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John Rutherford, Sr., of Burke Co., NC
Facts and Events
References
- Find A Grave.
John Rutherford Sr.
Birth 3 Oct 1755
Bedford County, Virginia, USA
Death 5 May 1841 (aged 85)
Burke County, North Carolina, USA
Burial Rutherford Family Cemetery
Bridgewater, Burke County, North Carolina, USA
Native of Bedford County, Virginia
"John Rutherford Sr. of Bridgewater, married Nancy Susannah Ballew, by whom he had five children, two sons and three daughters (being) John, Robert, Nancy, Celia, and Jane." This list should also include his other sons; Joseph Harvey Rutherford and William Rutherford.
"Bridgewater" was the name given to the plantation of John Rutherford, Sr. (1755-1841) and his son, John Rutherford, Jr. (1809-1889). Their plantation was on the Catawba River near the mouth of Muddy Creek. The name "Bridgewater" came from Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (1736-1803). Francis Egerton was a famous designer of canals, one of which was called the Bridgewater Canal. This canal linked his mines in Worsley, England with Manchester and Liverpool. He was a friend of John Rutherford Sr. and Peter Rust (1762-1828), who moved their families "to this place of many waters" in 1781. The Rutherford family had come from Scotland and the Rust's were originally from Suffolk, England, however both families were natives of Bedford County, Virginia. Peter Rust was married to Elizabeth Ballew sister of John Rutherford Sr's wife, Susannah Ballew Rutherford. Peter and Elizabeth Rust had a daughter Cynthia who married a John Rutherford Walker in the early 1800's. They had a son John Rutherford Walker Jr. b. 30 Dec 1829.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112607705/john-rutherford
- FamilySearch Family Tree.
John Rutherford Jr. was born on 3 October 1755, in Bedford, Virginia, United States, his father, William Rutherford, was 55 and his mother, Agnes Beard, was 20. He married Silva Fallingwater in 1775, in Burke, North Carolina, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons. He died on 5 May 1841, in Burke, North Carolina, United States, at the age of 85, and was buried in Bridgewater, Burke, North Carolina, United States.
https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KPW1-BVL/john-rutherford-jr.-1755-1841
- Walton, Thomas George. Sketches of the pioneers in Burke County history, being reminiscenses an d sketches, prepared by the late Colonel T. G. Walton for the old Morgan ton Herald. A rich fund of historical incidents connected with the early settlers of western North Carolina. (Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1984).
JOHN RUTHERFORD
(The Work of Dr. Abernethy)
"JOHN RUTHERFORD, SR. of Bridgewater, married NANCY SUSANNAH BALLEW, by who he had five children, two sons and three daughters (being) JOHN, ROBERT, NANCY, CELIA, and JANE. JOHN RUTHERFORD JR., one of the wealthiest of Burke's citizens, was in many respects a remarkable man. He was somewhat quaint and eccentric. He was well-read in history and light literature. His place (home) was named after the Earl of Bridgewater, (not as many suppose , because he built a bridge crossing Muddy Creek, leading to his residence). With three maiden sisters, he lived a bachelor until he was 80 years old or more. Noted for his hospitality and benevolence, he endowed the college named for him, founded by it's successful president, R. L. ABERNETHY, who deserves credit, almost beyond words to express, for having given and continuing to give, an
education to young men and women, fitting them for any vocation in life (so far as depends upon education), at a price so low as places almost within reach of all, and without , making large personal sacrifices. By his laudable philanthropic exertions, in this cause, he deserves an eulogy more enduring than this brief notice."
"Mr. RUTHERFORD was myopic, what is commonly called near-sighted; so much so that he could not distinguish by form or feature his most intimate acquaintances, and, when meeting them, would never call their names until they had spoken. From long practice, and from the well-known fact that if one of the organs of the body is defective, another is strengthened; correspondingly,
he had become very expert in recognizing them either by tone of voice, or enunciation of those with whom he associated, and would soon after speak to them by name. His manner was such as led them to believe that he thought he had deceived them as to his eyesight being defective, and this attempt to deceive was practiced by his own family. In proof of this, one of his sisters
was asked by my mother, "Miss C., why don't you induce your brother to wear spectacles? They would be so useful and relieve him from his nearsightedness." She replied." Oh! Mrs. Walton. I would not do so on any account for fear of offending him. He does not know or suspect that we are aware of this defect." W. B. RUST, Esq., a near neighbor and maternal uncle, who, himself was near-sighted and wore glasses, in speaking of this idiosyncracy of his nephew, told me that once being in the room where Mr. R. had been writing a letter at his desk, unfinished, he, RUTHERFORD, left the room. He concluded that if Mr. R. would only put on his (RUSTs) specks, being adapted to his eyes and seeing the great advantage they would be to him, he would forego his prejudice against the use of them. Taking off his glasses and laying them on the desk near the letter in such a way as to know whether they had been moved, he left the room and, after remaining out some time, returned. The letter was finished, sealed and directed, the spectacles
untouched, lying as he had placed them. This unparalleled singularity was the cause of narrow escapes, "by flood and field", some of which I shall omit.
Crossing the bridge, on one occasion, he made a misstep, plunging ten feet into the turbid creek, fortunately but little hurt. Struggling to reach the shore, his wig which was not worn on account of baldness, came off. He never wore another after the loss of this. At the marriage of the Hon. BURTON CRAIG to ELIZABETH ERWIN, oldest daughter of Col. JAMES ERWIN, there were a number of guests gathered from several counties. Mr. RUTHERFORD was one of them. He
was fond of the ladies, and owing to his defective sight, when addressing them, usually brought his face very close to theirs. The wedding over, he took a seat near a belle from the valley of the Yadkin, extending his arms as though he purposed to embrace the fair one. Alarmed, she sprang to her feet, crossed the room to a vacant corner, he following close with his long arms
extended. Lightly dodging under them, she made her escape, leaving the persistent pursuer, still with extended arms, moving until striking the wall of the house. He found the bird had escaped, and he was left standing, not cheered by the laughter of the merry crowd who had witnessed his discomfiture.
Notwithstanding his eccentrics, he was possessed of so many good traits that he was held in the highest estimation by the best people of the county."
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