Figure 1, George Sutton and Colonists aboard Hercules, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com)
Since the early days of Colonial America, the Sutton family has been one dedicated to spiritual living, beginning with the practice of Quakerism. A Quaker is a member of the Religious Society of Friends, a Christian sect founded in 1650. The central belief of Quakers is the doctrine of the Inner Light. They reject formal ministry and worship, and they held meetings at which any member of the group may speak. The first Sutton who was a known Quaker was my 9th great grandfather, George Ambrose Sutton. George was born to his father Richard and mother Sarah in 1613 in Tenterden, England. At the age of 21, George and two of his brothers sailed to Massachusetts aboard the ship Hercules as servants to Nathaniel Tilden and his family. Part of the group that sailed in 1634 is shown in the picture above.
Figure 2, Quaker Sites in Perquimans County, Perquimans County, North Carolina (http://www.carolana.com/NC/Counties/ perquimans_county_nc.html)
They settled in Scituate, Massachusetts, and two years later, George married Sarah Tilden, daughter of Nathaniel. Because he had lived in England, George had previously been devoted to the Church of England. After arriving in America, he converted to Quakerism sometime around 1650, not long after the religion began. The Suttons lived peacefully in the Plymouth colony for about twenty years. Around 1668, Plymouth enacted penal laws against Quakers, and the Suttons were forced to migrate. George and his family moved to the Carolina colony and settled in what is now known as Perquimans County. The Suttons led monthly Quaker meetings near their home. The area was named “Sutton Creek” because it bordered land owned by the Suttons and because the Suttons were so devoted to Quakerism. The photo to the left shows Quaker sites in Perquimans County, North Carolina, with Sutton Creek highlighted in red. George died in 1669, leaving behind his wife and 13 children.
Figure 3, Sutton-Newby House, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com)
Of his children, the majority of them moved to North Carolina with George and Sarah. However, some of them remained in Massachusetts and some migrated to New Jersey. George’s son, Joseph, built the Sutton-Newby house, pictured left, on Sutton Creek—land that remained in the Sutton family for nearly seventy years. The Suttons remained in the Carolinas and in New Jersey until the mid-1800s, when they moved to Perry County, Tennessee. Perry County is the home to Sutton Baptist Church. From there, the Suttons can be followed to small town Alabama, where most of the Suttons can be found today. Pictured below are my great-grandparents, Lucy and Aaron Lennear Sutton. Of their children, many are preachers in the Church of God of Prophecy and many others are worship leaders and Sunday school teachers.
Figure 4, Aaron Lennear and Lucy Sutton, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com)
Our family legacy of spiritual living continues with my grandfather, who is the pastor of my local church, as well as in my own father, who is the associate pastor and will more than likely become pastor after my grandfather retires. As for myself, I have been heavily involved in church activities all my life. I dedicated my life to The Lord when I was ten years old and have lived for Him since then. Since I was a child, I have participated in numerous musicals, dramas, and mission trips. I hope to continue my family’s legacy and spend my future working in the mission field, offering medical services to those in other countries.