Jean "Jane" Agnes Rutherford

From Northern Ireland, some information on Find a Grave.

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Thomas Rutherford of Paxtang Rutherford Family Record of the First Pioneer From an old memorandum book in the possession of one of his descendants, on the fly-leaf of which is the inscription "Thomas Rutherford, his book Bought in Cookstown upon 26 day of October, 1728 written at the house of Aggness 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—as the old song his it—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—"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. The will of the latter was proved January 9, 1745, and from it we glean the fact that he left a wife Agnes, son James, a daughter Eleanor, unmarried; with two daughters married respectively to Thomas Rutherford and Henry McKinney. The witnesses to this will were the Rev. Samuel Black, Presbyterian minister to the Conewago Church, and his brother Robert Mordah. 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. Thomas Rutherford died April 18, 1777, his wife Jean August 10, 1789. Both lie interred in old Paxtang churchyard. Of the daughters of Thomas and Jean Mordah Rutherford, Eleanor married twice; first to William Wilson; second to John Davidson. Jean married Thomas Mayes, and removed to South Carolina. Agnes Married William Gray, and removed to buffalo Valley. Mary married Andrew Mayes, brother of Thomas Mayes, and also removed to South Carolina. Elizabeth married first Patrick Gallaway of Calloway. He joined Captain Matthew Smith's company of Paxtang, and was in the expedition to Quebec in 1775, but never returned. His widow next married Patrick Harbison, and removed with him to the home of the Mayes in Spartanburg district, South Carolina. The Tories soon put an end to Harbison, and the times being too warm for him, Andrew Mayes removed his family together, with Mrs. Harbison to the settlement of the Mordahs in Iredell County, North Carolina. Here Mrs. Harbison married Thomas Archibald. Some of the descendants of these families reside in the south and west. As to Thomas Rutherford's sons, they remained beside the paternal acres, and although the descendants in the female lines are scattered over many states of the union, but few of the male members of the family have gone out from the original settlement in Paxtang. We shall endeavor ere long to obtain more information as to the descendfants of Thomas Rutherford, at least for the third, fourth, and fifth generations. They belong to one of the few families of the earlier settlers of this locality who are inccupance of the ancestral acres.

From Egles' Notes and Queries" page 122-3.

Sources:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=28843940

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Jean_Murdoch_%281%29

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Nov 10 2020, 0:17:05 UTC