John Rutherford Jr.
Birth 18 Oct 1789
Death 13 Mar 1880 (aged 90)
Burial Rutherford Family Cemetery
Bridgewater, Burke County, North Carolina, USA
John Rutherford Jr was a wealthy and prominent man. He was greatly interested in education and became a close friend of a local minister, Reverend R.L. Abernethy. Upon visiting the small village of Excelsior, John at once proclaimed it an ideal spot for a town and gave his friend sufficient money to buy 200 acres to build a town. His friend founded Rutherford Academy at that location which later became Rutherford College. The college was later supported by the Methodist Church until it was forced to close in 1933.
John Rutherford Jr. was a man of wonderful information. He had collected one of the rarest and choicest libraries in that part of the state. When he became old and his eyesight failed, he advertised in a northern paper for a wife. He advertised for an Elocutionist, one who could read to him and who loved reading. His ad was answered and he married Elizabeth Camp Dennison Jennings. They lived together 10 years. He died at the age 90 leaving his young widow over $80,000. He left his large and valuable library to Rutherford College. He died 15 Mar 1880.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112607641/john_rutherford
