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Thomas W. Sutherland

1817 – 1859

American settler

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About Thomas W. Sutherland

Lived 1817 – 1859 (aged 41–42). Thomas W. Sutherland was an American lawyer.

Thomas W. Sutherland (c. 1817 – February 2, 1859) was an American lawyer and pioneer settler of Wisconsin and California. He was the first village president of Madison, Wisconsin, was United States attorney for Wisconsin for several years in the 1840s, was a member of the first Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin, and was the last alcalde (mayor) of San Diego, California, prior to statehood.

He was the eldest son of Joel Barlow Sutherland of Philadelphia, who had been a militia officer in the War of 1812 and served as a Member of Congress when Thomas was a child. He settled in San Diego, where, in 1850, he served as the final Alcalde (Mayor) of San Diego prior to California becoming a state. That year, on May 5, he and his wife welcomed a son, Thomas, who is claimed to be the first "white" child born in the territory. He then became District Attorney for San Diego County in 1851. They moved to San Francisco in 1852, where Sutherland continued his law practice. He died on February 2, 1859, in Sacramento, California, and was buried at Lone Mountain Cemetery in San Francisco.

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Important facts

Born
1817, Philadelphia
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality

People in Thomas W. Sutherland's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Thomas W. Sutherland's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Thomas W. Sutherland?

American settler (1817–1859)

When was Thomas W. Sutherland born?

Thomas W. Sutherland was born in 1817 in Philadelphia.

When did Thomas W. Sutherland die?

Thomas W. Sutherland died on 3 February 1859 in Sacramento.

What was Thomas W. Sutherland's occupation?

Thomas W. Sutherland was a lawyer.

What nationality was Thomas W. Sutherland?

Thomas W. Sutherland was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Thomas W. Sutherland

· Wikidata: Q7794789

· DBpedia: Thomas W. Sutherland

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Thomas W. Sutherland. https://biography.guide/thomas-w-sutherland/

MLA: "Thomas W. Sutherland." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/thomas-w-sutherland/.

Chicago: "Thomas W. Sutherland." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/thomas-w-sutherland/.

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