The Sutherland family began its long relationship with Walla Walla in 1879 when George Sutherland moved out to the Washington Territory. On July 29, 1882, he married Lydia Parshley of Placer County, California and the two began their life together in Walla Walla. In 1883, George Sutherland established the family business, the G.H. Sutherland Plumbing Company and he and Lydia spent the remainder of their lives running the business together. The couple had three children, Ray, Louis Carr (born 1885), and Leila (born 1892).

Ray attended the University of Washington, but passed away while swimming with friends in 1905. Louis and Leila both attended Whitman College, and Luis went on to marry Lula Mae Hubbard and move to Seattle, where they had four sons, David Hubbard Sutherland (born 1916), George L. Sutherland (born 1919), John R. Sutherland (1924), and Louis Carr Junior (born 1927). All four sons were involved in the war effort in World War II, David and George in the army air corps, John as a navy pilot, and Louis in the navy. Leila earned her Masters in Arts for English from Whitman College in 1932, and continued to live in Walla Walla for the remainder of her life. She traveled extensively around Europe in 1938 and 1939. Leila died in Seattle at the age of 85.