Clarence P. Dutton

CLARENCE P. DUTTON, editor and proprietor of the McCracken Enterprise, has had nearly forty years of experience in Kansas journalism. He began his career when a boy as a worker in the office and printing room of Bent Murdock's Eldorado Times. His employment began there September 1, 1874, and he was with the Eldorado Times for about five years. After that he spent three years with the Eldorado Press and was later with metropolitan newspapers, working both in the mechanical department and as a reporter.

Mr. Dutton came to McCracken in 1899, and has since been proprietor and owner of the McCracken Enterprise. The Enterprise was founded by Frank Newton in March, 1887. It had several owners before it was acquired by Mr. Dutton. It began as a republican weekly, but for two or three years was published as a populist organ under the management of Dell Snodgrass. When that wave of politics passed it resumed its republican tone, and that has been the brand of politics maintained during Mr. Dutton's administration. The Enterprise is a lively local paper, exploits local interests and achievements, and is published as a six-column eight page journal.

Mr. Dutton is member of a well known pioneer Kansas family, and is a brother of the pioneer physician of Rush County, Dr. Sherrod W. Dutton of McCracken, whose career sketched elsewhere contains many interesting facts of the family's record. Clarence P. Dutton was born at Liberty, Kentucky, June 24, 1857, a son of Jonathan S. Dutton. He received all his education in the common schools, and in 1871 came from Somerset, Kentucky, to Butler County, Kansas, where soon afterward he began his experience in a newspaper office. While a newspaper man seldom aims to achieve wealth, Mr. Dutton has been satisfied with his prosperity and from his means has erected the building in which his newspaper has its offices, and he also owns a comfortable residence in McCracken.

He has the distinction of being the first presidential postmaster of McCracken. He was appointed to the office January 14, 1909, as successor of W. V. Kelley. He began his service on the 16th of March, and served exactly five years, retiring March 16, 1915. The service of the McCracken postoffice was confined entirely to the locality when he became postmaster, but during his term three rural routes were established, and the business of the office was handled with increasing efficiency and the volume of receipts the first two years Increased by six hundred dollars. The present equipment of the McCracken postoffice was put in position by Mr. Dutton.

He cast his first vote for president in 1880, and has been a steadfast supporter of republican policies and candidates for over thirty-six years. For sixteen years he was local chairman of his party, has frequently attended congressional conventions, and has done much to keep up the party organization in his section of the state. Mr. Dutton is a member of McCracken Lodge No. 57 of the Masonic Order, is a Chapter Mason and is affiliated with Wichita Consistory No. 2 of the Scottish Rite.

In Ness County, Kansas, in 1902, he married Mrs. Nellie McKittrick. Mrs. Dutton was born in Doniphan County, Kansas, a daughter of Edwin D. Floyd of McCracken.