2707 John Sutton Road, Elon, NC
Elon, NC 27244
Farm Historic Family estate · Land For Sale · 48.70 AC

Unique Historic Farm with a Home that the family that has been adding to since acquiring in 1874. It it has been meticulously maintained and is move in condition. There is a new roof and new HVAC system. Abundant wildlife for you to enjoy. Well maintained fields and woods in a prosperous community. Currently Being surveyed and marked. Shop could easily become a stable! About 345+- on Osceola Road. Prosperous community. This a farm, & home you dream about! 2707 John Sutton Road, Elon NC, 27244 These acres have been in the Sutton McCollum family since the post Civil War era, when carpenter-farmer Riley Sutton (1838-1915) acquired several hundred acres in Alamance and Guilford Counties, including the two parcels now for sale – 33 acres which became Riley’s home place and an adjacent 14.9 acres that was passed to Riley’s grandson, John Sutton. Riley was great grandfather to the Current owner Gaynelle Sutton McCollum. The land passed from Riley, to his son Daniel Sutton. Daniel had 5 children and the inheritance he retained meant he could pass a substantial home place to each child. His daughter Mary Sutton Somers received the original house and about 70 acres. Daniel’s son John Sutton (1900-1950) received approximately 50 acres including the 14.9 parcel. In 1986, about half of that was sold to Gaynelle and Luther McCollum. The 14.9 acres was received from Lena Sutton, wife of John Sutton in the same year. Little remains of the original home, which was built in the late 1860s – or perhaps as early as the late 1850s. Stepping down the hill on an East-West axis, it was built in two sections – with the East segment on top of the hill, and the second segment below and to the West. In the late 1940s, the addition of a third segment completed a T-structure. But save for the East section, all was torn down during a new build in 1987. The original home, circa 1950, is seen in a photo which hangs in the Family Room. To the best of our knowledge, original construction prior to 1915 was by Riley Sutton. The final section in the 1940’s was by John Sutton, for whom the road is named. John Sutton was father of Gaynelle McCollum. Both Riley and John Sutton were carpenters and built their own homes. A tool box in the Family Room, with dovetail corners, was from John Sutton’s shop and was probably built by Riley. It was used by John Sutton in his travels to Fort Bragg NC and tidewater VA to build military housing during World War II. The plywood bottom on the box was installed by Gaynelle’s brother-in-law. The 1987 construction was very much a husband and wife collaboration by Gaynelle Sutton McCollum and Luther D McCollum. Luther McCollum acted as general contractor. He and his family, laid the all block foundation and the brick veneer. They installed the roofing and painted the place. Gaynelle labored for most of the masonry. All the contractors were longstanding locals. A word on Riley Sutton. He is buried at Bethlehem Christian Church in Elon, NC. His grave is in the SW corner. He served in the Confederate Army and was captured and held at the prison at Point Lookout Md. The family has a letter written to his wife Malinda Waynick from the prison prior to his release. Riley was a tobacco farmer, carpenter, and business man, with an interest in the Hub Mill among other investments. The surviving 1800s segment is the heart of this home. It has two stories, built over a partial cellar and crawl space. Some of the main beams in the cellar were hand-hewn from a building built prior to 1800. This reuse of old lumber was also noted in the feed barn that was due South of the house and was torn down in 2018. The Cellar is perfect for a wine or root cellar. All the wall and ceiling finish boards on the first and second floors were original to the home and were reinstalled after the frame walls were wired and insulated. Brick veneer was laid up for the exterior finish. In the Family room, the walnut mantel is an original, likely built by Riley Sutton. The fireplace was rebuilt in its original location; with the mantle reinstalled. The stairs are an old style with a short door at the line of the wall before the turn up to the second level. The top part of the stairs are above the door. Upstairs, the ceiling height is a little less than first floor, about 7 feet. The four wood blocks on the second floor ceiling were support for a quilting frame. The Family room flooring is random width heart pine in a natural finish. Likely of 1872 vintage, it was taken up during the 1987 rebuild and installed in this room. The second-level floor is painted pine. The tongue-and-groove oak flooring in the twin, smaller bedroom is from the last addition in the late 1940’s, removed and reinstalled during the 1987 rebuild. A note on the solar design of the house. The original East-West axis provides an exact Southern view from the back wall. Passive solar was popular in the 1980’s but with the rise of photovoltaic solar it has faded. Unlike the current photovoltaic solar, passive solar produces free heat, has very low installation costs, and no maintenance costs other than normal maintenance of windows. It also produces the most comfortable home you will ever live in. We learned this from Riley Sutton. Written by Dwaine McCollum, son of Gaynelle Sutton and Luther McCollum