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Subject: Ga-Berrien Co. Military (Rutherford)
Date: 14 Jul 2004 08:47:59 -0000

Berrien County GaArchives Military Records.....Rutherford, William W.
Civilwar
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Linda Ward Meadows 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.

File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/berrien/military/civilwar/other/mt308rutherfo.txt

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