Person:Perla Rutherford (1)

1892 Directory - Part 4 Oakwood Missouri [Hannibal]

Mrs. Etta Rutherford P. H. Rutherford – Laborer

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P.H. Rutherford, General Manager P. H. & J. T. Rutherford, Hannibal, Missouri, was born January 3, 1869, in Marion County, Iowa, and has been in the coal business sixteen years. “Coal Men in America” Sydney A. Hale 1918 page 193

PERLA H. RUTHERFORD

Mr. Rutherford was born in Marion County, Iowa, January 3, 1869. His father was William Rutherford, a farmer of Marion County, and married Miss Miranda Hagan, of the same place, in 1850, and have resided there continuously until eight years ago. Mr. Rutherford is one of a family of nine children: Julia, W. F, John T., Elizabeth, Laura, Addie, Daniel S., Ernest T. and one sister who died in infancy. The mother is still living at the age of 74 years. All are married and settled in their own homes.

Mr. Rutherford was educated at the country schools of his neighborhood, and from the age of 5 years until he was 17, received but three months' schooling yearly. His father died when he was quite young, and he and his three brothers conducted the farm until at the age of 16 he, with the help of one brother, did most of the work. Mr. Rutherford next embarked in the livery business at Marysville, Iowa, in company with an acquaintance. He was engaged in this business until 1891, when he sold his interest in the livery and other business and moved to Missouri in the fall of 1892, locating at Oakwood, a suburb of Hannibal

In the fall of 1901 he moved to his present residence, No. 517 Grace Street. For several years Mr. Rutherford was employed by the Stillwell Ice Company. In 1893 he commenced business for himself with one team. He now does the largest ice and feed business in the city, having three different places in the city and quite a number of teams. In 1903 he sold his property on Girard Street. Although the business now conducted by Mr. Rutherford had been unsuccessful under the management of several Arms before he took possession, from the first day his trade increased very rapidly. The very first year he did a business of $15,000. He has continued selling ice, buying from the Stillwell Ice Company every year for the past five years, until last year. Some lime ago he purchased a property on Lemon and Collier Streets, the property of the old Hogg mill site, which is equipped with switch track, coal chutes, etc. Here he stores his coal, wood and surplus stock. He has secured several large fuel contracts, among them that for furnishing the city schools. September last he succeeded in purchasing the ground occupied by his business from D. Foss. A year ago he traded eighty acres of his Frankford property for forty acres of timber land in Bollinger County, Missouri, which is very valuable property. His residence on Grace Street is one of the most attractive in that part of the city. He has spent nearly $1,500 recently in remodeling and refurnishing the same, installing hot-air heating apparatus, city water, etc.

In 1889 Mr. Rutherford married Miss Ethel Owens of Marysville, Iowa, daughter of H. A. Owens, a merchant of that place. They have three children, Harry, 15 years of age,. Charles, 8 years of age, and Thelma, 4 years of age.

Mr. Rutherford is a member of the K. O. T. M., Modern Woodmen, Married Men's League—in all of which he has held positions of trust. When only 14 years of age he was converted to the Protestant faith and joined the M. E. Church in Marion County, Iowa. He and his family attend the Broadway M. E. Church, in which he is a steward. Starting with but little, Mr. Rutherford is to-day one of the city's most successful men of business, and attributes his success principally to his determination to deal honorably and fairly under all circumstances. He is one who believes in carrying his religion into the management of his business, and during his entire career in Hannibal there is yet to be the first word said of him other than in praise of the manner in which he has built himself up from nothing to comparative prosperity.

He is in every sense a self-made man, and owes his present condition to his own hard efforts, and the principles of honesty and integrity, which were made a part of his every day life. Not long ago Mr. Rutherford became a member of the Merchants' Association, in which organization he is one of its most earnest members, thoroughly interested in the progress and development of the city, and willing at all times to lend his aid and purse in furthering the welfare of the community at large.

A Mirror of Hannibal C. P. Greene, Thomas H. Bacon, Sidney J. Roy Published 1905 – page 499-500

P. H. Rutherford, located at No. 165 Market Street, deals extensively in hay, grain, coal and ice. Since establishing his business in Hannibal. Mr. Rutherford has in the past few years built up a very extensive trade and enjoys the patronage of many of the best people of Hannibal.

William (Birdie) Washington [black man] Worked at Rutherford’s Emporeum at 419 Lemon St in 1929

"December 14, 1903: H. B. Kreighbaum has resigned his position with P. H. Rutherford in Hannibal, MO"

Mrs Rutherford [Ethel Owens] was elected as an alternate to the 17th national Republican Convention of 1920 held in Chicago IL which nominated Warren G. Harding for president.