Daniel Sutherland
Daniel Alexander Sutherland was a notable political figure and congressional delegate from the Alaska Territory, born on April 17, 1869, in Pleasant Bay, Nova Scotia. Moving to the United States in 1876, he worked in various roles, including as a grocer's clerk and in the fishing business, before relocating to Alaska during the gold rush in 1898. Sutherland became involved in mining and later entered politics, serving in the Alaska Territorial Senate from 1912 to 1920, including a term as president in 1915. He was subsequently elected to five terms in the US House of Representatives, where he earned the nickname "Fighting Dan" for his vigorous political style.
Sutherland was a strong advocate for home rule in Alaska and played a key role in establishing the first air mail flights in the territory. He also contributed to the welfare of the Alaskan community during a diphtheria outbreak in 1925 by promoting air delivery of medical supplies. Beyond his political career, Sutherland was dedicated to preserving the rights and culture of Alaska’s Indigenous populations, focusing on fishing rights and artifact preservation. After retiring from politics, he lived in Pennsylvania and worked in education-related purchasing until his death on March 24, 1955.
Subject Terms
Daniel Sutherland
Politician
- Born: April 17, 1896
- Birthplace: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
- Died: March 24, 1955
- Place of death: Abington, Pennsylvania
Contribution: Daniel Sutherland was a Canadian-born member of the United States House of Representatives from the territory of Alaska in the 1920s, before Alaska gained statehood in 1959. Sutherland served the territory during a formative period, advocating for its political and economic development and contributing to its subsequent preparations for statehood.
Early Life and Education
Daniel Alexander Sutherland was born on April 17, 1869, in Pleasant Bay on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The Sutherland family moved to the United States in 1876, settling in Essex, Massachusetts. Sutherland attended public schools in Essex and later worked as a clerk for a grocer. He also worked in the fish business.
In 1898, Sutherland relocated to Circle City, Alaska. The nineteenth-century gold rush drew many prospectors, including Sutherland. As gold was discovered in Nome, Sutherland moved there and became co-owner of a mining outfit; in 1909, he followed the gold rush to Juneau.
During World War I, Sutherland served in the US Naval Reserves.
Political Career
Though it would not become a state for another four decades, Alaska began to send representatives to a territorial senate in 1912. Sutherland was elected to the senate as a member of the Republican Party in 1912, and served until 1920, including a term as president in 1915. After World War I, Sutherland was elected to five terms in the US House of Representatives, remaining in office until 1931. Sutherland had campaigned for this post by crossing the state in a dog sled. He was given the name “Fighting Dan” as a result of his confrontational approach to national politics.
Sutherland was an advocate of home rule for Alaska. One of the keys to this independence—in addition to breaking free from a dependence on West Coast shipping operations—was to use airplanes to bring supplies to the Alaskan interior during the winter. He was behind the creation of the first air mail flights in 1924.
During an outbreak of diphtheria in Nome in 1925, Sutherland found another opportunity to serve the territory and to make a case for initiating flights to Alaska. He was among those who argued that the antitoxin should be delivered by air rather than by dog sled teams. Although the governor ultimately chose to use the sleds for delivery, Sutherland saw his dream of air service to the territory come to fruition in the early 1930s.
Sutherland is also remembered for his contributions to aboriginal life in Alaska, particularly in his efforts to protect fishing rights and in the preservation of artifacts, including totem poles.
Personal Life
Sutherland married Hilda Evanson in 1912. Their son, Donald Sutherland, was a well-known literary critic and scholar.
After his career in politics came to an end, Sutherland settled in Pennsylvania, where he worked as a purchasing agent for the Ogontz School until 1950. Sutherland died in Abington, Pennsylvania, on March 24, 1955.
Bibliography
Alaska Historical Society. Alaska Visionaries: Seekers, Leaders, and Dreamers. Anchorage: Alaska Historical Society, 2008. Print.
Engstrom, Elton. “A Democrat recounts Alaska’s party politics.” JuneauEmpire.com. Juneau Empire, 22 Sept. 2006. Web. 7 Aug. 2013.
Haycox, Stephen W. “William Paul, Sr., and the Alaska Voters’ Literacy Act of 1925.” Alaskool. UAA-ISER, n.d. Web. 7 Aug. 2013.
Haycox, Steve. “100 Years Ago, New Territorial Legislature Ignited a Dream.” adn.com. Anchorage Daily News, 5 Apr. 2012. Web. 7 Aug. 2013.
Salisbury, Gay, and Laney Salisbury. The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic. New York: Norton, 2003. Print.