Note: Name and death date from cemetery records; she is buried beside her first husband, Spiker, though the obituary says that she later married Abr’m Sutherland. Mr. Sutherland’s wife Sarah died before he and Hattie were married.

#1-Printed in the Feb. 28, 1919 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska

Mrs. Abr’m Sutherland

Following a prolonged illness, Mrs. A. Sutherland died last Saturday at the family home on West Washington street in this city.

Deceased was a resident of this county for nearly half a century coming here with her former husband, Samuel R. Spiker, who died nearly 20 years ago, from Illinois and locating on a homestead in Grant precinct, 12 miles northwest of this city, in 1870, where she resided until 1906 when she came to Blair to live and nine years ago married Abr’m Sutherland. Six children, five sons and one daughter, survive and were all present at the time of her death, the five sons and the one son-in-law acting as pallbearers at the obsequies held at the home on Tuesday P.M. The sons are Cassius M., of Herman, Eugene, of Keeline, Wyo., Thad. C. of Sidney, this state, Manning, of S.D., and Samuel R., of Ainsworth, this state, and the daughter, Mabel, now Mrs. Benjamin, residing at Columbus this state.

The Spikers were very prominently known throughout the county in the early days, Mr. Spiker being quite active in public affairs and quite influential politically. They owned a large farm where the Spiker store and hall is located and their home was one of the landmarks of the county in those days.

#2-Published in The Pilot, February 26, 1919

Mrs. A. Sutherland died last Saturday and the funeral was held at the residence on west Washington street at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon, Rev. C. M. Foreman officiating.

Hattie E. Myers was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, on March 1, 1847 and died at her home in Blair, Nebr. on February 22, 1919, being at the time of her death 71 years, 11 months and 24 days of age. When she was about 3 years of age, her father departed this life. At the age of 9, she moved with her mother into Missouri where she lived until she was seventeen. She then moved to Henderson county, Ill. On April 21, 1869, she was united in marriage to Samuel R. Spiker and to this union six children were born: Thaddeus C., now of Sidney, Nebr.; Samuel R.Jr. of Ainsworth, Nebr.; Eugene H. of Keeline, Wyoming; Mabel L. of Columbus, Neb.; and Manning L. of Watertown, S. D., all of whom are living and were present at the time of her death. In the fall of 1869 she came with her husband to Washington county, Nebr., making the trip overland in a prairie schooner. In the spring of 1870 she settled with her husband on a homestead in Grant township, where she resided until 1906. On June 9, 1900, she lost her husband and the father of her children and six years later moved to Blair, Nebr, where she has since resided. On June 1, 1910, she was united in marriage to Mr. A. Sutherland of this place.

During the past year she gradually lost health and all that loving hands could do was done but to no avail. She leaves a devoted husband, six children, and two brothers, Richard Myers of La Harpe, Ill., and William H. Myers of Terre Haute, Ill., and one sister, Mrs. E. A. Hurd of Blair. Mrs. Sutherland was a member of the W.R.C. and the members showed their deep respect for her by attending the funeral in a body. The five sons and one son-in-law acted as pallbearers. Mrs. Sutherland was one of those pioneer mothers who came here to help conquer this wild country and make it bloom like a rose. She raised a large family, did all her own work and still found time to be a good neighbor by helping others. It is a wonder that these mothers who bore such burdens lived as long as some of them have, though many of them fell by the wayside long, long ago. They are entitled to all the poor honors we can pay them in these few words and to a greater glory at the hands of one who knows and appreciates all her service, love and sacrifice. Her noble and unselfish life has added much to the glory and sweetness of that sacred name of “Mother.”

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

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