A. E. Sunderland

Alpheus "Al" Eugene Sunderland (1866-1940) was a banker, businessman, movie star manager, Woodman, Rotarian, city trustee, and mayor of Fresno. Sunderland is the father of actress Ninette "Nan" Sunderland.

Sunderland was born on October 5, 1866, to Edwin Riley Sunderland and Mercy Cronkite in Pavilion, New York the first of two children.^[1] The Sunderland Family would reside in the Pavilion area for several years before the family moved to Kansas City, Missouri. Sunderland began working at 15 years old indicating he completed school to the eighth grade before the family moved.^[2] Sunderland would begin as a billing clerk for Armour Packing Company where he learned business and accounting that would prove beneficial in later years. Sunderland would move again to Clovis, California where Sunderland would get a job at the Fresno Flume and Irrigation Company.^[2] In 1889, Sunderland would marry Lillian May Gilliam and purchased land near Temperance Colony. An accident at the planing mill on site cost him his left eye and Sunderland was left without work just prior to the Panic of 1893.^[3] Sunderland was fortunate to have land and began practicing viticulture which allowed him to become familiar with other local grape and raisin growers of the area.^[2] Sunderland was heavily involved with the fraternal benefit society Woodmen of the World up to becoming the Consul Commander for the local lodge as well as the head banker for the Pacific Woodmen division of the society.^[4][5] Sunderland would bring his previous accounting experience and understanding of viticulture farming to start work for a packing house as their secretary.^[6] His work in the packing house, viticulture farming, and philanthropy with the Woodmen of the World would continue throughout his political offices.