William Sutherland (1824 - 1907)

Born 26 Apr 1824 in Edinburgh, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Robb) Sutherland — married 24 Jan 1850 in London, Ontario

Descendants

Died 4 May 1907 at age 83 in Glencoe, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kim Sutherland Mills [send private message]

Biography

William Sutherland is a member of Clan Sutherland.

William was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1824, and baptised in St. Cuthbert's parish. ^{[1] [2]} His family moved to Canada and settled in the Montreal area about 1832, and he later moved to London where he married Margaret Robb. ^[3]

He launched the Canadian Free Press in 1849, the first issue appearing January 2. The paper’s prospectus proclaimed that “Its character, as its name implies, will be liberal. It will advocate those principles and measures which aim at the safe progress of Legislation and Government towards their true end: ‘The greatest possible good to the greatest possible number.’ This it can be assumed can be gained only by maintaining the Provincial constitution, which by bringing the increasing intelligence of the community to bear upon the administration by means of their representatives constitutes Parliamentary or Responsible Government; by the independent and unfettered exercise of the elective franchise; by an enlightened system of popular education; by securing on all political and economical questions liberty and equality, in opposition to all exclusive aims of parties, classes or religious denominations; and by setting free our commerce, enterprise and intelligence from all those obstructions by which their development has been hitherto so long and so greatly retarded.”

His four-page weekly issue, printed on 26x40 inch sheets, sold for 15 shillings a year (12 and sixpence if paid in advance) and gave him a platform, as a Reformer, to criticize the Tory mayor and his supporters during tumultuous municipal affairs. On May 28, five months into his venture, an arsonist set fire to his offices. He was sleeping within but was able to escape the blaze. He continued to publish an abbreviated edition and found new offices within a week. He attempted daily publication in January 1852, but survived only 40 issues. Josiah Blackburn paid the $500 mortgage held by James Daniell and took ownership of the paper, which was renamed The London Free Press. ^{[4] [5][6]}

After moving to a farm near Glencoe, William founded the Glencoe Transcript. Read the early issues at https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.N_00227. He passed away in 1907. ^[7]

Research Notes

Defunct web source: 144 Years of Backburn Ownership,” London Public Library. Blog post dated 2013/12/27, 144-years-blackburn-ownership.

Sources

1. ↑ Sutherland family bible
2. ↑ Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, Ancestry
3. ↑ Sutherland family bible
4. ↑ Pioneer Days in London: some account of men and things in London before it became a city by Cl. T. Campbell M.D.
5. ↑ This Was London: the first two centuries by Orlo Miller
6. ↑ History of the County of Middlesex, Canada from its earliest time to the present, 1889
7. ↑ Sutherland family bible