US Congressman. Born in Scotland, he was educated at Edinburgh's Royal College and settled in what is now Tennessee. He later moved to Winchester, Virginia, where he was a surveyor, owned a store, and became active in numerous business ventures, including ownership of large land tracts. Rutherford became friendly with George Washington when Washington purchased his Bullskin Plantation, near Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1750. He served in the French and Indian War, was the organizer of Rutherford's Rangers, and married Mary D'Aubigne Howe, widow of General George Augustus Howe, who had been killed fighting the French at Ticonderoga. An ardent patriot, Rutherford was a Delegate to Virginia's three 1775 and 1776 conventions held to consider whether to declare independence from Great Britain, and was one of the Delegates chosen to inform Virginia's Royal Governor that Virginia would not answer the king's call for troops to put down the spreading rebellion. After independence was declared he was elected to the Virginia Senate, serving from 1776 to 1790. In 1792 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives as an Anti-Administration candidate and served two terms, 1793 to 1797. Rutherford was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1796, afterwards returning to the estate near Charles Town which he called "Flowing Spring", which he operated until his death.
US Congressman. Born in Scotland, he was educated at Edinburgh's Royal College and settled in what is now Tennessee. He later moved to Winchester, Virginia, where he was a surveyor, owned a store, and became active in numerous business ventures, including ownership of large land tracts. Rutherford became friendly with George Washington when Washington purchased his Bullskin Plantation, near Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1750. He served in the French and Indian War, was the organizer of Rutherford's Rangers, and married Mary D'Aubigne Howe, widow of General George Augustus Howe, who had been killed fighting the French at Ticonderoga. An ardent patriot, Rutherford was a Delegate to Virginia's three 1775 and 1776 conventions held to consider whether to declare independence from Great Britain, and was one of the Delegates chosen to inform Virginia's Royal Governor that Virginia would not answer the king's call for troops to put down the spreading rebellion. After independence was declared he was elected to the Virginia Senate, serving from 1776 to 1790. In 1792 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives as an Anti-Administration candidate and served two terms, 1793 to 1797. Rutherford was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1796, afterwards returning to the estate near Charles Town which he called "Flowing Spring", which he operated until his death.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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