In the later half of the 19th century Huntsville experienced a boom in business, and one of the men responsible for that boom was John Sutliff. He along with the Rutherfords, Hammetts, and other families brought new businesses to the old town. John Sutliff was born in Bloomfield, New Jersey on July 12, 1824. He was the son of a woolen merchant by the name of Phineas Sutliff. His mother was Susanna Teasdale. Phineas moved the family to Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in 1837, and opened a woolen mill there. John worked in his father's business until he was 18 and then struck out on his own opening his own woolen mill in Butler County, Pennsylvania. In 1842, Sutliff pulled up roots and moved to Glasgow, Missouri. There he worked at the first woolen mill west of Saint Charles, Missouri. He worked there about a year, and then opened his own mill in Glasgow which manufactured blankets and jeans. He married Amanda C. Varnum on August 19, 1846, and in 1855 he opened a mill in Mount Airy. The Silver Creek Woolen Mills operated near Mount Airy for sixteen years until he bought a mill in Huntsville. The Huntsville Woolen Mill remained open until 1882, and manufactured carpets, jeans, and blankets. Thereupon, he returned to Pennsylvania where he took up farming for five years. He then returned to Huntsville and took up business here again. In 1882 he obtained a patent for a motor which he used to operate his mills. He died September 2, 1906 and is buried in the Huntsville City Cemetery. He was responsible for bringing woolen mills to this area of the country, and had a booming business for a while. At its peak, the Huntsville Woolen Mill processed 40,000 lbs. of wool a year. He and his wife had the following children: Enoch, William, Susan Sophia, Julia Ann, Sarah, and Harriet. Enoch like his father was a businessman. In addition to farming, he operated a sawmill, and a grain elevator. William was a farmer in Randolph County. Susan married James Mayo (son of Allen Mayo one of the first settlers of the county). Julia Ann died when she was five years old. Sarah married Joseph Baker. Harriet never married, but resided with her brother William. His grandson by Enoch, Van Guy continued in the hog business, and also served as President of the Central Coal and Supply Company. Sutliff Stadium in Huntsville is named for John Sutliff's great grandson, John Taylor Sutliff who operated an explosives business for many years, and was an announcer for horse shows.