William Lybolt Sutton

Photographer: Sutton
Hornellsville, N. Y.

William Lybolt Sutton
(1828 - 1899)

Some items from this timeline are taken from the “Sutton Family Sketches” (SFS) from the book “Landmarks of Steuben County, NY” (1896) by Harlo Hakes, page 495, as found on Ancestry.Com (copy shown below);


1828 Nov 06
Redding, (SFS) W L Sutton is born to John Sutton and Catherine Lyboult
1850 Jul 24
Milo, NY, US census, William L Sutton as sailor; “Sutton Family Sketches” says he was on a whaling expedition for four years
1854
Hornellsville, NY, (SFS) W L Sutton moves to Hornellsville, NY working as a machinist
1854 Nov 17
Benton, Yates, NY, Ancestry Tree, W L Sutton Marries Mary Louise Eaton
1855 Jun 12
Hornellsville, NY, state census, W L Sutton as machinist
1857
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton buys the photograph gallery of George S Young
1858
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to Main Street

1859 Mar 10
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune, newspaper ad says Sutton’s Ambrotype and photograph gallery is on Main Street over Young’s Clothing Store: note: ad dated 1859 Sep 08)
1860 Jun 28
Hornellsville, NY, US census, W L Sutton as photographer
1860 May 30
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune newspaper ad indicates Sutton Gallery has been on Main Street in Young’s new block since May 1860

From a contributing reader:
Monday, September 02, 2019 2:09:00 PM, Blogger Ge said…

"I have a photograph by Sutton of a great great great uncle that died in the second battle of Bull Run, 1862. The back has a round stamp with "W.L. SUTTON Hornellsville N.Y." He enlisted in September of 1861. So Sutton was working as a photographer before then."

1863 Jul 01
Hornellsville, NY, civil war draft, W L Sutton listed as photographer
1864 Sep 15
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune newspaper ad says Sutter Gallery is at “old stand” Young’s block

1865
Hornellsville, NY, SFS Civil War Ends, W L Sutton Partners with Carl Myers
1865 Jun 10
Hornellsville, NY, state census W L Sutton as daguerrian artist
1867
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton partnership with Carl Myers ends; Sutton moves to Seneca Street
1867
NY State business directory lists only J G Main as photographer in Hornellsville, NY
1867 Feb 14
Girbekksvukke (NY) Weekly Tribune, ad says W L Sutton has purchased the J H Newman interest in the “Old Picture Gallery”
1868 Apr 16
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune, ad says Sutton studio is at 112 Main Street
1869
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to Canisteo Street
1870
Hornellsville, NY, Sampson Davenport State business directory, William L Sutton as photographer

1872 Mar 01
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune, small ad says W L Sutton will open a gallery in Hornellsville in the Spring
1875 (circa)
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to Griswold Block
1875
Hornellsville, NY, city directory W L Sutton gallery is at 191 Canisteo Street
1875 Jun 01
Hornellsville, NY, state census, W L Sutton as artist; Son C P Sutton listed as assistant
1880 Jun 14
Hornellsville, NY, US census, W L Sutton as photographer
1883 May 24
Buffalo (NY) Weekly Express, small news item says that W L Sutton has been appointed special photographer for the New York Graphic, for Hornellsville and vicinity
1890
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to 731 Main Street
1891
Steuben County directory, W L Sutton as photographer at 171 Main

1891 Mar 12
Buffalo (NY) Evening News item says a fire has destroyed the Sutton Gallery over the Porter Grocery on Main Street
1891 Nov 20
Elmira (NY) Star Gazette item says W L Sutton has opened a new gallery just across the street from the old one opened in 1857
1892
Hornersville, NY, state census, W L Sutton as photographer; son Charles also listed as photographer
1899 Mar 15
Elmira (NY) Star Gazette news item says Sutton’s son Charles is now in charge of the gallery
1899
Hornellsville, NY, state records, W L Sutton dies at age 70

DePew (NY) Herald - 01 Jun 1899

“Sutton Family Sketches” (SFS) from the book “Landmarks of Steuben County, NY” (1896)
by Harlo Hakes, page 495

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
10 Mar 1859


Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
30 May 1861

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
16 Apr 1868

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
15 Sep 1874

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
14 Feb 1867

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly
08 Mar 1872

1875 Hornellsville City Directory ad

Buffalo (NY) Weekly Express -
24 may 1883

Buffalo (NY) Evening News -
12 mar 1891

Elmira (NY) Star gazette -
20 Nov 1891

Elmira (NY) Star Gazette -
15 Feb 1899

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
19 May 1899

In addition to the many studio portraits, Sutton also did street scenes and landscapes, often in stereo.

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block, Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block
171 Main Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block
171 & 173 Main Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block
171 Main Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton
Hornellsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

The following four examples were finished perhaps around 1899. A newspaper article (above) from 15 Feb 1899 places the studio at 131-133 Main in Hornellsville, NY, and Andover, NY.

Note also that the WLS monogram appears on only the first example. W L Sutton died in May of 1899 so it is possible that the studio was operated only by Sutton's son Charles P Sutton.

photographer: Sutton (W L in monogram)
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton (no monogram)
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.

This is a work always in progress.

Aditional information and new examples are always welcome. Any additional information will help narrow the time that these precious antiques were made.

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