Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Thomas Rutherford and Jean Murdoch


Husband Thomas Rutherford 1 2 

           Born: 24 Jun 1707 - Cookton, County Tyrone, Ireland 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 18 Apr 1777 2 3
         Buried:  - Paxtang Church Cemetery, Paxtang, Dauphin Co, PA


         Father: [Ancestor] Rutherford (      -      )
         Mother: 


       Marriage: 7 Sep 1730 - Pennsylvania 2

Wife Jean Murdoch 2 

            AKA: Jean Mordah,1 Jane Murdoch 4
           Born: 5 Apr 1712 - Gorty-Lowery, County Tyrone, Ireland 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 10 Aug 1789 2 3
         Buried:  - Paxtang Church Cemetery, Paxtang, Dauphin Co, PA


         Father: John Murdoch (      -1744) 1 4
         Mother: Agnes [Unk] (      -      ) 4


Children
1 F Agnes [1] Rutherford 2 

           Born: 9 Jul 1731 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1735 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

2 F Eleanor Rutherford 5 

           Born: 16 Jan 1733 2
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1797
         Buried: 

         Spouse: William Williams (      -      ) 2

         Spouse: John Davidson (      -      ) 3 4

3 F Jane Rutherford 2 

           Born: 22 Jun 1734 2
     Christened: 
           Died:  - North Carolina
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Thomas Mayes (      -      ) 3

4 M Capt. John Rutherford 6 7 8 

           Born: 16 Feb 1737 - Donegal Twp, Lancaster Co, PA 9
     Christened: 
           Died: 1 Oct 1804 - Paxtang, Dauphin Co, PA 2
         Buried:  - Paxtang Church Cemetery, Paxtang, Dauphin Co, PA

         Spouse: Margaret Parke (Abt 1737-1810) 9
           Marr: 4 Feb 1762 9

5 M Thomas [1] Rutherford 2 

           Born: 14 Aug 1738 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1739 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

6 F Agnes [2] Rutherford 3 5 10 

           Born: 14 Sep 1740 - Paxtang, Lancaster (later Dauphin) Co, PA 2 10
     Christened: 
           Died: 1813 - Buffalo Valley, PA 4
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Dunlap (      -      ) 4

         Spouse: Capt. William Gray (1738-1804/1815) 2 3 10 11 12

7 M Thomas [2] Rutherford 2 

           Born: 12 Feb 1743 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 8 Jan 1760 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

8 F Mary Rutherford 2 

           Born: 17 Feb 1745 2
     Christened: 
           Died:  - North Carolina
         Buried: 
         Status: Twin

         Spouse: Andrew Mayes (      -      ) 3

9 F Elizabeth [1] Rutherford 2 

           Born: 17 Feb 1745 2
     Christened: 
           Died: Oct 1745 2
         Buried: 
         Status: Twin

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

10 M James Rutherford 2 

           Born: 28 Aug 1747 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 6 Mar 1809 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Margaret Brisbin (      -      ) 2
           Marr: 2 Jan 1772 13

11 M Samuel Rutherford 2 

           Born: 13 Dec 1749 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 2 May 1785 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Susannah Collier (      -      ) 2
           Marr: 14 Mar 1776 14

12 F Elizabeth [2] Rutherford 2 3 

           Born: 27 Feb 1752 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Patrick Galloway (      -      ) 2

         Spouse: Patrick Harbison (      -Abt 1776/1782) 3

         Spouse: Thomas Archibald (      -      ) 2 3

General Notes: Husband - Thomas Rutherford


He was the first ancestor of this branch of the family in America. He was born in Ireland, and emigrated from that country in 1728 or 1729, landing at Philadelphia.

From an old memorandum book in the possession of one of his descendents, on the fly-leaf of which is the inscrition "Thomas Rutherford, his book. Bought in Cookstown upon 6 day of October, 1728, written at the house of Aggnas Mordach," we take the following record "wonderfully complete and satisfactory of its kind."
Little more is known of this first of the Rutherfords than what he details himself, from which it appears that he was born in the vicinity and had the honor to be baptized\emdash as the old song has it\emdash in "Fair Cookstown." The tradition in the family is that two of his brothers settled in New England, and we believe that we shall eventually, with the assistance of some friends in that locality, be able to substantiate the averment. He is described by one of his grandchildren as a person of five feet ten inches in height, heavy set, and of considerable force of character.
There is a spice of romance connected with his early manhood, which no doubt will prove as interesting to our readers as to his descendants. His attachment to Jean Mordah, whom he afterwards married, it is said was reciprocated, but her parents said no, and removed her with them to America, probably in the year 1728. On the cover of the memorandum book from which the record is taken is this note\emdash ''enquire for Dennygall." This was the location of the Mordahs, and Thomas Rutherford followed them either that or the following year. In 1730 they were married and it is probable they remained near the Mordah settlement until the death of John Mordah in December, 1744. Removing to Paxtang about 1750, Thomas Rutherford and his wife lived to advanced age, honored, beloved and respected by their neighbors, and revered by their numerous descendants. [N&Q, 121]

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Sources

1 William Henry Egle, Historical Register: Notes and Queries, Historical and Genealogical (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1894), Pg 121.

2 —, Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (Chambersburg, PA: J. M. Runk & Company, Publishers, 1896), Pg 1011.

3 William Henry Egle, Historical Register: Notes and Queries, Historical and Genealogical (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1894), Pg 122.

4 —, Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (Chambersburg, PA: J. M. Runk & Company, Publishers, 1896), Pg 1001.

5 —, Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (Chambersburg, PA: J. M. Runk & Company, Publishers, 1896), Pg 1001, 1011.

6 William Henry Egle, History of the County of Dauphin in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Everts & Peck, 1883), Pg 532.

7 —, Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (Chambersburg, PA: J. M. Runk & Company, Publishers, 1896), Pg 177, 1001, 1011.

8 Blanche T. Hartman, Genealogy of the Nesbit, Ross, Porter, Taggart Families of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, PA: Privately printed, 1929), Pg 33.

9 —, Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (Chambersburg, PA: J. M. Runk & Company, Publishers, 1896), Pg 177, 1011.

10 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 769.

11 John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 252.

12 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 108, 154.

13 William Henry Egle, Historical Register: Notes and Queries, Historical and Genealogical (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1894), Pg 162.

14 William Henry Egle, Historical Register: Notes and Queries, Historical and Genealogical (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1894), Pg 163.

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