Person:Thomas Rutherford (11)

From Ancestral File (TM), data as of 2 January 1996.

"No likeness of Thomas Rutherford is in existence, and the onlydescription of him is a traditionary one, which represents him as adark-haired, well-built man, about five feet ten inches in height, fullof energy and of such business habits as led to financial success. Thereis a spice of romance connected with his early manhood which may not beuninteresting to the reader. His attachment to Jean Mordah, whom heafterwards married, was reciprocated. The Mordahs were about to sail forAmerica, and Thomas, fearing he might lose his Jean, proposed and wasaccepted, but poor Jean was scarcely sixteen and her parents said "no,"and took her with them across the sea. On the cover of his memorandumbook, preserved in the family, Thomas inscribed the legend, "Enquire forDennygall." This was the location of the Mordahs in Pennsylvania, and, inthe following year, 1729, he appeared in person at their door and claimedhis Jean. Mr. Mordah, doubtless, still thought the pair too young, and,in order that more time might be gained, required his prospectiveson-in-law to be the possessor of a certain sum of money, with which tobegin the world, before he would entrust the young lady to his keeping.Thomas, like Jacob of old, was obliged to acquiesce, and took hisdeparture for Philadelphia. When he returned, he was mounted on a goodhorse and had with him the documents which satisfied the old gentleman'srequirements. They were married in 1730, and lived in Donegal until afterthe death of John Mordah, in 1744, when they removed to Derry, and, in1755, to Paxtang, where they spent the remainder of their days. Theirhouse, a two-story log, stood on the site of the present residence ofSilas B. Rutherford, at Paxtang station, and was burned down in 1840. Theold house standing directly opposite the station was built after ThomasRutherford's death, about 1783, and the old stone house over the springwas, probably, built before Mr. Rutherford bought the property." (Egle,William Henry. "Pennsylvania Genealogies: Scotch-Irish and German."Harrisburg Lane, 1886.)

1.   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (TM) (June 1998 (c), data as of 5 JAN 1998).
2.   Egle, William Henry, (i)Pennsylvania Genealogies: Scotch-Irish and German(/i) (Harrisburg Lane, 1886).