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Abe & Viney Sutphen

The following is the family legend, some of which is true, some probably not.

John S. and Matilda Crisman Sutphen were given ten slaves as a wedding gift by Matilda's father, David Crisman. When John and Matilda came to Texas from Tennessee in 1850, they brought some slaves with them, though how many is not known. One of the slaves was Abraham Sutphen.

John and Matilda had both died by 1860, leaving several children. The eldest, William Sutphen, was granted guardinship of his younger siblings. He had married Sarah Oxsheer in 1857, and they had two children of their own. William presumably inherited Abraham, as he remained with William, Sarah, and the 11 children.

Abe married Viney (or Vina) about 1860. Viney was born in Texas, according to the 1880 census, so had not come from Tennessee with the family.

When the slaves were freed and the war was over, Abe and Viney stayed with Sarah Oxsheer Sutphen the children; William had died in the war. Abe and Viney raised a family of their own as well at the Sutphen house, having eight or nine sons.

When Sarah and the family moved to Caddo, Stephens County, Texas, around 1880, Abe and his family remained in Nacogdoches County, in the area near Old North Curch known as Redfield.

The 1880 Nacogdoches County census for Precinct 1, Nacogdoches lists Abra Sutfin, age 55, and wife Vina Sutfin, age 40. Eight sons are listed with them: John (age 18), Abr. (15), Rufus (12), Willie (10), Albert (7), Enoch (5), Doc Sidney (3), and Sie (1). All but Abra are shown to have been born in Texas; Abra was born in Tennessee. Vina and John are listed as Mulatto, the others are listed as Black.

There is a Katie Sutfin listed as living with the James Weaver family in the same census. She is listed as a Mulatto female, age 31, born in Tennessee. She probably came to Texas with the Sutphen family, and could be another relative.

I had been told that Abe and Viney were buried in the Old North Church Cemetery between Nacogdoches and Greenwood, but they were not listed in the book Nacogdoches County Cemetery Records. When I visited the cemetery myself, I saw why. They are not buried in the cemetery proper, but in a small field directly behind the church.
See USGS GNIS map information for this location.
See Old North Church onn the Cemeteries page.

Many thanks to Alla Sutphen Hairston for providing much of the information on Abe and Viney's family.

Abraham Sutphen
Born: Abt. 1825 in Tennessee
Died: September 22, 1908 in Texas
Buried: Old North Church Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas
Married: c. 1860 to
Viney
-- Born: Abt. 1840 in Texas
-- Died: October 31, 1914
-- Buried: Old North Church Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas

1. John Sutphen
   Born: Abt. 1862 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died:
2. Abraham D. Sutphen
   Born: January 21, 1864 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died: October 18, 1935
   Burial: Old North Church Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Married: December 29, 1889 in Nacogdoches County, Texas to
   Mahala Garner
   -- Born: February 12, 1881
   -- Died: March 02, 1947
   -- Burial: Old North Church Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas
   1. Jesse Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   2. Cuoch Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   3. Clarence Sutphen
      Born: January 12, 1897
      Died: July 02, 1919
      Burial: Old North Church Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas
   4. Ernestine Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
3. Rufus Sutphen
   Born: Abt. 1867 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died:
   Married:
   Fannie
   -- Born:
   -- Died:
   1. Roxy Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   2. Lula Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   3. Vina Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   4. R. E. Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   5. L. T. Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   6. Oscar Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   7. T. B. Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   8. Albert Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
   9. Lentonia Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
4. Will Sutphen
   Born: Abt. 1870 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died:
   Married (1): to
   Maggie
   -- Born:
   -- Died:
   Married (2): to
   Savannah
   -- Born:
   -- Died:
5. Albert Sutphen
   Born: Abt. 1873 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died:
6. Enoch Sutphen
   Born: Abt. 1875 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died:
7. Doc Sidney Sutphen
   Born: Abt. 1877 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died:
   1. Dock C. Sutphen
      Born:
      Died:
8. Sie Sutphen
   Born: Abt. 1879 in Nacogdoches County, Texas
   Died:
9. Arthur Sutphen
   Born: December 27, 1883
   Died: February 22, 1927
   Burial: Old North Church Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas

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