Sumner came into existence with the building of the Ohio and Mississippi railroad, the construction of which was first started in March 1853 at Sandoval, Illinois. The railroad was opened for operation in 1855 from St. Louis to Vincennes on July 4th, 1855.. The road then, was later completed to Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s name was changed to "The Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern" in 1890; and again changed in 1916 to "The Baltimore & Ohio", omitting the word "Southwestern".

When the railroad was first constructed, it was a "wide gauge" (6 feet) road; and continued thus, for eighteen years. Then, the officials de­cided to reduce the gauge to "standard" (4 feet­ 8 1/2 inches), The task was completed in a single day, on a Sunday in the month of July 1872. Men were stationed all along the track from Cincinnati to St. Louis; and at a given signal work began. At nightfall, the job was finished a feat accomplished that has gone down in railroading history.

The first depot was located where the tracks cross Christy Avenue and remained at that location until sometime in 1898. The first agent was Charles Voughter

The particular location for the town, later to be called "Sumner", was chosen by Jacob May, a native of Pennsylvania who settled in what is now Richland County in 1834. The survey and plat were made by Peter Smith, county surveyor, on January 27th, 1854; and as originally laid out, was in town 3 north, and range 13 west of the second principal meridian, located in the northeast quarter of section 9 and the southwest corner of section 4.