Elizabeth was the first child of Alexander McPherson and Betty (Elizabeth) Anderson Murray. She was born on the 17th April 1841 at West River, Nova Scotia. She had a twin brother, Hugh, who lived only ten days. She grew up on the family farm at Watervale (approximately five hundred yards north of the old Watervale School).

As the eldest of eleven children it is probable that Elizabeth had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders and probably had to help out from a very young age.

Elizabeth was also known as Betsy. Most formal documents had her name as Elizabeth, including her marriage slip from the Province of Nova Scotia and the Church marriage certificate, but her application for a marriage licence had her name as Betsy.

She was married to George Sutherland of Earltown, Colchester Co. on the 13th September 1866. The wedding took place at West River, Pictou Co., Nova Scotia and was performed by Alexander McKay, M.A., a minister of the Church of Scotland. Witnesses were Hugh McPherson and David Sutherland.

The marriage was registered not in Pictou Co., but in Colchester Co.

George Sutherland was a farmer and Elizabeth would have been familiar with the role of women married to farmers. By 1871 George and Elizabeth had two daughters, Elizabeth M., age 3, and Georgina, age 2.

Next door to them lived William Sutherland, age 48 and an Eliza Sutherland, age 73. This was George's mother and brother. William was listed as a widower and Eliza as a widow. According to George's marriage registration, his parents were Alexander Sutherland and Elizabeth Baillie. There was also a Donald Murray (age 13) living in the William Sutherland household. Where does he fit in? Was he a relation?

With the passage of the next ten years, three more children were born to the George Sutherland family: Alexander, born about 1874, Angus, born 1st July 1877 and Catherine Annie the 6th March 1880. In 1881 William Sutherland and Eliza Sutherland were no longer next door to the family.

On the 23 rd January 1882, Elizabeth died and George was left with five children between the ages of four and fifteen. Sadly Elizabeth was only about 40 years old.

George remained a widower for just over three years. On the 21st February 1885 he married Marion McKay, the daughter of Alex. McKay and Annie Sutherland. Marion's name was on her marriage registration as Mary Ann, but when she signed at the bottom she signed Marion and on the 1891 and 1901 census she was Marion.

There is also a Marion McKay (the same age as Marion married to George) next door with William on the 1891 census. Was she enumerated twice or was there a second Marion the same age?

George died sometime between the 1891 census and the 1901 census. On the 1901 census Marion was listed as step-mother and widow in the family which included Angus Sutherland (head), Elizabeth, Georgina and Catherine (sisters). Alex W. was living two houses away with his uncle William Sutherland.

The index to the marriage records for Colchester county for several years after 1901 do not have the names of any of the Sutherland children. Did any of them marry?

So far this is the last available information about Elizabeth McPherson's family. Does anyone know any descendants of the family?

The birth dates of Elizabeth and Georgina Sutherland appear on the 1901 Census as 10 Dec. 1870 and 5th January 1872. These birth years are not consistent with the 1871 and 1881 census. Both these girls appeared on the 1871 census.

(Elizabeth's age was 3 (1871), 14 (1881), 20 (1891)and 30 in 1901. Georgina was 2 (1871), 12 1881), 19 (1891) and 29 (1901).

The Clyne parish records for 1821 have record of a birth of William Sutherland as follows:

William son to Alexander Sutherland, lotter, Balineughe (?) and Elspet Baillie was born 15th and Baptised the 15 th May.

According to Leslie Alan Dunkling in the book, "Scottish Christian Names An A to Z of First Names", "Elspeth is a Scottish contraction of Elizabeth, often occuring as Elspet... Elspet(h) was 36th most frequently used name in Scotland in 1858... "

It seems probable that William, son to Alexander Sutherland and Elspet Baillie was the same William living next door to George and Elizabeth.

According to the census records William was born in Scotland and George was born in Nova Scotia. This puts the time period that the Sutherlands immigrated to Canada as somewhere in the 1820s or the 1830s.

Perhaps they came the same time as our Angus Murray family. "Lovell's Gazeteer of British North America (Montreal 1881)" suggests that the Earltown area was settled by Scotch Highlanders from Sutherland about "50 years ago." This would mean it was settled about 1831.

An Earltown Cemetery recording mentions the death of two infant children of Alex. Sutherland and Elizabeth Baillie. Unfortunately, no dates are recorded.

There is a big time period between the birth of William and George. It is probable that Alexander and Elizabeth Sutherland had more children. Was David who was a witness at George's wedding another brother?

The numerous Sutherlands in the Colchester area could be research further to establish family connections.