THOMAS A. SUTHERLIN

Thomas A. Sutherlin is one of the men of wealth of Decatur county, owning seventeen hundred and sixty-five acres of excellent land in Burrell township. He was born in that township, upon the farm on section 21, where he still lives, on the 20^th of February, 1856, a son of Alfred and Henrietta (Nichols) Sutherlin, both born near Louisville, Kentucky. The father was taken by his parents to Indiana in an early day in that history of that state and remained there until 1854, when he removed to Decatur county, Iowa, and purchased the farm upon which our subject resides. He owned five hundred and eighty acres of excellent land, which he developed and cultivated until his demise in 1861, when still a young man. His widow subsequently remarried and removed to Missouri, whence in 1872 she returned to Decatur county, Iowa, where she passed away about three months later.

Thomas A. Sutherlin received a very limited scholastic education but attended school for a short time in Decatur county following his mother’s demise. When still a boy he worked for others as a farm hand and was so engaged until he reached the age of twenty years. He then began operating sixty-five acres which he inherited from his father and as his resources increased he added to his holdings. He is now one of the most extensive landowners of Decatur county, holding title to seventeen hundred and sixty-five acres on sections 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, and 28, Burrell township. He has made many improvements upon his property and keeps everything in excellent condition. He farms individually about five hundred acres of land and rents the remainder. He gives his greatest attention to raising high grade stock and feeds about four carloads of cattle and four carloads of hogs annually, from the sale of which he receives a good profit. He also owns a number of business properties in Davis City and Decatur and was for about four years in the implement business in those cities.

Mr. Sutherlin was married on the 2d of June, 1878, to Miss Martha Farris, a daughter of James and Lucinda (Miller) Farris, natives of Indiana and Ohio respectively. The father joined the Union army when a lad of but fourteen years and served from 1862 until the close of the war. Subsequently he removed to Iowa and engaged in the implement business in various parts of the state, eventually locating in Davis city, where he conducted an implement store for eight years. For some time before his death, which occurred on the 7^th of April, 1915, he made his home with our subject. His wife died in 1878. Mr. And Mrs. Sutherlin have two children: Nellie G., who after her marriage to Calvin V. Githens went to Seattle, where she completed a four years modern language course at the University of Washington and who is now connected with the profession of music at San Francisco, California; and Luther W., who is a junior in the law department of the University of Washington at Seattle.

Mr. Sutherlin is a republican but has never been an aspirant for political honors as his business affairs have demanded his undivided attention. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a canton Odd Fellow and is well known in local fraternal circles. His religious belief is that of the Methodist church and the teachings of that organization guide his life. He has much business ability and his success is due to his astuteness and good judgment, combined with his practical knowledge of farming and stock-raising. He values highly his material success but he prizes even more the goodwill and respect of his fellow citizens, which he has in full measure.