Born Elbert Sutton Griggs (He later changed the order of his given name.) in 1872 in Chatfield, Texas, the son of Rev. Allen R. Griggs and Emma Hodge.  His father was a former Georgia slave.

After graduating from Dallas schools and Bishop College, Marshall, Texas, in 1890, he attended Richmond Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia, 1890- 1893.  After his graduation, he became pastor in Berkley, Virginia.  It was at this time that he wrote his first novel, Imperium in Imperio in 1899; the plot of the book is of two childhood friends who are separated by wealth, education, skin tone, and political outlook; one is a militant and one an integrationist. A traumatic incident galvanizes the more moderate friend into action, and the two work together to redress the injustice.  Over the course of years, he wrote more than a dozen books, including five novels, five social tracts, his autobiography, a biography of John L. Webb and The Kingdom's Builder Manuel in 1924, which is a booklet of Biblical quotations.  Griggs founded Orion Publishing Company in Nashville, Tennessee, to publish and sell his books to the African-American market.  Arno Press re-issued Imperium in Imperio in 1969

Griggs married Emma J. Williams of Portsmouth, Virginia, on May 10, 1897.

Elbert Sutton was one of the few Southern members of the Niagra Movement, which eventually evolved into the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Griggs was pastor of the First Baptist Church in East Nashville for twelve years, beginning 1895.   He moved to Memphis and was pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist Church for nineteen years.  His ambitious plan to expand the services of the church were, in his words, "Religion ought do more than help a man reach heaven when he dies.  It ought to help him live in this world.  It ought to help people meet every problem of life."

In 1930 Griggs returned to Texas and served as pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church in Denison, where his father had been minister.   He died on January 2, 1933 and was buried in Dallas.

The Terrell - Griggs - Marshall Legacy Park is located in Denison, Texas at the corner of North Mirick Avenue and West Bond Street.  The location is the original location of Hopewell Baptist Church in Denison and Anderson School, one of Denison's first schools.

Sources :
"Sutton E. Griggs".  Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
"Griggs, Sutton Elbert."  The Handbook of Texas online