Birthplace ~ Cambria, New York

The Sutherland sisters were born in the town of Cambria, on what is known as the Sutherland farm, near the city of Lockport, Niagara County, New York, a few miles east of Niagara Falls.

They are all members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, having been confirmed by Bishop Cox, of Buffalo, and when at home are under the pastoral care of Doctor Foster Eley, rector of Grace Church, Lockport City.

Lockport, New York

Lockport became a town during the construction of the Erie Canal and the Lockport Locks ( 1821-1825).  In 1865, Lockport became a boom town and had grown to over 20,000.

Lockport Locks 1879 Mules were used to tow the canal barges

The first superhighway in the world !!!  The Lockport Locks scaled 60 feet above the Niagara escarpment connecting the Midwest & Lake Erie, across the Appalachians, to the Hudson River, to the east coast & New York City; a total of 350 miles.  The original cost of the Erie Canal (latter renamed as the Barge Canal) was $7 million dollars, equivalent to 4 billion in today's money.  The locks and the canal system was improved several times over the years, and was used commercially into the 1950s.

Vital Statistics

A- Glenwood Cemetery Lockport, Niagara County, New York, USA.

B- Forest Lawn Cemetery Buffalo, Erie County, New York, USA

"The Seven Wonder Sisters"

In New York City, the beginning of December, 1880, the Wonder Sisters launched their career showing off their long tresses and vocal talents.  The following summer the Sisters toured the Southern States as far south as Pensacola, Mobile, and New Orleans.  Their popularity grew... no pun attended :-)

Pennsylvania | Indiana | Indiana Weekly Messenger, The | 1883-11-14

Mary Fletcher Sutherland

Now this is strange, I received the following about Mary.  How can Mary spend her time locked up in her room and at the same time operate a business with her sister?  Maybe it will make sense later on. -Webmaster

. . . . . . . .

Mary was the youngest and she was considered mentally ill.  She would have "spells" and the family would lock her in her bedroom.  Mary lived in the Sutherland Mansion most of her adult life.  She and her sister Grace then lived with their nephew, Harry Bailey in Buffalo, where Mary's condition worsened.  She was committed to the State Institution for the insane in Buffalo, NY where she died on May 12, 1939.  She is buried at the Glenwood Cemetery near the Castlemaine Mausoleum in Lockport, NY.

Newspaper Articles

Texas | San Antonio | San Antonio Light, The | 1947-11-16

Pennsylvania | Titusville | Titusville Herald | 1966-07-22

Pennsylvania | Titusville | Titusville Herald | 1973-10-12

Lethbridge Herald, The, May 13, 1939

During the late 1800's and early 20th century, the Seven Sutherland Sisters, of Lockport, New York, were a illustrious act of singing sisters with the Barnum & Bailey Circus (c. 1892-1907.)  The Sisters were more known for their exceptionally long hair than for their musical talents. 

The Sister's collective length of hair reached thirty seven feet!  Apart from stepping on each other's hair, they were also successful in selling their HAIR GROWER and SCALP CLEANER, until the bob style become vogue after World War I.

Signs of the times... to bad, so sad :-(

Caption reads...  Oh! Where is your hair? When the barber bobbed your hair, did your sentiment cause you to treasure the shorn locks? If so, just imitate Estelle Clark and make a wonderful braided belt. The fad is spreading like wild-fire.

Below, is an envelope locally mailed and canceled on April 30, 1936, Toronto 2, Ontario, Canada.  The advertisement is on the backside.

SEVEN SUTHERLAND SISTERS
193-195 SPADINA AVE.
TORONTO 2    -    CANADA

Is the Sister's Hair Grower Tonic Valid?

I have found many websites which tag the Sister's tonic as "snake oil" and nothing more than hair quackery, all without supporting evidence or rationale.

At this time, I cannot find the the Sister's Hair Grower tonic recipe.  Some say the recipe was lost when a fire destroyed their home in 1938.  I have searched the US Patent Office filings and found nothing in the Sister's, business or Bailey's name.

But, I did find a common ingredient in most tonic formulas--  boiling of roots and/or vegetables, and the use of alcohol.  I make soap, and most books I use tell about a process called "infusion."  Infusion is a very old method of extracting nutrients and from plants into a broth, or into an alcohol (or oil) tincture.  The method is similar to steeping leaves into a tea.

There are conflicting opinions about the loss of vitamins using boiling type infusion.  In any case, whatever nutrients do survive remain in the broth.  Alcohol acts as a preservative.  But I also found that alcohol also acts a transdermal carrier, like DMSO.  For example, alcohol is used in skin patches to help transport drugs through the skin into the blood stream.

I found a few articles that touch base with the ingredients of the Sister's Hair Grower.  The Sister's tonic is made mostly of "vegetable preparations" and "alcohol."   Which make sense, because it is something that can be grown in the garden and mixed together, simply at home.  Before the Hair Grower business, Sisters used a hair ointment, and the kids at school would complain about the smell (The Seven Sutherland Sisters by Clarence O. Lewis, 1991, pg.10.)

"Emu oil is used topically on the scalp.  Studies and clinical experience show that it helps prevent hair loss and stimulates hair growth and hair follicles."

There is a new science/study called Nutrigenomics.  The study explores the relationship between genetics and nutrition.  If this is true.  If genetics can be modified by nutrition, then the Sister's tonic is valid.  What are the odds of having six out of seven Sisters with floor length hair?  And, one of the six is likely adopted? (1865 Census reported Isabella was adopted, Id. at pg.32)

Emu oil is also a transdermal carrier, a transporter.  Emu oil is very effective, has no side-effects, and helps improve circulation.  So far I have not found any specific information using Emu oil, mixed with a wide spectrum, cellular ready, liquid vitamin and ionic mineral supplement, as a  topical hair grower.

There are products that contain Emu oil with other ingredients to help arthritis and skin problems.  There are Emu oil shampoos and scalp creams.  Emu oil alone can help stimulate hair growth.  But I believe, used topically as a transdermal carrier for vitamins/ionic minerals will far exceed expectations.

First as singing amateurs ~ before their claim to fame

Before the Sisters showed off their hair, they were well known in their local area as the "Sutherland Concert of Seven Sisters, and one Brother" 

Opinions of the press....

"Naomi's voice was extraordinary."  At 13 years old she sang low bass, solo:

• Who Treads the Path of Duty

Sarah sang Scotch and English songs as high soprano, solo:

• On the Rhine, That Ancient River

Victoria, Isabella, and Grace sang as trio:

• The Shades of Night

sister/brother	sang as	hair
Sarah N.	solo single	jet black hair "long massive hair"
Victoria	mezzo-soprano	"seven feet"
Isabella C.	High soprano	"six feet"
Grace	tenor & piano accompanist	"between five and six feet"
Naomi	bass	"envelopes her whole body as with a garment"
Dora "Kitty"	alto	"five feet"
Mary	soprano	"the yongest... most wonderful growth of hair"
Charles Carroll Sutherland		"same tendency to long hair and music"

Sutherland Pets

This is an unusual portrait of the sisters.  Yes, they are the Sisters.  On the backside is the list of their names.  Anyhow, you can see a dog sitting at the bottom right of this image.  The Sutherland Sisters had many pets.  They were so heartbroken when one of their dogs passed away.  They spent $500 for their dog's funeral.  The dog in this image appears to be a pug.

Rising star
The Observer - UK
Mika Rottenberg, artist
Emma Love
Sunday October 8, 2006

Rottenberg, 29, won the inaugural Cartier Award at this year's Frieze Art Fair for a film piece - a movie trailer based on the true story of seven American sisters with record-breaking long hair who made a fortune with an anti-baldness cure....

• Click here for more

• Click here for the inaugural Cartier Award

Frieze Art Fair, featuring the Frieze Projects in association with Cartier, is held in Regent's Park, London, 12-15 October
And don't forget Alyssa, Mika's assistant.

Sutherland Hair Grower Sales

Continued Through April 30, 1936

Mary and Grace were still alive and in business selling their hair "fertilizer" through '36.  Dora ran the Canadian branch in the 20s out of Buffalo, New York

Dora's Hair Fertilizer Mailer & Advertisement  Contributed by Robert Coutts

1886

Hannah Terry Corwin & Friends Collection
Hannah did assignments for the Seven Sutherland Sisters Co. selling and demonstrating Sister's hair tonic

Sutherland Sisters Sarah   Victoria   Naomi   Mary   Isabella   Grace	Unknown
	Ade Sperry Mrs Flynes or Hynes Miss Wallace   Lillian Mott Mabel James Miss L Boom   Miss Dextor   Photos of Hannah

Seven Sutherland Sister's Hair Grower & Scalp Cleaner Advertisements & Product Labels

The Sister's father started the hair grower business in 1882.  Not until one of the Sisters married Henry Bailey of the Barnum & Bailey Circus did their father's business really take-off.  The Sisters continued the business after their father's death in 1888.

^" It's The Hair - not the Hat ^"

That makes a woman attractive

1901

1902

1903

1904

1905

No date

Demonstrations, Consultations, Engagements & Tours

demonstration AND "7 sutherland"

Alberta
Lethbridge Daily Herald, The April 3, 1918

 

California
Oakland Tribune Tuesday, May 30, 1899 Oakland, California San Mateo Times Friday, October 20, 1961 San Mateo, California Oakland Tribune Sunday, August 10, 1924 Oakland, California	Oakland Tribune Saturday, May 20, 1899 Oakland, California Fresno Morning Republican, The Monday, October 03, 1910 Fresno, California	Oakland Tribune Sunday, February 06, 1916 Oakland, California Fresno Morning Republican, The Thursday, October 14, 1915 Fresno, California Consultation by Grace Sutherland Fresno Morning Republican, The Friday, October 22, 1915 Fresno, California Demonstration by Grace Sutherland	Oakland Tribune Sunday, October 27, 1912 Oakland, California   Oakland Tribune Sunday, October 31, 1915 Oakland, California Consultation by Grace Sutherland