Note: Civil War Veteran

#1 Printed in the July 23, 1931 Pilot-Tribune, Blair, Nebraska

Abe Sutherland, 90, G.A.R. Vet Dies

Services Held on Sunday for Local Pioneer

Abe Sutherland, 90, pioneer resident of Washington County and a charter member of the John Dix post No. 1, G.A.R., of Nebraska, died Thursday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Gray, with whom he had made his home for the past fourteen years.

One of the few pioneers who came to this region in a covered wagon as early as 1867, Mr. Sutherland had seen Washington County and eastern Nebraska develop from an almost untilled and unproductive district into one of the garden spots of the Middle West.

Born at Leesville, Ind., September 24, 1840, Mr. Sutherland, at the age of eight, moved with his parents to Bartholomew County, thirty miles from his birthplace, where he grew to manhood. On August 15, 1861, he enlisted in Company E., 22nd Indiana Infantry at North Madison and participated with his comrades in a number of hard battles, among which was the siege of Shiloh. He was injured in the Battle of Perryville, Ky., and was taken to the hospital at New Albany, Ind., where he received his discharge, because of disability.

Following his discharge, Mr. Sutherland was married in April, 1867, to Miss Sarah Reynolds of Leesville and in May of the same year he left in a covered wagon for Nebraska. Arriving in Washington County, he purchased a 160 acre farm four miles west of Blair, where the family lived for 34 years. He added to his land interest from time to time and was an extensive holder of Washington County real estate at the time of his death.

Well known throughout the county by virtue of the fact that he had served as agent for the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company of Lincoln for many years, Mr. Sutherland was compelled to forego this work more than two years ago when blindness threatened him. Since the first of the year he has been totally blink, but in spite of that fact he maintained an active interest in politics and even on the day before his death he commented at length on articles that were read to him out of the daily newspapers by his daughter, Mrs. Gray.

Surviving Mr. Sutherland are one son and four daughters. They are C.W. Sutherland of Los Angeles, Mrs. E.N. Sandilands of Wilmer, B.C., Mrs. O.P. Merrill of Chicago, and Mrs. J.P. Mullen of Blair. Three brothers and one sister also survive. They are Vann Sutherland of Columbus, Ohio, John and William Sutherland of Blair, and Mrs. Nancy White of Columbus.

Mrs. Sandilands and Mrs. Gray were present with their father when he died. The other children arrived here to attend the funeral services. Mr. and Mrs. Merrill plan to remain here for some time before returning to their home in Chicago.

In his eulogy of the deceased, Rev. Mr. Moran said that Mr. Sutherland, or “Uncle Abe” as he was affectionately known, was a man greatly admired for his cheerful attitude, for his honesty and fairness in his relations with his fellowmen, and for his courage and fortitude in every situation. He was, the minister added, a brave soldier, a true patriot, a loyal citizen, a good father, a real friend, and an excellent neighbor.

Sutherland, Abram 7/16/1931

#2 Printed in the July 23, 1931 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska

PIONEER SETTLER ANSWERS CALL

SETTLED ON PAPIO HOMESTEAD IN 1867. THROUGH INDUSTRY AND THRIFT HE AMASSED A FORTUNE. LIVED TO RIPE OLD AGE OF 90.

GOOD SOLDIER, GOOD CITIZEN

Abram Sutherland was born near Leesville, Ind. Sept. 24, 1840. He passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A.F. Gray, in Blair, Neb., July 16, 1931 at the age of 90 years, 9 months and 22 days.

At the age of eight years he moved with his parents to Bartholomew County, thirty miles from his birth place, where he grew to manhood. August 15, 1861, he enlisted in Co. E. 22nd Ind. Infantry at North Madison. He participated with his comrades in a number of hard fought battles among which was the battle of Shilo. He was wounded in a battle at Perryville, Ky, and was taken to the hospital at New Albany, Ind. He was confined to this hospital until Aug., 1864 when he received his discharge.

Mr. Sutherland was married to Miss Sarah E. Reynolds of Leesville, Ind., April 12, 1867. In the following month they left for Nebraska in a Prairie Schooner. They settled on land which they purchased in the Papio Valley, some distance west of Blair. Here, through the privations and hardships of those early years they toiled, conquering the west and building a fortune that they might in their old age have a competence that would enable them to spend their declining years in peace and plenty. For thirty-six years they made this their home, and then retired, making their home in Blair where Mrs. Sutherland died in 1907.

They were the parents of eight children, five of whom survive. They are: Mrs. A.F. Gray of Blair; Mrs. E.M. Sandilands of Wilmer, B. C.; Mrs. O.P. Merrill of Chicago; Mrs. Jas. Mullen of Blair, and C.W. Sutherland of Los Angeles, Calif. Other relatives are: three brothers, John and William of Blair, and Van of Columbus, Indiana; one sister, Mrs. Nancy White of Columbus, Indiana; eleven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Uncle Abe, for this is what he was affectionately called by a large number of friends and acquaintances, was a man greatly admired for his cheerful attitude, for his honesty and fairness in his relations with his fellowman, for his courage and fortitude in every situation. He maintained these valuable traits of character to the very end, and cherished them as priceless virtues.

These things and his experiences along the way of life fortified him for the trials which came to him in the closing years of his life. Cataracts that were shutting out his vision caused him repeated trips to the hospital s and intense suffering which finally resulted in total blindness, experiences which called for the use of just such traits of character as he possessed and which he used to the full.

He was blessed beyond measure for a man of his years with a keen and alert mind. He never lost interest in the current topics of the day and was able to discuss them with a high degree of intelligence.

He is worthy of these tributes, a brave soldier, a true patriot, a loyal citizen, a faithful husband, a good father, a real friend, and an excellent neighbor.

The long active life which he led will cause him to be greatly missed, first by his near relatives and next by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

The funeral service was held on Sunday, 2:30 p.m. from the A.F. Gray home on west Washington street. The officiating minister was Rev. L. J. Moran, the pastor of the Baptist church and a neighbor of the deceased. Interment was made in the Blair cemetery.

~~~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library, Blair, Nebraska.~~~

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