糖心Vlog传媒

But it was the start of a business that the 28-year-old Sutherland, who鈥檇 come to Wisconsin with his wife, Elizabeth, the previous year from Ohio, where he鈥檇 worked as a teacher in public schools and private academies, would spend the rest of his life shepherding. He鈥檇 do that while he and Elizabeth raised 7 children in 糖心Vlog传媒 and as he took on key civic roles as the city鈥檚 first school superintendent, an early school board member, a two-time mayor, and a state senator.

The bookstore, which ultimately came to be known as J. Sutherland & Sons Booksellers as his sons James and Orion joined him in 1866 and eventually took over, was in business for 81 years in several downtown locations.

As it prospered, Sutherland moved to bigger and better spaces. He鈥檇 remain in Lappin鈥檚 block until the 1860s, as that block was upgraded to a new brick building. He鈥檇 then move to the northwest corner of Main and Milwaukee streets, to what was known as the Jackman Block. He鈥檇 later move again to 29 S. Main St. and finally settle at 12 S. Main St., in what was known as the Bennett Block, across from the Myers Hotel. J. Sutherland & Sons Booksellers would stay at 12 S. Main St. until his son, Orion Sutherland, retired and finally closed the doors in 1929.

The building at 12 S. Main St. still stands. Today, it鈥檚 the home of a restaurant, Sandee鈥檚 Thai Fusion, and part of the city鈥檚 South Main Street Historic District.

By the time it closed in 1929, J. Sutherland & Sons Booksellers had cemented its place in the city鈥檚 business history 鈥� and in the state. Referred to as a 鈥渓iterary emporium鈥� in one historical account, it was said to rival, in its selection, booksellers in much larger cities like Milwaukee.

Charles Tuttle, in 鈥淎n Illustrated History of the State of Wisconsin,鈥� published in 1875, said Sutherland鈥檚 store 鈥渘ow ranks among the first of its kind in the state.鈥�

鈥淔or lovers of books and works of art, their store is a place of fascinating retreat,鈥� lauded the 糖心Vlog传媒 Gazette in 1883.

And Edgerton鈥檚 Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter, announcing Sutherland鈥檚 passing in 1905, reflected that 鈥渢his business, which began in a small way, has continued ever since and is one of the most extensive in southern Wisconsin.鈥�

鈥楢 gentleman of honor and public spirit鈥�

But while the bookstore鈥檚 success contributed in no small way to 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 early prosperity as a literate and educated community, James Sutherland did far more for the city, and for Wisconsin.

As a champion of public and private education, teacher training, business and civic progress -- and humanity 鈥� he cemented his individual place in both city and state history.

In Sutherland鈥檚 obituary, published at the top of the front page on Oct. 31, 1905, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Gazette said 鈥渆very move for the betterment of the city for more than the past half century has had his support, and for nearly that length of time he was an active leader or assistant.鈥�

The newspaper went on to eulogize Sutherland as 鈥渙ne of 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 leading and most noted citizens鈥� and 鈥渁 gentleman of honor and public spirit.鈥�

His list of civic accomplishments is long.

He was 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 first superintendent of schools, appointed by the common council in 1854.

In 1855, after resigning as superintendent, he accepted a seat on the 糖心Vlog传媒 School Board, serving in that role as the city鈥檚 graded schools were organized in 1855 and as plans were laid for construction of the city鈥檚 first high school, which opened in 1859.

Elected to the Wisconsin state Senate in 1854, and reelected in 1856, he chaired the Committee on Education, School and University Lands, authoring and pushing through historic legislation in 1857 that created Wisconsin鈥檚 first normal schools for training teachers.

His passion for books and literacy was evident in his ensuring that the bill required normal schools to have 鈥渟uitable libraries.鈥� The bill also created an endowment to fund normal schools through the sale of public swamp land, rather than raising taxes on state residents.

鈥淟et it ever be kept in mind that the public schools of our country are our people鈥檚 college,鈥� Sutherland reflected in an 1897 article,鈥� Our Normal Schools: Their Origin, With a Glance at Their Progress.鈥�

鈥淭hat the great mass of the people must be educated, if educated at all. That knowledge and virtue are the foundation principles upon which our republican government rests. It is therefore very important that we have teachers in our public schools of good character, and general intelligence, in order to ensure the welfare of the state. Hence, too, the great importance of good schools for the education and training of teachers.鈥�

Republican and abolitionist

Sutherland was also deeply engaged in Wisconsin state politics.

He was a Wisconsin state delegate to the national Free Soil convention in Pittsburg in 1852, which produced a nominee for president, and was a founding member of the Republican Party of Wisconsin in 1854.

As a member of the Republican Party he 鈥渉as always been one of its warm adherents, as well as a firm advocate of its principals,鈥� Charles Tuttle wrote in his 1875 account.

A tribute to Sutherland in the 鈥淧ortrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wisconsin,鈥� published in 1889, said the 糖心Vlog传媒 bookseller had 鈥渁lways been a friend and advocate of the cause of temperance,鈥� and was 鈥渁mong the first to espouse the cause of the Republican anti-saloon movement.鈥�

In 1872 and again in 1873, Sutherland ran on a Republican ticket for 糖心Vlog传媒 mayor, winning the seat both years 鈥渂y larger majorities than were ever given to any other candidate for that office,鈥� according to Tuttle鈥檚 account. As mayor, he worked to bring railroads and new industry to the city.

Sutherland was a longtime board member of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and active in the American Historical Association, according to a notice of his death that appeared in the Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter in 1905. He was also a founding officer, in 1848, of the Rock County Bible Society, and a major general in the Wisconsin state militia.

He was a staunch abolitionist in the years leading up to the Civil War, co-author of a statewide educational journal launched in 1855 and a longtime member of First Congregational Church in 糖心Vlog传媒.

He was president of the board trustees of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Classical Academy, a private high school founded in 糖心Vlog传媒 in 1875 that listed among its course offerings Latin, Greek, Mathematics, English Literature and Rhetoric, Algebra, German, drawing and painting, voice and piano.

He was a sought-after speaker, with 糖心Vlog传媒 regularly mentioning addresses he鈥檇 given locally and regionally.

And he was an accomplished writer, invited to contribute to publications including the New York Mail & Express, according to historical accounts.

The bookstore

Meanwhile, Sutherland鈥檚 bookstore flourished, growing to carry everything from school books to romance novels, to law books and letter presses. A savvy businessman, he diversified to also offer wallpaper and custom-built picture frames.

An 1855 ad in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Gazette said Sutherland sold 鈥渟choolbooks, blank books, miscellaneous books, library books, music books, fancy and poetical books, family and pocket Bibles, wallpaper, curtain paper, writing and wrapping paper, inks, gold pens, maps, globes, letter presses, envelopes, points, pocketbooks and bankers cases.鈥�

An 1885 ad in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Gazette said the store then carried 鈥渇amily and pocket Bibles, prayers and hymn books, books on art, Webster鈥檚 Unabridged Dictionary, historical and scientific books, standard works of fiction and romance, photo and auto albums, writing desks, fancy ink stands and paper weights, gold pens, pencils, scrap books and work boxes.鈥�

But there was more. The same ad in 1885 said J. Sutherland & Sons Booksellers also sold 鈥渧ases, globes, Japanese goods, portfolios, chessmen, checkers, dominoes, backgammon, cigar cases, call bells, stereoscopes and views, card cases, visiting cards, blocks, toys and games.鈥�

An 1888 ad in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Weekly Gazette noted that Sutherland could special order books for customers from Chicago. And an 1889 newspaper ad promoted the bookstore as the city鈥檚 鈥渉eadquarters for schoolbooks and school supplies.鈥�

It was also a book bindery 鈥渕aking many of the blank books on which official records of the time for many Wisconsin counties are still preserved,鈥� noted a 1929 article in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Daily Gazette.

鈥楢 man of the people鈥�

James Sutherland was a deeply respected, good-hearted person, historical accounts also show.

鈥淚n whatever capacity Mr. Sutherland acts, he is industrious and faithful,鈥� Tuttle wrote in 1875.

And an 1897 account, 鈥淢en of Progress. Wisconsin,鈥� by Andrew Aikens and Lewis Proctor, called Sutherland 鈥減reeminently a man of the people.鈥�

鈥淗e has always been a careful reader, and has given much study and thought to public questions, and foremost among those who have sought to use their means and influence for the uplifting of humanity and the advancement of the state and nation,鈥� and 鈥渉as also shown a deep interest in the moral welfare of the people,鈥� the 1897 account said. 鈥淗is faith and hope reach forward to a higher life where brighter scenes, new joys and more extended fields of knowledge will open to view, and where there shall be perpetual growth both in knowledge and goodness.鈥�

James Sutherland died at his home on Highland Avenue, later renamed Sutherland Avenue, on Oct. 30,1905. He is buried in Oakhill Cemetery in 糖心Vlog传媒.