Person:Robert Rutherford (22)

Watchers
Hon. Robert Rutherford
b.20 Oct 1728 Scotland
d.10 Oct 1803
m. Bef 1728
  1. Hon. Robert Rutherford1728 - 1803
  2. Thomas Rutherford - 1796
  • HHon. Robert Rutherford1728 - 1803
  • WMary d'Aubigne1731/32 - 1803
m. 13 Sep 1763
  1. Susanna Rutherford1763 -
Facts and Events
Name Hon. Robert Rutherford
Gender Male
Birth? 20 Oct 1728 Scotland
Marriage 13 Sep 1763 Shepherdtown,Virginiato Mary d'Aubigne
Death? 10 Oct 1803
Reference Number? Q2158678?


From "Daughters of the American Revolution magazine", Volume 11, pub. 1897:

ROBERT RUTHERFORD.
"It is a work of love and pride resuscitating the patriotic dead. It is a work of justice to them, and may be of advantage to the present age, by reproducing for study and imitation, the words and conduct of the wise, just, modest, and patriotic, intelligent, and disinterested men who carried their country through a momentous revolution, moulded that country into one brotherly Union, and then put the government they had formed into opeiation in the same fraternal spirit of ' unity, mutual deference and concession ' in which they had made it." Such was the subject of this sketch.
Robert Rutherford, the son of Hugh Rutherford and Sarah de Montargis, was born in Scotland, October 20, 1728, and educated at the Royal College at Edinburgh.
The Rutherfords of Scotland are noted as far back as It 40, where mention is made of Robertus Dominus de Rutherford. Sir Robert Rutherford was a friend of Robert Bruce in 1398. Sir Walter Scott's mother was a Rutherford, and the name of Rutherford appears in several of his works. In the "Lay of Last Minstrel " are described the " Rutherfords of Hunthill " as an ancient race of Border Lairds, whose names occur in history, sometimes as defending the frontier against the English, sometimes as disturbing the peace of their own country.
Robert Rutherford came to this country when very young, took an active part in establishing American Independence, and also in the politics of the early days of the Republic. He was eccentric, but brilliant and very popular.
On September 13, 1753 (Note: s/b 1763), he married Mary Howe, the widow of Hon. Gecrge Augustus Howe, who was killed at Ticonderoga in the wars with the Indians. He was the brother of Lord Admiral Howe of the British Navy. Mary Howe was the daughter of William and Deborah Daubein or Dobbin.
Robert Rutherford was one of the delegates to the Convention held at the town of Richmond, in the Colony of Virginia, on Friday, the 1st of December, 1775, and afterwards by adjournment in the city of Williamsburgh.
At Williamsburgh, on December 6, 1775, this Convention resolved itself into a committee to take into their further consideration the state of the Colony.
He was one of the seven delegates chosen by this Convention to make reply to the proclamation of Lord Dunmore, declaring marshal law, to be enforced throughout the Colony, and requiring every person capable of bearing arms to resort to His Majesty's standard by him erected in the town of Norfolk, or to be considered as traitors to His Majesty's crown and Government, and thereby to have incurred the penalty of the laws for such offenses ; and granting their freedom to the slaves and servants of those he was pleased to term rebels, arming them against their masters, and destroying the peace and happiness of His Majesty's good and faithful subjects, whose property was rendered insecure, and whose lives were exposed to the dangers of a general insurrection.
On Wednesday, December 13, 1775, the committee appointed to draw up adeclaration in answer to Lord Dunmore'sproclamation reported that they had prepared a reply, which severed forever our connection with England, and laid the foundation of the Revolution in the colony of the Old Dominion, for they as guardians of the lives and liberties of the people, their constituents, conceived it to be indispensably their duty to protect them against every species of despotism.
He owned a large and handsome estate called "Flowing Spring," near Charleston, Jefferson County, West Virginia, situated in the picturesque Valley of the Shenandoah, in view of the beautiful range of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and here the statesman-patriot lies buried by the side of his wife. He died in October, 1803. He belonged to that earlier generation of our statesmen, whose patriotism was confirmed by their deeds.
Robert Rutherford has no descendants who bear his name, his only son having died at the early age of nineteen. His daughters, however, left numerous descendants- Their names by marriage were Peyton, Hite, Morrow, Conrad, Davis, Bedinger, and Brown.


Notes

Addison Bowles Armistead of Prince William County, son of John Armistead and Lucy Baylor, entered the United States Army and was made captain, September 30, 1806; d. February 10, 1813. Married (1808) Mary Howe Peyton, b. May 1, 1781; d. -, daughter of John Peyton, of Winchester, Va., and Susanna Rutherford, daughter of Hon. Robert Rutherford. Member first U. S. Congress from Virginia 1793-1797.