Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 621 - 623 

ELISHA J. SUTHERLAND, a well-to-do farmer of Afton Township, made his first visit to this county in 1875, and a few years later decided to locate permanently in Afton Township, of which he has been a resident nearly four years. He took up a quarter-section of land, and each of his two sons a like amount. Then returning to Illinois they disposed of their interests there, and in August, 1884, put up a good house and barn on their new land, since which time the present proprietor has given his entire attention to its improvement and cultivation. The soil has yielded abundantly, and Mr. Sutherland, by his enterprise and industry, has secured for himself a creditable position among the progressive agriculturists of this county. 

             The early home of our subject was in Allegheny County, Pa., where his birth took place on the 25th of August, 1821. He is the son of John and Christina (McCoy) Sutherland, who were also natives of the Keystone State, the former born Aug. 30, 1786, and the latter Jan. 19, 1788. John Sutherland departed this life at the old homestead in Peoria County, Ill., Sept. 30, 1845. The mother died there in 1851. The parents in early life identified themselves with the Presbyterian Church, of which they remained faithful members during life. 

             The parental household of our subject included nine children, only four of whom are living: Daniel was killed by the kick of a horse when thirty-two years of age; Margaret died of cholera at Smithland, Ky., when eighteen years old; Nancy died from the effects of eating jimson seed, at Pittsburgh, Pa., when eighteen months old; Elisha J., of our sketch, was the fourth child; James married Miss Helen Rogers, is a painter by trade, and is living in Kansas City; Milton died in infancy; Elizabeth Jane died when twenty-two years old, in Illinois; Mary is a resident of California; Martha was first married to a Mr. Barr, and became the mother of one son, who is now following the sea. Mr. Barr died, and Mrs. B. subsequently married again, and is living in San Francisco. 

             On the 2d of August, 1834, John Sutherland, with his family, left Pennsylvania for Illinois, arriving in Peoria County on the 28th of November following, having made the trip by water. Elisha J. was then but a lad of thirteen years, and completed his education in the district schools of Peoria County, and under the home instruction of his excellent mother. This was during the pioneer days of Illinois, and the Sutherland family endured in common with the people around them the hardships and privations of life in a new country. The winter of 1836-37 was celebrated for its deep snow, and made memorable for the sufferings endured by the people throughout that section. In December, 1836, the Sutherland family lived in a log cabin just north of French Grove, and about the 18th day of the month, the father with his son Elisha, of our sketch, then a lad of fifteen years, set out for Prince's Mill on the Spoon River, with a wagon-load of shelled corn drawn by two yoke of oxen. They were obliged to stay at the mill about thirty-six hours, and at 10 o'clock A. M. of the third day, started home. In the meantime, under a strong south wind, the snow had melted rapidly and a steady rainstorm contributed to render the streams almost impossible, on account of which they were compelled to go several miles out of their way in order to cross. In trying to make their way across a slough, the front wheels of the wagon dropped into a hole, and the oxen were unable to pull the load. 

             Mr. Sutherland and his son, upon jumping from the wagon found the water three feet deep, and releasing the cattle proceeded to unload, carrying the meal, which was in bags containing three to four bushels each, about four rods to dry land. Suddenly a distant roar in the northwest, and a cloud moving toward them with appalling rapidity, warned them that something still more serious was to overtake them. In the space of a few moments they were enveloped in a dense fog, and an arctic winter was upon them. In a few moments the water through which they were wading was congealed into ice. They coupled their chains together, and by backing their cattle some distance into the water reached the wagon tongue, and the vehicle was hauled out. By the time the meal was reloaded, the slough and prairie were covered with a sheet of ice, and the father remarked to his son: "We shall certainly perish here." 

             The clothing of father and son, and also the cattle, were covered with ice, and it was almost impossible, especially for the latter, to stand upon their feet. They managed, however, to push the wagon forward about as fast as the cattle would get out of its way, the latter often falling and sliding about in a very painful manner. In this way they toiled until almost exhausted, and finally rising upon the wagon, discerned in the distance some hay stacks and other indications of a human habitation. They turned the suffering animals loose to take care of themselves, and hastened toward the shelter. The father was then almost unable to move, and at the shouts of Elisha for help, three or four men rushed out and carried Mr. Sutherland into the house. It was estimated that there was not less than 100 pounds of ice upon his clothing. When somewhat thawed out, Mr. Sutherland endeavored to hire someone to go out and drive the cattle to the haystacks, and after much urging, and a consideration of $2 in money, one young man set out, and by hard work succeeded in the attempt, although his ears were badly frozen. Father and son lay sleepless on the floor that night in front of a roaring fire, but so thoroughly had they been chilled that they shivered continuously. 

            In the morning, Mr. Sutherland thinking that "mother would be uneasy," determined to start homeward. He traveled on foot ten miles, reaching his destination late in the afternoon more dead than alive, through a wind blowing from the north by northwest, with not a bush or anything else to afford a shelter. The second morning Elisha set out, the sun having come up brightly, to get the cattle home. The animals, however, would move only in response to continual whipping, and sometimes they were all down in a heap together on the ice. In the meantime a pair of sharp-shod horses had conveyed the wagon home. The cattle were abandoned three and one-half miles from home, but were rescued the following afternoon, thin in flesh after their bitter experience of seven days. Toward spring their tails dropped off close to their bodies, and "Sutherland bob-tails" became an object of curiosity as long as they lived. The history of this experience was written up and published several times afterward, and is one almost without a parallel even in the annals of those terrible years. 

            Young Sutherland continued under the parental roof until his marriage, which took place on the 24th of September, 1851. The maiden of his choice was Miss Rachel M. Reed, who was born in Marshall County, Va,, April 25, 1833. Of this union there were nine children, recorded as follows: John A., born June 21, 1854, was married Dec. 29, 1887, to Miss Enola Stansbury, of Brimfield, Ill., and is engaged in farming at Princeville, that State; Frank R. was born June 23, 1857, and married Miss Mary Nelson; he is now employed as an adjuster and superintendent for an insurance company at Bloomington. James N. was born June 2,1859, is unmarried, and in the hotel business at Bloomington, Ill,; Addie Louisa was born June 7, 1861, and married William Mitchell, a farmer and stock-dealer of Wahoo, Neb; Albert E. born Sept. 22, 1864, is employed as clerk in a grocery store at Wichita; Ella, who was born Dec. 31, 1866; is the wife of William Hoyt, a farmer near Amboy, Neb., and the mother of one child; Minnie F. was born Feb. 22, 1870, and with her brother, Edwin E. born Aug. 28, 1872, resides at home with her parents. The mother of these children departed this life at her home in Illinois on the 12th of February, 1873. 

            The present wife of our subject, to whom he was married Dee. 10, 1876, was formerly Mrs. Emma (Ratcliff) Bean, who was born May 5, 1852, and is the daughter of Timothy and Deborah (Ratliff) Ratcliff, natives of South Carolina and Virginia respectively. This union resulted in the birth of four children, viz: Ralph, who was born Aug. 2, 1878, and died on the 27th of February following; Mattie Agnes was born Aug. 8, 1880; Ralph, Oct. 22, 1882; May E., May 1, 1886. Mr. Sutherland, while in Illinois, became identified with the Masonic fraternity, from which he has a demit to the lodge at Wichita; and politically, he belongs to the "Reformed" or "People's Party." 

            The view of the Sutherland residence serves not only in assisting to embellish this volume, but is an illustration of the industry and thrift of the proprietor.

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