Miss Sutton Does Things Differently

Alice Estella Sutton was a real girl. Born in the Victorian era and raised on a New Jersey farm, she defied many of the customs of the day, reinventing herself over and over in a fast-changing world. Her inspiring story is appears here in the words she wrote in her own diary, supported by facts from newspapers of the day. Follow her journey from the farm to international relief worker as she lived and worked in cities that spanned the globe.

Alice Estella Sutton wrote diaries - dozens of them! From these diaries, letters, and newspaper accounts, the dramatic story of her career comes to life. At age 30, following the death of her mother, she left her family's New Jersey farm and entered nursing school. This led to a job in a New York City hospital, giving her something no woman in her family ever had - an income! She discovered the delight and responsibility of being an independent woman in such an exciting city. Soon, the world was at war. Miss Sutton was deeply moved by the plight of European and Near-Eastern refugees as presented to her in stirring humanitarian aid rallies, so she enlisted in the Red Cross as a medical relief worker. She was sent to Greece and Turkey to help victims of the monumental disaster following The Great War, the Russian revolution and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The challenges, disappointments, and successes of working under extraordinary circumstances, and the adventures she enjoyed are described in her own words in Miss Sutton Does Things Differently.

Dorothy Talavera is an author, historian and storyteller. She specializes in making her ancestors come alive for a new generation.