ROBERT SUTHERLAND, a venerable and honored representative of one of the oldest and most highly esteemed families of Washington county, is a native of the same, born May 20, 1815, in West Finley township. John Sutherland, his great-grandfather, was a native of Scotland, a son of George Sutherland, a farmer in that country. John Sutherland, grandfather of Robert, was also born in Scotland, and was there married twice, having by his first wife one child, Barbara, and by his second wife (Mrs. Gordon Sutherland) one child born in Scotland, by name George. After coming to America he married Margaret Morrow, and had the following children: John, Polly, Daniel, Alexander, David, and Rebecca (Mrs. Donnelly). In 1772 he came with his wife, son George and one daughter, Barbara, to this country, and on arrival bound himself to a planter in Maryland, near Bladensburgh, working for him four years in order to pay his and his family's passage out. His occupation there was overseer of slaves, about three hundred in number, and he was never known to strike or abuse any of them; on the contrary, he treated them with uniform kindness. At the termination of the four years Mr. Sutherland came to Washington county, Penn., with his family, the journey across the mountains being made in wagons. They made a settlement first in Chartiers township, and then in 1800 moved to West Finley township, where they remained until the death of the head of the family, which occurred in 1826; his wife survived him ten years, dying in 1836, and they now rest side by side in West Alexander cemetery. They were members of the "Three Ridges" Presbyterian Church, now known as the West Alexander Church, and in politics he was an Old-line Whig. The farm on which they settled covered 106 acres, nearly all wild land, which has since been from time to time improved by the family; it is now occupied by Joseph Sutherland, the great-great grandson of the pioneer settler. George Sutherland, father of subject, was born in the "land o' cakes" in 1769, and when three years of age was brought by his parents to this country, as already related. He was a purely home-taught, self-made man. In Washington county he was married to Charlotte, daughter of Alexander McCoy, who came with his family from Scotland to this country about the same time as the Sutherlands. In 1784 he settled on a farm in West Finley township, and there passed the rest of his life. The names of his children are Nancy, Jane, Charlotte and Alexander. Mr. McCoy was one of the first elders of the "Three Ridges" Presbyterian Church. The McCoys were living here in August, 1789, when nine members of the Macintosh family were killed by the Indians just outside the blockhouse. A girl of fourteen years escaped, and the Sutherlands were the first to hear her cries and rescue her. After marriage George Sutherland and his wife settled on a farm in West Finley township, and here carried on agriculture up to the day of their death. The children born to them were John, Alexander, Eleanor, Isaac, William, Daniel, Christiana, Robert, and one that died in infancy. The mother departed this life October 14, 1840, the father September 12, 1848, and both are buried in West Alexander cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he was a leading elder, and in politics he was a Whig.
Robert Sutherland, of whom this sketch more particularly treats, attended the subscription schools of the locality of his birth, and was early trained to the arduous duties of farm life, which has been his vocation from boyhood. Mr. Sutherland has been thrice married; first time May 2, 1839, to Jane, daughter of John and Polly (Templeton) Lucas, and the children born to this union were Mary E. (wife of Rev. John B. Dawson). Lydia M. (deceased), who married R. J. McKeown (deceased), Martha J. (Mrs. David G. Roney), John (deceased), James, Julia (deceased), and Lulu E. V. (wife of James McCleary). The mother of this family died in 1872, and in 1878 Mr. Sutherland wedded Elizabeth (daughter of Joseph Lawson) who survived her marriage but five months, and in 1881 our subject took, for his third partner in life, Anna, daughter of John Taylor. After his first marriage Mr. Sutherland settled on a farm in West Finley township, and successfully followed agricultural pursuits until 1874, when he retired from active labor and moved to the borough of West Alexander, where he has since resided. He is a typical self-made man, and has always been an enterprising loyal citizen. He has been a Republican since the organization of that party, prior to which he was a Whig and a strong anti-slavery man, a "conductor on the underground railroad," having frequently aided in securing the escape of hound-hunted slaves to the free soil of Canada.
Text taken from page 758 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed April 1997 by Jack McNatt of Valrico, FL as part of the Beers Project.
Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]