sutherlandjg
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
JOHN H. AND GEORGE D. SUTHERLAND
are among the earliest pioneers of Douglas county. When they came
here, the Indians had many settlements up and down the coulee and continued
there for many years afterward. Undaunted by the wildness of savages
and hardships, these doughty men determined to stay and build for themselves
a comfortable and good home, which they have done. During the years
since, they have accumulated a fine holding of property. The wisdom
of the Sutherland brothers is manifested very plainly in the laying out
of their ranch, which is so wisely and adroitly planned. They have
a fine field of alfalfa and a good large orchard of choice trees.
The entire estate is irrigated from fine mountain streams pouring into
the coulee and altogether, they have one of the most valuable and choice
locations to be found in the country.
John H. Sutherland was born at Salt Lake City,
Utah. George D. Sutherland was born in Pottawotomie county, Kansas,
on November 15, 1859. They are the sons of Hugh and Hannah (Sutherland)
Sutherland, natives of Scotland and Pennsylvania, respectively. Both
of the boys gained their education from the common schools of Kansas conducted
near Onaga. They were reared on the farm and as soon as John H. had
arrived at manhood's estate, he came west. For a while he lingered
in Kittitas county and finally came thence to Moses coulee, selecting the
site of his present stock ranch as a homestead. In 1887 George came
on to join his brother and since then they have been steadily engaged in
the stock business, raising cattle principally. However, of late
they have had a fine stock of horses and have some of the best bred animals,
both horses and cattle, to be found in the county. When location
was made here, all supplies had to be brought over the mountains and across
the Columbia river to Ellensburg, fifty miles away. This was no small
task, not counting the labor necessary to secure the funds to buy supplies.
However, there was no such word as give up in the vocabulary of these men
and the result is, they have won distinction and wealth. During the
hard winter of 1889-90, owing to the shelter which they had provided for
their stock and the hay that had been provided wisely, Sutherland brothers
did not lose as much as the more unfortunate ones through the country.
Our subjects have six sisters named as follows:
Mrs. Mary E. Regar, living in Onaga, Kansas; Mrs. Jeannette Crum, at Onaga,
Kansas; Mrs. Lorena Wilson at Onaga, Kansas; Mrs. Ida Godlove at Waterville;
Nettie and Maude, in Spokane.
The Messrs. Sutherland are among the substantial
and wealthy men and they have won many friends in this section and are
counted among the leading citizens of Douglas county today.
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