The Seven Sutherland Sisters
last revised 8/06/99

                  Among the most fascinating peddlers were one-time preacher Fletcher Sutherland and his seven
                  daughters, whose hair had a collective length of thirty-seven feet. When the young ladies performed their
                  vocal and instrumental concerts-at such venues as the 1881 Atlanta Exposition and, by 1884, Barnum
                  and Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth-Fletcher Sutherland shrewdly observed that the girls' long hair
                  was a greater attraction than their musical ability. This led him to create the "Seven Sutherland Sisters
                  Hair Grower," a concoction of alcohol, vegetable oils, and water. When the fifth daughter, Naomi, died
                  unexpectedly in 1893 business was so good that, to keep up appearances, the remaining sisters hired a
                  replacement. Overall, their hair grower and related products brought in more than $2.75 million over a
                  38-year period, but the septet squandered it on an opulent lifestyle that included each having a personal
                  maid to comb her luxuriant tresses (Lewis 1991).


Sutherland Sisters Genealogy Info.

Father-Fletcher Sutherland, b. 1 Mar 1816 in Cambria ( son of Andrew Sutherland & Naomi Cooley)
Mother- Mary Brink
Girls born in Cambria, Niagara, New York
Father & Mother married abt.-1843

#1-Sarah Naomi-b. 1844
#2-Mary Fletcher-b. 1846
#3-Victoria-b. 1848
#4-Isabell Cooley-b.1850
#5-Grace-b. 1854
#6-Naomi-b. 1856
#7-Dora-b.1858
Also son Charles-b. 1852
 


 
 

Feb 1989

                                   "A Good Hair Day" long hair contest; History and celebration of the 7
                                    Sutherland Sisters, known world wide for their long tresses and hair
                                       tonics. Niagara County Historical Society, 215 Niagara St.,
                                              Lockport, NY. 2/21 1-3pm 716-434-7433
 

A Good Hair Day

The History and celebration of the Seven Sutherland Sisters

The Seven Sunderland Sisters in the picture above, were famous at there time for none other than having such long hair. 35 feet in length all sisters manes added together. The sisters gain recognition through there community due to there long long hair. Their recognition grew to a point where they were sought out by PT Barnum, who always had long haired women in his circus side show. The Seven Sunderland Sisters were special to PT, and they were part of the stage showed, which was not part of the side show. The sisters would sing, and dance several songs. At the end of there performance the seven sisters would all turn their backs to the audience and let down their hair. They became even more well known as they travel around the world with PT Barnum and his Greatest Show on Earth.
 The Sunderland Sisters decided sell their family hair tonic. They soon left PT Barnum, once the hair tonic business started to boom. The hair tonic made all seven sisters millionaires. It was not all good times for the sisters as several died at an early age from malaria, had many of the others had gold digging husbands. The last remaining sister out of the seven died in 1964.
 "A Good Hair Day"  is a history and celebration of the Seven Sutherland Sisters, known world wide for their long tresses and hair tonics. As part of the event their will be a long hair contest. The event will be held at the Niagara County Historical Society, 215 Niagara St., Lockport, NY. Saturday February 21 from 1-3pm. for more details Phone #716-434-7433.

Books & Articles on the Sunderland Sisters

(1)   Algoe, Kristen.

 The hair raising trials and tribulations of the seven
Sutherland sisters

  Lockport, N.Y. : Class A Publishers, 1990.

             61 p. :

             ill., ports. ;

             28 cm.

 Subject:
             Sutherland family (Lockport, N.Y.)
             Hair --Care and hygiene--History.
             Niagara County (N.Y.) --Biography.

 Other Authors:
             Hawkes, Kristyne.
             Pirrone, Maura.
             Sansone, Rosemary M.

 Notes:
             Prepared as a special project by three students of the
Lockport elementary schools.
             Project director and editor: Rosemary M. Sansone.

 Holdings
             Agency=NIAGARA UNIVERSITY
             Call #=F127.N5 A43x 1990
             Status=checked In
 

(2)  Author: Lewis, Clarence O.

 Title:
  The seven Sutherland sisters

 Published:
                Lockport, N.Y. : Niagara County Historical Society, 1965.

 Description:
 Pages:
                56 p. :
 Contains:
                ill. ;
 Size:
                23 cm. --

 Subject:
                Sutherland family (Lockport, N. Y.)
                Hair --Care and hygiene--History.
                Niagara County (N.Y.) --Biography.

 Holdings
                Agency=NIAGARA UNIVERSITY
                Call #=F127.N5 N57 no. 16
                Status=checked In