O?. E. WORK ?"  Any better eyes or Jumble players see more than that?