Biography of George W Rutherford, Independence Co, AR

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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. 
Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.
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page 712 

Capt. George W. Rutherford, a prominent citzen and leading farmer of
Independence County, was born in Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, N. C., on
July 10, 1833, and is a son of Walter B. and Sarah (McTyre) Rutherford, the
former a native of Scotland, and the latter, who was also of Scottish origin,
from Fairfield County, S. C. The elder Rutherford landed at Charleston, S. C.,
in December, 1815, some six months after the battle of Waterloo was fought, and
while the world was still ringing with the news of Napoleon's defeat. His
voyage across the ocean occupied four weeks, and the vessel encountered many
heavy storms in that time, causing consternation on board. Alexander
Rutherford, the father of Walter B., was at one time a captain in the British
Reserves, and an old friend of Robert Burns. He resided in Scotland and
practiced law up to the time of his death. Walter B. Rutherford was a tanner by
trade, having served seven years' apprenticeship at Edinburgh, Scotland, and
still pursued that occupation in South and North Carolina. In 1839 he made a
trip to Arkansas, coming the entire distance on horseback. and after returning
to North Carolina, where he resided until 1850, he moved with his family to
Independence County, traveling all the way by wagons. Following his arrival
here he bought a section of land in 1839, comprising 640 acres, with about
seventy-five acres under cultivation, and which is the farm upon which Capt.
George W. now resides. The land was purchased from a man named Dillingham, who
settled here in 1814, and the old house, which was built in 1816, is still
standing on the place. The elder Rutherford died in 1865, and the wife followed
him five years later. They were the parents of nine children, of whom five are
still living. [p.712] Capt. Rutherford was the youngest of this family, and
received his education in the schools of North Carolina. He came to Arkansas
with his parents when seventeen years of age, and has always been a farmer. In
1862 he enlisted in the Second Arkansas Cavalry, and served until the close of
the war, taking part in the battle of Helena, and a great many cavalry
skirmishes, and on one occasion captured a train of Federal soldiers. He raised
a company of partisans under orders of Gen. Hindman, in 1862, being joined to
Chrisman's battalion of Arkansas Cavalry, and subsequently to Dobbins' regiment
of Arkansas Cavalry. In May, 1864, he was captured at Sugar Loaf Springs, and
taken to the Little Rock penitentiary, where he was confined in a cell, though
only at night, for eleven months, and after obtaining his liberty, returned
home, to once more lead a peaceful life and cultivate the land. Capt.
Rutherford owns about 1,000 acres, and has some 350 acres under cultivation.
His farm is well improved, and adapted to the stock business, in which he is an
extensive dealer. In 1868 he was married to Miss Florence Neill, a daughter of
Judge Henry Neill, and has had ten children by this marriage, of whom nine are
living: Anna and Lizzie, Mary and Amelia are twins; Delia, George and Neill,
twins; Nina and Genevieve. Mrs. Rutherford is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and a devout Christian. She has made her home one of the most
pleasant in Northeast Arkansas, and is a devoted wife and fond mother.