History of Atchison County, Kansas

by Sheffield Ingalls

FRED SUTTER.

Fred Sutter, president of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Effingham, is a native son of Atchison county and prominently identified with the affairs of his county. Mr. Sutter is rightly considered as one of the real leaders of the county, and it can be said of him that he has met with unusual success in anything which he has undertaken. To him and his influence, more than any other individual, the farmers of the county are indebted for the inauguration of a skilled county farm expert. Kindred things of this character in behalf of the welfare of the county have been Mr. Sutter’s hobby for several years past.

Fred Sutter

Mrs. Fred Sutter

Fred Sutter’s Residence.

Fred Sutter was born July 20, 1869, on a pioneer farm in Walnut township, and is a son of Fred Sutter, who was born in Bath, Germany, in 1827, and immigrated to America about 1844, and died in Atchison county in September of 1887. Fred Sutter, Sr., landed at New York City and made his way from there to St. Louis, Mo., where he married Fredericka Miller, who was born at Bath, Germany, September 23, 1837. She died in Atchison county September 10, 1914. The elder Sutter had learned the trade of carpenter in his youth and he plied his trade in St. Louis until 1857, when he came up the Missouri river by steamer to old Sumner, then in the heyday of its brief glory and prosperity. He found plenty to occupy his talents at Sumner and helped to build a great many of the first houses there. It might be well to add here, however, that the first home of the family in Kansas was at old Port William, where one or two of the children were born. From Port William the family removed to Sumner, and in the course of time Fred Sutter, Sr., made his home on a farm in the northwestern part of Walnut township, near the Mt. Pleasant and Walnut line. The family lived there until the spring of 1880, during which time he worked at his trade. In 1880 he moved to Benton township, and for the first seven years of his residence there he rented the A. G. Otis farm, about two miles west of Effingham and then purchased the farm. The next investment was made by his sons in the Osborn tract of 480 acres of school land. Two years after buying this an additional quarter section was added, making 640 acres in all, which was owned by this enterprising family. During all these years in which he was accumulating valuable farm lands, the elder Sutter had the assistance of his sons, and the greater part of the estate is still tilled and owned by the children of this pioneer. Fred Sutter, Sr., came to this country a poor man and worked in a planing mill and furniture factory at St. Louis until he heard of the opening of the Kansas territory, when he determined to be one of the first to settle in the new State. He was farseeing, and by the practice of rigid economy and the better plan of holding his family together, was able to leave a considerable estate at his demise. He was an honored and respected member of the community and was well known throughout the county. The children born to Frederick and Fredericka Sutter were as follows: Kate, deceased wife of H. W. Barkow, of the Kessler-Barkow Saddlery Company, of Atchison; Mrs. Augusta McAdam, of Effingham; Fannie, housekeeper for her brother, William, who resides on the old home place; Mrs. Anna Shannon, of Effingham; Carl F., of Kipp, Kan.; William and Fred, and Frank, on a farm one-half mile west of Effingham.

Fred Sutter, with whom this review is directly concerned, received his education in the district schools, and for three years after his father’s death lived on the home place, or until 1890. He settled on part of the family estate, consisting of 640 acres held jointly by the Sutter sons, improving the property until his removal to Effingham, where he resided for three years, and then purchased his present farm, which is just at the edge of Effingham. He has 160 acres of fine land within sight of the town upon which he has erected (in 1909) one of the handsomest, modern ten-room farm houses in the county. He also built a new barn, 40×40 feet, which is in keeping with the rest of his farm property.

Mr. Sutter was married May 20, 1908, to Sarah, daughter of Robert McPhilimy, and to this union have been born the following children: Mabel, aged five years, and Geneva, aged three years. He has been connected with the Farmers and Merchants State Bank since 1905 and was elected president of this thriving financial institution in 1906. Mr. Sutter is a Republican and is one of the wheel horses of the party in Atchison county. He was appointed a member of the Atchison County High School board in September of 1913, reëlected to the office in the fall of 1914 and is now serving as treasurer of this board. He is a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church of Effingham and is a liberal contributor to the support of this religious denomination. He is affiliated fraternally with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Benevolent and Protected Order of Elks of Atchison, and the Central Protective Association, being one of the original members of Effingham Lodge, No. 158, Central Protective Association, and has been its treasurer for the past four years.

While Mr. Sutter is connected with the Presbyterian church of Effingham, his ideal of a church for a small town is the community church which can be used by the entire population of the town for public and social purposes. To this end he was the prime mover in the erection of the handsome Presbyterian church building in Effingham, at a cost of $14,000, which was dedicated in June, 1913. This church building is used for many public purposes and has been a decided benefit to Effingham in many ways. Mr. Sutter started the movement for the building of this church and headed the subscription list, never desisting in his work until the church was erected and dedicated. Another monument to his enterprise is the farmers’ institute, with which he was connected for five years and assisted materially in organizing. His energy and influence kept the institute going in fine shape for the five years with which he was connected with the movement. Mr. Sutter has a likable personality and is one of the forceful and influential men of Atchison county.