Berrien County GaArchives Military Records.....Rutherford, William W. Civilwar ************************************************ 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, 4:47 am 1st LIEUTENANT WILLIAM W. RUTHERFORD Two Rutherford brothers came to Irwin County in the early 1830's from Middle GA. The young orphans worked as laborers and eventually settled in the Upper Ninth District of what is now Berrien County, GA. These boys turned to South GA because they were having difficulty supporting themselves after their parents had died in the Carolinas. The young men had heard about the glowing opportunities awaiting those who were brave enough to overcome the hardships and privations in all frontier territory. Their grandfather, James Rutherford, lived in Irwin County, so they set their sights southward. Falling in with a party of friends, they came to Macon, then known as Old Fort Hawkins, where they remained for a short time as laborers. From there, they drifted on down to the county of Irwin, where they remained a few years in the 3rd District before moving to Old Lowndes County. It was there that they became associated with a prosperous and friendly group of Bulloch County citizens who had emigrated from the Carolinas to Lowndes by way of Bulloch County. William W. Rutherford and his younger brother, Babel Jackson Rutherford, decided to cast their lots with the Parishes, McCranies, and Mathises and remained as citizens in Old Lowndes. Babel Jackson Rutherford was the more prosperous of the two and accumulated more of this world?s goods and financial success. He was born in one of the Carolinas on 25 Dec 1830. Throughout his whole life he gave particular attention to his home, his farm, and its affairs, priding himself on the efficiency of the farm and the quality of its products. Babel took special care to see that what he placed on the market was of the finest quality. Shortly after the new county of Berrien formed in 1856, Babel married Mary Ann Adeline James and began to acquire land East of Lenox. The War Between the States would interfere with the building of a log cabin home, one which was left with quilts covering windows and doors, because duty called, and Private Babel J. Rutherford answered that call when he enlisted as a private with Co. I, 50th GA Volunteer Infantry. William W. Rutherford, was born in Richmond County, GA 20 Nov 1825. He was known for his open-heartedness and sociable traits. William?s home was headquarters for sociable gatherings of friends who knew that the requirements of the farm were never in the way of receiving not only a royal welcome, but that time would be taken to see that the visitors enjoyed themselves in every way possible. William was married to Matilda Jernigan in Irwin County 15 Feb 1844, by Thomas Drawdy, Justice of Inferior Court. Matilda was the daughter of Elias Jernigan and Sarah Gibbs of Irwin County. By 1850, William?s widowed mother-in-law and his brother Babel were living in his household according to the 1850 Census of Lowndes County. The widowed Sarah was still living with William and Matilda in the 1860 Berrien County Census. Their farm had been cut into Berrien County with its formation in 1856. According to the 1860 Agricultural Census for Berrien County, William had 30 acres of improved land and 460 acres of unimproved land, valued at $700. His farm machinery was valued at $10. He owned one horse, 14 milch cows, 26 other cattle, 55 sheep, and 50 swine, for a total value of $425 worth of livestock. During the previous year he had produced 100 bushels of Indian corn, 50 bushels of oats, 50 pounds of rice, 150 pounds of wool, 100 bushels of beans and peas, 100 bushels of sweet potatoes, 50 pounds of butter, 20 pounds of bees wax, and 100 pounds of hominy. The total value of William?s home manufactures was $50, and the animals he slaughtered in 1859 were valued at $160. It should be remembered that he had a large family to feed. William W. Rutherford volunteered as a private in the first company to be raised in his county for the newly-formed Confederate Army. He left behind his wife and eight children when he enlisted 1 Aug 1861 at Savannah, GA for a period of 12 months to serve in Co. G, 29th GA Infantry Regiment. He was enlisted by Lt. Col. W. S. Rockwell as a member of Capt. Levi J. Knight?s Co C, also known as Capt. Thomas S. Wylly?s Company, which was later reorganized into Co G, 29th Regiment. William was discharged 18 Aug 1862, because of over-age. His sense of civic responsibility was evident. In the spring of 1864, he was elected 1st Lieutenant in the Berrien County Militia raised for home protection, and served in it until the close of the war. He was also Coroner of Berrien County 1861-1862, and again from 1866-1871. Both of the Rutherford men served the Confederacy throughout the war, and came home as many other poor soldiers did, to meet the hardships and difficulties of a devastated and impoverished country with dependent families looking to them for the necessities of life. They met the crisis with determination to succeed. There were many loved ones who depended upon these hard working men. The 1870 Berrien County Census shows the 81-year-old Sarah Jernigan still living in William?s household. His brother Babel?s family was living nearby. The 1880 Agricultural Census reveals that William was prospering on his smaller farm of only 265 acres, valued at $500. His farm implements were worth $25, and his livestock was valued at $300. He had $15 worth of fences. His farm produce for 1879 was valued at $275. He owned only one horse, but he had 8 calves, 8 milch cows, one working oxen, 30 swine, 30 chickens, and 4 other cattle. The cows enabled him to produce 75 pounds of butter. His farm production also included 35 dozen eggs. His ? acre of rice produced 225 pounds, while his 12 acres of Indian corn yielded 75 bushels. His 8 acres of cotton gave 2 bales. He had 1/4 acre of cane and produced 65 gallons of molasses. He was doing well by 1880's standards, but his beloved brother, Babel Jackson Rutherford, died 5 June 1882. At that time William was serving as Sheriff of Berrien County during the first of his two terms which lasted from 1881-1885. Standing as sureties for his ten- thousand- dollar Sheriff?s Bond for his second term of office on the 2 Feb 1883, were his friends John D. McCranie, H.B. Young, J.W. Futch, J.R. Peters, J.N. Connell, and H.M. Talley. Many of these men were highly esteemed ex-Confederates. With increasing age came William?s need for help from such friends and family members. His wife of almost 62 years died on 24 Dec 1905. He was already dependent upon his Confederate pension. According to Pension records, William received $60.00 a year from 1899-1909. In his 1899 pension application, William stated that he had been unable to work for about five years. Doctors W.B. Goodman and P.H. Askew stated that William had a hernia, which caused him a great deal of pain. Boney Roe, G.W. Carter, and J.A. Alexander served as witnesses for William?s claims to service and inability to work. They said he was a good soldier. He was photographed with a large group of Confederate Veterans meeting in Hahira, GA on 1 Jan 1908. His was a bright-eyed look from an old and wise man. He was clean-shaved amidst those with long, white beards. In the 1910 Berrien County Census, he was listed as being widowed, aged 84, and living in the household of Morgan J.L. Griner on Seventh Ave. in Lenox. Morgan Griner was married to William?s niece Abbie. According to one of his contemporaries, William was a ?popular man, generous, wholesouled, and with a fraternal spirit that endeared him to his friends.? William was a mason and held membership and several offices with Duncan Lodge, No. 234, in Nashville, GA. After his death on 16 Feb 1911, the 86-year-old William was laid to rest with the beautiful ceremony of the ritual of the Masonic order. His obituary published in the Nashville Herald on 24 Feb 1911 stated that William W. Rutherford had died on Thursday night 16 Feb at ten o?clock. He had five children to survive him along with hundreds of other relatives. According to his obituary, he was a Methodist and was buried at Pine Grove Church in Berrien County the day after his death. His death was due to a general break down, or general debility. He had visited in Nashville a few days during January and had met a number of old friends and acquaintances. The cards distributed at his funeral were in loving remembrance of William W. Rutherford, who was gone but not forgotten. As a confirmation of that thought, William W. Rutherford lives in the memories of his many descendants who take pride in the heritage for which he fought. The love that he and other gallant Confederate Soldiers felt for this great Southland will long endure, and their noble sacrifices will never be forgotten. SOURCES: THE GRIFFIN PAPERS; PIONEERS OF WIREGRASS GA; CENSUS RECORDS FOR BERRIEN AND LOWNDES COUNTIES; OBITUARY IN NASHVILLE HERALD; COMPILED SERVICE RECORD FROM GA DEPT. OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY; PENSION RECORDS FROM GDAH; HUXFORD GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY, VOL. 2, #4, 1975; BERRIEN COUNTY SHERIFFS? BONDS. Written by: Linda Ward Meadows, wife of Russell F. Meadows, who is a GG Grandson of Bable Jackson Rutherford. lmeadows@surfsouth.com File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/berrien/military/civilwar/other/mt308rutherfo.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 9.9 Kb