Lorettus Sutton Metcalf was born on October 17, 1837, in Monmouth, Kennebac, Maine.

He was an editor, newspaper publisher, and author. He was educated in Monmouth and Boston. He began his career as a writer for a number of publications, e.g., Commonwealth, Congregationalist, Zion's Herald, and Boston Traveler. He was the editor of several weekly journals published in Massachusetts from 1871 until 1876 and then became a managing editor of The North American Review, the position he held until 1885. In 1886, he founded and edited The Forum until 1891. In 1893, he founded The Daily Citizen, Jacksonville, Florida, and was its editor and publisher until 1898, when he retired. He received the honorary degrees of LL.D. from Iowa College and M.A. from Bates College, Maine.

In 1861, he married Amanda Ames Lemont (1839–1912). He died on January 15, 1920, in Los Angeles, California.