SUTHERLAND FAMILY, NIAGARA, NEW YORK Copyright (c) 2000 by John & Cindy McCachern (mccachern@worldnet.att.net). ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submittor has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ************************************************************************ From a four-page printed brochure found in an attic in Winston-Salem, NC. History of the Sutherland Family The Seven Wonder Sisters. About the first of December 1880, this wonderful family of seven sisters, with their father, went to New York City to establish the great Broadway Museum, corner of 9th street and Broadway, opposite A. T. Stewart's Palace Store, where they remained during that winter, exhibiting their long and massive hair and giving their vocal and instrumental entertainments to crowded houses, and were the principal feature of that institution and received the general approval of the New York press. They also gave entertainments in the city of Brooklyn for three weeks in succession to overflowing audiences, and in Jersey City three weeks; and in following spring they sang in opera houses, one week in succession in each place, in all the principal cities of Connecticut, to audiences ranging from two to three thousand people; and every city was an ovation, as the masses thronged thee side walks and balconies when the Seven Wonder Sisters passed through the principal streets in carriages, always ac companied by Prof. Withers' Celebrated Orchestra and Brass Band. And during this following summer they have given their exhibitions and concerts to immense audiences in many of the cities of the Southern States, as far South as Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans; and being desirous of seeing more of the Southern people and being better known by them, they concluded to remain a few weeks at the great Southern Exhibition in Atlanta, giving their entertainments, where they would meet people from every section of the country. The Sutherland family, before the sisters exhibited their hair, were well known in western New York and other places, and were celebrated, as the "Sutherland Concert of Seven Sisters, and one Brother." Opinions of the Press At That Time in Their Neighborhood. "Miss Naomi Sutherland, a child 13 year old, sang a bass solo which was truly wonderful."-- Orleans Republican, Albion, N. Y. "Naomi Sutherland, of this troupe, a child between 12 and 13 years old, sings a low bass. She has a sweet, flexible voice, and probably the greatest musical prodigy in the world." -- Rochester Union. "The music was of a high order and the selection indicated much discrimination and good taste, and the musical entertainment satisfied all present, including musical amateurs that we have among us, real musical talents, exhibiting no ordinary degree of cultivation." --Daily Journal, Lockport. "Taking into consideration the fine personal appearance of the ladies, their classical music and the artistic style in which it was executed, this wil be regarded as one of the most imposing and brilliant concerts ever held in this part of the country." --Daily Union, Lockport. "The concet of the Sutherland sistes and a brother, at Bordwell Hall, Tuesday evening, was well attended. The exhibition of the rare vocal powers of these sweet young sisters appeared to be very geneally appreciated, and all were gratified with the entertainment." Orleans American, Albion, N. Y. "The large audience seemed more than pleased with the entertainment last evening. The five elder sistes sustained a programme of fine selection, in a very creditable manner. They opened with a quintette of sacred music that was admirabley rendered. Miss Naomi, 13 years old, sang a bass solo, "Who Treads the Path of Duty," exhibiting peculiar musical power for a girl of her age. "On the Rhine, That Ancient River," a difficult high soprano solo, sang by Miss Sarah, was rather the gem of the evening, and was highly applauded. This last upon the programme, a trio, "The Shades of Night," sung by Misses Victoria, Isabella and Grace, was a beautiful piece, a fitting closing to a grand entertainment." --Daily Journal, Lockport. The names are as follows: Miss Sarah N. Sutherland.--Known as a fine solo singe, and celebrated for her Scotch and English songs and has long massive hair. Miss Victoria Sutherland--Has a mezzo-soprano voice, and has the longest hair on record, being seven feet, or eighty four inches in length. Miss Isabella C. Sutherland. --Has a high soprano voice, of great flexibility and power, and has hair six feet in length, of great fineness. Miss Grace Sutherland.--Sings tenor, and has a sweet melodious voice, and is an excellent Piano accompanist, and has hair between five and six feet in length. Miss Naomi Sutherland.--The world renowned female Bass Singer, has the most massive hair ever worn by any human being on earth, and which envelopes her whole body as with a garment. Miss Dora Sutherland.--One of the younger sisters, has an alto voice, and has abundant hair about five feet long. Miss Mary Sutheland.--Has a soprano voice, and is the youngest of the Seven Sisters, and for her age, has the most wonderful growth of hair, and it is rapidly growing to be the longest and most massive hair in the world. The Sutherland sisters were born in the town of Cambria, on what is known as the Sutherland farm, near the city of Lockport, Niagara County, New York, a few miles east of Niagara Falls. They are all members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, having been confirmed by Bishop Cox, of Buffalo, and when at home are under the pastoral care of Doctor Foster Eley, rector of Grace Church, Lockport City. Their brother, Charles Carroll Sutherland, about 23 years of age, has the same tendency to long hair and music, and has charge of the farm and other property in Cambria, the place of their childhood and birth, the old homestead of their father and grandfather, Col. Andrew Sutherland, who was in the war of 1812. Obituary of Their Mother, Mrs. Mary Sutherland. This estimable woman died on the 24th of September last, of dropsy, aged 43 years. She was the eldest daughter of George Brink, of Lyons, and wife of Fletcher Sutherland, of Cambria. She was a most amiable and courteous lady, and much esteemed by all who knew her. Reared under moral and christian influences, she became, at an early age, a member of the Episcopal Church, in which she continued an example of deep, unaffected piety, of untarnished character and purity of conversation. she commenced her education abroad, at the Lima Seminary, and by her unassuming manner and noble bearing gained the respect and favor of both studnts and teachers. During her early years she was much in society, but after long-continued ill health and domestic care, she came to look upon the family circle as the boundary of her usefulness and pleasure, and devoted a large portion of her time to the education and instruction of her childen. She possessed, in a remarkable degree, the power of discer ning human character, and a charity not less remarkable, which always led her to dwell upon the good qualities of others, and to take the most favorable view of their faults and weaknesses. For several weeks before her death, she had gained a complete triumph over the fear of death, and with unwavering faith and steadfast hope, was calmly waiting the appproach of that hour when her last work would be done and her "spirit go to the God who gave it." Her last illness brought to her side many of her former acquaintances and her neigbors, anxious to bestow their sympathies, and their numerous expressions of kind regard are gratefully treasured as a memorial more enduring than any earthly monument. Her remains were taken to the Chapel at Warren's Corners, where an appropriate sermon was delivered by the Rev. L. S. Stevens, of the Episcopal Church, Lockport, with an address commendatory of the purity of her life and example. Mr. Fletcher Sutherland, father of the Seven Wonders, was born in Vermont, Sutherland Falls, and when a child was known as a prodigy in music, and afterwards as a composer of music and songs. But the most marvelous thing that can be said of him is, that he had ten or twelve inches of thick black hair upon his head at birth, which excited the wonder of people of that time, and it is most probable that both the hair and musical abilities of his daughters are inherited. He commenced speaking in public when he was but fourteen years old, and was afterwards educated and ordained to the ministry of the M.E. Church, and had the charge of churches of Caledonia, Lyons and Genesee, N. Y. But his great zeal in defense of the South, and his connection with the Masonic fratenity, excited the opposition of a large number of the people where ever he went, so that he at length became disgusted with public life, and his health being greatly impaired, he determined to remove to one of the Souther n States; but being unable, at that time, to dispose of his land and property, and having formed the acquaintance of a number of clergymen of the Episcopal Church, whose services he had attended, and his wife being of that church, he was soon confirmed, by Bishop Delaney, of Western New York, and he established Episcopal services in his own neighborhood and vicinity, entertainin the minites at his house, and supportin them mostly at his own expense. From the Lockport Daily Journal, (Niagara county) published near the residence of the Sutherland family, December 1880. Long-Haired Beauties--The Niagara County Sutherland Family in New York. We clip the following interesting article relative to a musical family who until recently resided in this county, from last Sunday's New York Star: The Sutherland family is a most extraordinary one. They are highly cultured and of high descent, being distantly related to the Duke of Sutherland and to the Prince Rupert, who at one time was quite a personage in England. He would be a brave man, however, who would marry into the family, for there are seven sisters, and the idea of six sisters dropping in at lunch, or coming to stay a week or two, would be perfectly appalling to a Benedict of slender means. The girls are all, more or less, prodigies in their way, and thier fortunes consist chiefly in their wealth of hair and their rich and tuneful voices. The seven sisters, or, as they are called, the "Seven Wonders," are at present stopping at No. 62 East Ninth street, and are daily on exhibition at the great Broadway Museum. Their father, a keen-eyed, dark-haired man of intelligent features, accompanies "the girls." The youngest is 15 and the oldest 24 years of age, and they all possess hair of the color of the raven's win g and of the most marvelous length and thickness. The girls are named respectively Sarah N. Sutherland, Victoria, Isabella C., Grace, Naomi, Dora, and Mary. When they stand side by side they look like steps of stairs. Sarah sings Scotch and English sentimental ballads exquisitely, while her hair tips the ground at her heels. Victoria has a mezzo-soprao, and her hair measure over seven feet in length. Isabella C. has a high soprano voice. Her hair is just six feet and a half in length. Grace rejoices in a contralto and a profusion of hair. She is also a pianist. Naomi has a marvelous basso voice, and is looked on as a musical prodigy. Her hair grows so thick that when she lets it down it completely covers her person from head to foot, no part of her being visible. Dora sings contralto, and her hair is already five and a half feet long. Mary, the youngest, has an immense growth of hair, and when let down it envelopes her like an ulster. They are all highly cultivated, and some of them are of a religious turn of mind. The father of the family, Mr. De la Fletcher Sutherland, when seen by a Star reporter, consented to give a few particulars about his strange but happy family. He said that his father was born at Sutherland's Falls, Vt., but removed in 1810 to Niagra county, N. Y. and in 1812 joined the war and lost a great deal of his property. "I was educated to be a clergyman," he contineud, "at Lima, Tenn., and I was always opposed to the Abolitionist policy. During the campaign of Mr. Buchanan I stumped the State of New York for him, and at one meeting I was attacked by a gang of "Border Ruffians" and beaten with clubs so that I was left for dead. Afterward I attended the inauguration of Buchanan, and was at a dinner in the National Hotel in Washington. That was the dinner at which some forty guests were poisoned, and I think I am the only survivor from that banquet of death. I was poisoned as well as others, and that and the beating by the Border Ruffians impaired by health greatly. I was offered a Consulship but had to decline it on account of ill health. I suffered greatly from pecuniary embarrassment also at that time. I was at one time a Methodist minister at Geneseo, but got into a difficulty on account of my being a mason. I joined the Episcopal church, but did not take orders. I remonstrated very stro ngly against the deposition of Bishop Andrews for his stand on the slavery question, which caused the split between the Methodist Church North and South. I supported Breckenridge very warmly during his campaign, and wrote many campaign songs and speeches. From the New Sun December, 1880. Mr. Southerland was one of the forty persons who were mysteriously poisoned at the national Hotel in Washington at the time of President Buchanan's inauguration, and all his life long he has been in other ways more or less connected with politics. The seven Misses Sutherland all have lon hair. Miss Virginia has the longest; it touches the floor when she stands erect; but the least of the others has hair of which the ordinary woman would be proud. The seven sisters further recommend themselves by an air of perfect innocence. Notwithstanding the varied public experience of the father, the daughters are utterly unsophisticated. They sing in another room every forty minutes, and there is a breathless silence in the little theatre always when the "little giant orater," as the expounder of things at this museum is known, says; "Ladies and gentlemen, the seven daughters of Mr. Sutherland will now render a few choice vocal performances." From the Lockport, Daily Union. The Sutherland family consisting of the father and seven daughters, which the Union mentioned some week ago, as having closed a contract to sing and exhibit themselves in New York, are now fulfilling their contract at West Ninth street.--They are called the seven wonders, and their long hair and tuneful voices are drawing large crowds. Naomi paralyzed the boys with her bass voice. From the Vicksburg, Daily Commercial, Oct. 13, 1881. Seven Wonders--Seven Sisters. Mr. Sutherland and his seven daughters are now resting for one or two weeks in Vicksburg before going to the great exhibition at Atlanta, Ga., whee they are engaged to remain several months, and we publish a synopsis of his life in this paper. Mr. Fletcher Sutherland, father of the seven sisters, called the seven wonders, was born in Vermont, Sutherland Falls, a place named after his grandfather, who was the original owner of the celebrated Rutland marble quaries at the place. His seven daughters were born near Niagara Falls, New York. One of the girls, Miss Victoria Sutherland, has hair seven feet in length, while Miss Naomi Sutherland, the celebrated female bass singer, has the most massive hair worn by any human being on earth, it is said. They are lately from the great Broadway museum, New York city, and have traveled extensively as a concert company, giving vocal and instrumental music. Mysteriously Poisoned Mr. Sutherland, twenty-five years ago, was an active politician, and well known both North and South on account of his opposition to the abilitionists, and other parties opposed to the South, and is supposed to be the only survivor of the forty persons who were poisoned at the National hotel, Washington, at the inauguration of James Buchanan. He also suffered great violence from the republicans on account of his State right principles, and opposition to the late war. He was chiefly instrumental in gettin up the Breckenridge ticket in New York, and delievered political speeches in defense of Southern rights. He also did a great service to the post office department at Washington during the Buchanan administration, in causing the railroad companies to enter into contracts with that department of the government, to carry the mails according to schedules of time of arriving and departing and in bringing the postal agents of evey grade under the control of that department, and caused the large gratuities paid by the Government to the railroad companies before they became self-supporting to be withdrawn, and which in the aggregate amounted to millions of dollars. And it is due, in a great measure, to his courage and persevance in that undertaking, in opposition to the pleadings of commercial and money interests, that the mails are now carried with so much regularity and dispatch. He was offered an important foreign appointment by President Buchanan, but was obliged to decline on account of ill health, and notwithstanding his abilities and patriotic impulses qualified him for any position to which he might aspire, he preferred the advantages of retirement, and a more quiet life, and has therefore spent most of his time on his farm in Niagara County, Western New York.