Berrien County GaArchives Biographies.....Rutherford, Babel Jackson 1830 - 1882 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Ward Meadows lmeadows@surfsouth.com July 14, 2004, 5:00 am Author: Linda Ward Meadows BABEL JACKSON RUTHERFORD Babel Jackson Rutherford was born either in GA or South Carolina 25 Dec 1830. He was the grandson of Revolutionary soldier, James Rutherford, who served in the South Carolina militia, and drew land in the 1827 GA Land Lottery. Babel Jackson and his brother, William W. Ruth¬erford, were orphaned farm workers living near Macon prior to their move to old Irwin County, GA in the early 1830's. By 1850, they were cut into old Lowndes County, on land that became Berrien in 1856. Babel was commonly known as "Jack", or "Bael." He was listed in his brother William's household in the 1850 Lowndes County, GA census, living in the upper 9th District. Various records of the 1850's reveal major events that happened in Babel Jackson Rutherford's life. As early as 2 Oct 1852, he was conducting business in Lowndes County, purchasing whiskey, oats, and tobacco at Berry Wells' Plantation, in what is now SW Cook County. Individual purchases made at the Davidson Mercantile, locat¬ed where Cook High School now stands in Adel, reveal interesting points about Jack Rutherford. The first transaction bearing Jack's name shows that on 1 Jan 1853, he bought 10 yards of yarn, a pair of shoes, and a bottle of cologne for a total cost of $8.31 1/4. Other items bought in 1853 included a quart of whiskey, for which Jack made a partial payment of $.12 1/2 on 27 Dec 1853. The year 1856 was important for Babel Jackson Ruther¬ford. He served on Berrien County's first petit jury that year. He also bought 163 acres of land in land lot # 134 in the 10th District from Seaborn Tison on 10 Nov 1856, for a sum of $400. And he married MaryAnn Adeline James. Archibald McCranie per¬formed the marriage ceremony on 30 Oct 1856. MaryAnn was born in Bulloch County, GA 3 March 1835. She and Jack were the parents of 13 children, 11 of whom reached maturity. One child born 1 February 1866, died the same day. Another born on 30 Jan 1872, died 8 June 1872. These two infants are buried at the foot of their parents' graves at Sandy Bluff Cemetery, two miles west of Nashville, GA. Other children, grandchildren, and cousins are buried nearby. This was part of the background of Babel Jackson Rutherford, a young man who enlisted as a private with Co. I, 50th GA Infan¬try on 23 Aug 1862 at Calhoun, GA. The new log cabin that Jack was building for his family was not yet completed. MaryAnn covered the windows and doors with quilts to provide security for her children when her husband left with the Berrien County soldiers. Confederate military records reveal that Jack suffered from chronic rheumatism and White Swell¬ing. In August, 1863, he was with Simmes' Brigade, and had been examined by a board of surgeons at General Hospital, Farmville, VA. On 12 August 1863, he was diagnosed as having "Synovitis of left knee joint. Contraction of Flexor muscles producing lame¬ness." Doctors recommended "Detail for light duty." His name appeared on a roll of non commissioned officers and privates employed on extra duty at Confederate States Shoe Shop, Columbus, GA, with a notation, "Sent to the Army since January 1, 1864." Private Rutherford pegged 80 pairs of shoes at 20 cents per pair from 30 Nov 1863, until 2 January 1864, for a total pay of $16.00. Muster rolls for the spring and summer of 1864 show that he was "absent sick," having been admitted to C.S.A. General Hospi¬tal again. By October 1864, he was "present sick." In January and February 1865, Jack was the Brigade Wagoner. He was among those soldiers belonging to the Army of Northern VA, who surren¬dered at Appomattox Courthouse, VA on 9 April 1865. Both of the Rutherford brothers served the Confederacy and came home to face the hardships and difficulties of a devastated and impoverished country with dependent families looking to them for the necessities of life. After Jack's return to Berrien County, he enjoyed a measure of success as a farmer. Agricultural Census listings for 1880, show that his farm production was estimated at $700, and included 12 bushels of wheat, 140 bushels of Indian corn, 160 bushels of oats, 490 pounds of rice, 6 bales of ginned cotton, 300 pounds of wool, 160 pounds of butter, and 160 gallons of molasses. He owned 75 acres of improved lands and 980 acres unimproved, for a cash value of $700. His livestock consisted of 3 horses, 2 working oxen, 140 sheep, 40 poultry, 4 milch cows (those giving milk), 70 swine, and 12 other cattle, all valued at $705. Ten of the Rutherford children were still living at home in 1880. Jack Rutherford was intensely interested in making his home and farm one of the models for thrift and independence. By any standards of the New South economy, 50 year old Babel Jackson Rutherford was prospering. But two short years later, he died intestate on 5 June 1882, leaving his 47 year old wife MaryAnn to operate the farm and to rear the children. The young¬est was a 3 year old daughter, named Armenia. MaryAnn Ruther¬ford's burdens must have been awesome. One of her grandchildren died the same year. Yet, Private Rutherford's widow bore the weight of her re¬sponsibilities. Berrien County records show that she applied for, and received, letters of administration on 29 August 1882. She subsequently bought her husband's personal effects for $283.30, at an estate sale recorded 3 Feb 1883. Perhaps the greatest testimony of the love her children showed to her was evidenced in a March 1911 issue of The Nash¬ville Herald, which told of MaryAnn's 76th birthday celebration. Her descendants gave her a big dinner, with 97 of her living 100 descendants present. She and her late husband had sired 126 de¬scendants. They had 10 children, 76 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren living in March 1911. That was the last birthday MaryAnn Rutherford shared with her family. MaryAnn died on 21 Nov 1911, and was buried beside her husband at Sandy Bluff. Her grave was robbed in the late 1960s. But, no one can rob this couple of the dignity and honor for which they both worked. No one can deny their many descendants the pride of knowing that Babel Jackson Rutherford and his wife defended their Southern beliefs and bequeathed a rich heritage to their offspring. Linda Ward Meadows, Dixie Chapter No. 2576 United Daughters of the Confederacy, 9088 Val Del Road, Adel,GA,31620; PH: 912 896 3591; (Wife of Russell F. Meadows, who is a great great grandson of Babel Jackson Rutherford.) Sources Consulted: Berry Wells Account Records (published journals);Pioneers of Wiregrass GA by Folks Huxford; Federal Census Lowndes County, GA 1850; Davidson Mercantile Account Records (unpublished journals);Berrien County, GA deeds, court records and marriage records; CSA Military records for Babel Jackson Rutherford and William W. Rutherford; Agricultural and Manufacturing Census Berrien County, GA 1880; The Nashville Herald, March 1911; The Griffin Papers (manuscript writings of William Henry Griffin, Berrien County, GA). Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/berrien/photos/bios/bs235rutherfo.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/berrien/bios/bs235rutherfo.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.8 Kb