Biography found in "The History of Berrien County" 1906. Page 325.

DARWIN B. SUTHERLAND, who is engaged in fruit growing and truck farming in Benton township, was born in this township, May 16, 1869. His birthplace being on the farm on which he now resides on section 36. He is a representative of one of the old pioneer families of the county. His paternal grandparents were Lot and Lydia (Bliss) Sutherland, the former a farmer by occupation. He [Lott] spent his earlier life in New York and in 1836 came to Michigan, settling in Kalamazoo, where he lived for four years, on the expiration of which period he removed to Bainbridge township, Berrien county, his home being near Millburg. There he followed the occupation of farming until his death, which occurred in 1873. His wife, however, passed away shortly after their arrival in Michigan and the father reared the family of eight children, three of whom are yet living. He voted with the Democracy.

It is to this family that Lewis Sutherland, father of our subject and a resident of Benton Harbor, belonged. He was born in Barker, Broome county, New York, February 28, 1831, and he arrived in Michigan in 1836 and in Berrien county in 1842, thus casting in his lot with the pioneer settlers. He [Lewis] attended the first school in Bainbridge township, the building being erected of logs. He also aided in the difficult task of developing a new farm and throughout his active business career carried on general agricultural pursuits and fruit raising. He gave much attention to horticulture, finding this to be a profitable enterprise and for many years was known as one of the most successful farmers and fruit -growers in the community. He continued to reside upon his farm until 1901, when he removed to Benton Harbor and purchased his present fine home on Superior street. He owned four hundred acres of valuable land in Benton township, which he has divided among his sons. He, too, votes with the Democracy, and he is a member of the Universalist church. He also belongs to the Masonic fraternity and to the Order of the Eastern Star and in 1902 he built the Masonic Temple at Benton Harbor. He is also one of the directors of the State Bank at Benton Harbor and these interests bring him a good income. He [Lewis] was married in 1860 to Miss Matilda A. Howard, a daughter of Joseph S. Howard, of Ohio, who came to Michigan at an early day and followed farming. Mr. and Mrs. [Lewis] Sutherland had a family of six children: Sterling, a successful fruit grower of Benton township, who owns eighty acres of land; Darwin B., of this review; Lott F., a farmer and fruit grower of Benton township; Addie, the wife of Rodney C. Pearl; and two children who died in early life.

Darwin B. Sutherland was educated in the district schools, in the Benton Harbor high school and in Benton Harbor College and was thus well qualified by liberal intellectual training for life’s practical duties. He taught school three years in the home district but gave up the profession of teaching to follow the life of a farmer and fruit grower and is now successfully and actively engaged in agricultural pursuits and in raising vegetables for the city markets. He has made a specialty of melons and has about fifty acres set out to peaches, of which thirty-seven acres are in bearing. He also has seventeen acres planted to apples, of which eight acres are in the old orchard and nine acres in an orchard four years old. He purchases excellent nursery stock and annually harvests good crops, his products finding a ready sale on the market because of superiority in size, quality and flavor.

Mr. Sutherland was married on the 22nd day of December, 1897, to Miss Lulu Lewis, who was born in Keeler township, Van Buren county, Michigan, and is the daughter of Lawrence and Mary Lewis. Mr. Sutherland holds liberal religious views and in politics has always been a Democrat, unfaltering in his advocacy of the party. He is now serving as township treasurer of Benton township and at all times he is loyal to the duties of citizenship, taking an active interest in whatever tends to promote the welfare and progress of his native county.