Submitted by Melissa Karman, The Sutliff Museum
Flavel Sutliff (1811-1843), was born on June 24, 1811, the youngest of seven children to Samuel Sutliff (1765-1840) and Ruth Granger (1770-1843).
Flavel never married. Like his older brothers, he became a lawyer but was a member of the Whig Party. Flavel was a staunch abolitionist, and this hindered his political opportunities. In 1839, he ran for prosecuting attorney of Jefferson and lost. The Whig voters refused to provide their support due to his anti-slavery sentiments.
After his father’s death, Flavel spent most of his time with his mother and resided in Jefferson, Ohio. He became law partners with Joshua Reed Giddings, a fellow abolitionist and a future State Representative. According to Giddings, “Flavel was a clever young man whose promising career was suddenly terminated by…insanity.” Flavel Sutliff died on February 5, 1843.
