Harold Sutton, McCook's 'Mr. Republican'

Harold Sutton

Harold Sutton was born in McCook in 1889, the son of Col. Harvey Sutton, the colorful organizer and long time leader of the famous Burlington Band, and the owner of one of McCook's most successful business, the Sutton Jewelry Store. From all reports, Harold was a rather pampered (but only to a certain degree) young man, who had lofty goals, and figured that his father would help him to accomplish all his dreams.

In high school Harold was a standout football quarterback and baseball player -- contrary to his father's wishes. Col. Sutton had little use for sports. But Harold also worked at the family jewelry store. During his Junior and Senior years he served as an apprentice to an Englishman, who worked for the elder Sutton as a watchmaker. He hated this work, and longed for the day when he would be able to leave the jewelry store business -- to leave McCook. He fully intended to attend the University of Nebraska for two years. He would then spend four years at Yale University, where he would earn a law degree.

He did attend the University of Nebraska, and was a member of the 1908 NU freshman football team (strictly against his father's orders). A severely sprained ankle ended his football career, and also ended a promising baseball career before it had even begun. A too-heavy class load and a mix-up in an English assignment led to his dropping out of the U entirely.

A thoroughly disillusioned young man, Harold returned to McCook and took another look at becoming a jeweler. In 1910, he completed work as an optometrist at the McCormick Medical School in Chicago. The profession was still new in Nebraska at the time and he was certified by the Nebraska Optometric Board, No. 97 in the state. Some 69 years later, when he closed the Sutton Jewelry Store, Harold had the distinction of being the oldest licensed optometrist in the state (although he had not practiced for several years.)

Sutton had been interested in flying from the first flight of the Wright Brothers. When World War I broke out he enlisted in the Signal Corps (Air). He qualified as a pursuit pilot, and spent a short time as a gunnery instructor at a Fort Worth Flight Training Center. He was in New York with his Army Air Corps outfit, awaiting shipment overseas when the Armistice was signed.

Harold's appetite for flying continued after World War I. He bought a surplus Army (Jenny) plane, and continued flying as a private pilot into the 1920s. With his Jenny and his reputation as an Army Air Corps flyer, Harold was a hero to all of the young men in the community, including Ray Search, who had been just a bit too young for World War I, but was mightily interested in flying and airplanes.

Sutton was not the first man in McCook to own a plane, but he did have the distinction of having McCook's first airplane accident. Ray Search had been promised a ride in Sutton's plane, but first Harold needed to give his wife her first ride in a plane. Mrs. Sutton was not keen to fly, but after a time, seeing how well Harold managed the plane, she agreed to take a flight.

All went smoothly with Mrs. Sutton's initial flight, and she enjoyed seeing McCook and the Republican River Valley from the air. However, approaching the airport from the west, something caused the engine to stall. Harold was sure that he could glide to a smooth landing on a smooth level field just west of the J Street airport, but a grove of cottonwoods west of the field proved too much. The tail of Harold's plane was caught in the topmost branches of the last tree, causing the plane to flip, landing upside down. Fortunately, there was no fire, and neither of the Suttons was hurt.

Harold managed to disengage himself from his seat belt, and dropped to the ground. But he was not able to free Mrs. Sutton, who was hanging upside down and screaming to high heaven. Expecting fire to break out at any time, Sutton was frantic.

Ray Search and a friend had been waiting at the airport and saw Sutton's plane coming in, too fast, and saw it disappear into the trees. Within minutes they arrived at the accident scene and were able to offer their assistance. Harold was able, with help, to free his wife from her seat harness, and everyone got safely away from the crash.

Mrs. Sutton announced firmly that the flight was her first -- and her last. What is more, she also decided that Harold would sell his plane and fly no more. He concurred.

Harold Sutton was an active business owner, and neighbor of the bakery, when we came to town in 1957. He was a good neighbor, and an interesting fellow to talk with. The railroaders brought their watches to Sutton's for their official periodic time checks, which he performed promptly, efficiently, and with good humor. Working on the giant Sutton Clock, which stood in front of the store (and now stands in front of the High Plains Museum) was not so easy. It seemed as if Harold was constantly fixing that big clock. He confided to me one day, that it was not good for his reputation, if that clock, a landmark on Norris Avenue, did not tell the correct time. It was true -- a lot of people depended on that clock for the correct time. He certainly tried his best to keep that old clock running correctly.

Harold Sutton was not just a successful business man. He was active in civic affairs, fraternal organizations, and probably most of all, in politics -- local, state, and on the national level.

At his death, at age 90, in 1979, the Gazette referred to Harold Sutton as Mr. Republican. "... Sutton not only achieved respected standing in the community, but did it while spending much of his life embroiled in politics and controversy ... He made certain that his point of view was heard locally and did more to provide McCook with a two-party system in local issues than anyone in the town's nearly 100 year history ...

"He was the force behind the Citizen's Party and because of that activity, the Progressive Party came forth to present the community with a choice... Because of Sutton's activity the two-party system (the Citizens and Progressive Party, the political system formerly in place in McCook prior to 1969) in McCook had a healthier political climate than it does today...

"While Sutton's political views were conservative, he was progressive, even adventurous in his business activities. He established McCook's first radio station in the Jewelry Store's upstairs (next to the bicycle section), years before commercial radio came to communities of this size ...

"He was one of the most loyal supporters of the Republican Valley Conservation Association and worked with Harry Strunk to stop flooding in Southwest Nebraska, while at the same time adding some 60,000 acres of surface irrigation to the area...

"Harold Sutton will be remembered for many things, but his greatest contribution was simply his involvement. In a world where complacency grows more acceptable daily, Harold Sutton will be remembered as an 'Activist' of the best kind."

Source: Gazette Centennial Edition, 1982. Jack Rogers, Gazette story on the closing of the Sutton Jewelry Store, 1973.