Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Great-nephew 1: Joseph Lodowick Sutherland (1834-1901)


 Hypatia

When Joseph Lodowick Sutherland (1834-1901) arrived in the United States, the Civil War was already in full swing. He enlisted for the Union almost immediately, serving in Company M of the 1st Vermont Cavalry Regiment. Not surprisingly the war was eventful; while fighting at the battle of Gettysburg he was wounded and taken prisoner. After some time he was released on parole and returned to Washington, working in the war office. There his auburn hair and grey eyes must have caught the attention of Frances McNeal, whom he married in May of 1865. A few months later he was mustered out. Sometime around 1873 they relocated to Illinois, eventually settling in Chicago. In Edinburgh Joseph had been a clothier’s assistant and then a law clerk; likewise, in the U.S. he tried his hand at a variety of occupations—soldier, shirt manufacturer, news dealer—but ended up as the register of the Water Department of Chicago. We know that at his death he had recently relocated to a comfortable home and affluent neighborhood, suggesting the family was respectable and financially secure.

A Fun (and possibly random) Note on Methodology
Independent of probate records, how do I know Joseph Lodowick Sutherland was doing well at the time of his death? Namely, because his obituary mentions his address, 2255 South Park Avenue, Chicago. Just two years before the address had appeared in the news as the home of Dr. H. A. Cross, a dentist. Cross “caused the arrest of Benjamin F. Foster and his wife, Emma Foster, whom he accused of having duped him and sadly shaken his faith in Spiritualism.” Apparently in a séance held at his home “the spirits appeared, one of whom represented himself to be Theon, an ancient Greek god, the father of Hypatia. To Theon he handed $550, and Theon informed him that in return for the gift, he should never want for money.” Cross responded positively to this message giving “the generous Theon a small diamond ring, and three gold lockets.” After which Cross gave Theon jewelry crafted of diamonds and gold. From Cross’s wealth and possessions it is easy to deduce he did not live in poverty, and his home would have undoubtedly reflected his economic status.
While I never cease to be surprised at the variety of known figures who embraced spiritualism in the late nineteenth century, I have the feeling Thomas Sutherland probably agreed with the judge, who dismissed the suit as “out of his jurisdiction and [thus] should be brought against the spirits.”