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According to Johnny F. Sutton (see Sources): "James Thomas Sutton was a farmer, land owner, in his thirties when the Civil War broke out. He had approximately 100 acres of land adjoining his father's (John Caleb). Like his father he had stores of goods. He had 3 children, the oldest six and the youngest one year or less. Like his father and five brothers, he joined the Confederate Armed Forces; with his father and three brothers he joined Company "D", 18th Regiment, North Carolina Troops (Infantry). During the war he saw his father and three brothers die. Another brother was wounded, lost a limb and was discharged as a result of those wounds. He and his brother William were captured in May 1864 during the battles of Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA, battles described by historians as the worst of the Civil War, and sent to the Union prison in Elmira NY. They were later exchanged and sent to Venus Point, Savannah GA, arriving 15 Dec 1864, with Sherman's army knocking on the gates of that city. We don't know what happened after that. They may have joined the army of General Joseph E. Johnson as he retreated through South Carolina and into North Carolina. They may have looked around and decided to go home as so many others did. In any event he later heard of the death of his youngest brother at the Union prison at Elmira, NY on 16 April 1865. In addition to the deaths of his father and brothers during the war, his wife also died--we don't know exactly when. Sometime in the early or middle 1870's his youngest son William died accidentally. According to Grandpa Sutton, he fell from a tree and something stuck through his eye, causing death. In March 1889, his oldest daughter, Mary, aged 22, died of rheumatism.
"He was primarily a farmer but bought and sold a great deal of land in Robeson and Columbus Counties, NC, around the town of Boardman, which Grandpa Sutton called home. According to Robeson Co. court records, he might have sold some homemade whiskey during the 1880's. Times were hard and people had to do what they could to get by.
"James Thomas married again in 1865, another Elizabeth, the daughter of Alden and Althenna Herring Britt. This information is extracted from 'History of the Britt Family,' written by James Britt in 1903. In the census of 1900 she had been married to James for 35 years and bore two children, with one still living. On legal documents, her name was Elizabeth C. Sutton.
"James Thomas Sutton was 5 ft. 5 in tall. He is on the Confederate States Army Roll of Honor. Place of burial is not known."
In the 1850 Robeson County census, JT, 21, was living with his parents, Caleb and Merinda Sutton. Next door was the Elias Barnes family, including 13-year-old Elizabeth whom JT would marry about four years later. In 1860, JT and Elizabeth were situated with their new family (Henry F., 4; Mary, 2; and Zada A., 6 months) next door to Caleb and Merinda. |
