The
surname
Rutherford,
also
Rutherfurd,
is
a
Scottish
and
Northern
English
habitational
surname
deriving
from
a
place
in
the
Scottish
borders
region
near
Roxburgh
According
to
one
theory,
the
name
can
be
traced
back
to
the
West
Flemish
name
Ruddervoorde,
a
community
now
part
of
Oostkamp.
Another
theory
of
the
origin
of
the
name
states
that
a
man
by
the
name
Ruther
carried
an
ancient
king
of
Scots
over
the
River
Tweed.
Eventually,
a
descendant
of
the
king
gave
land
to
the
family
that
carried
his
forefather
over
the
river
and
when
surnames
were adopted, Rutherford came into being.
The
motto
of
the
Rutherfords
of
one
of
the
clans
is
Nec
sorte
nec fato, represented as "Nor by fate nor by chance
The earliest records of my family my Great great great
Grandfather William Rutherford.
William was born in 1781 and died in 1847. We believe he
lived and farmed in the Townland of Ouley which is near
Carryduff town CoDown.
His wife Jane was born 1794 and died in 1849. The record of
William and Jane s is seen on this headstone found in
Saintfield Parish Church graveyard. (See image).
The inscription reads:
Erected By Robert Rutherford In Memory of his Father
William, Who Died 4th July 1847 Aged 66 Years Also His
Mother Jane Who Died 12th April 1849 Aged 55 Years Also
his Daughter Rebecca, Who Died 17th June 1871 Aged 2
Years Also His Sister Sarah Who Died 28th October 1873
Aged 48 Years Also His Wife Mary, Who Died 22nd January
1903. Aged 72 Years Also the Above Named Robert
Rutherford Who Died 24th June 1904 Aged 82 Years
We know of two children to the union of William and Jane.
Robert Rutherford 1822 to 1904. Robert is responsible for the
Headstone and his death at Oughley on 25.6.1904 is recorded
by his daughter Mary. He appears in the 1901 Census of
Ireland. Robert also records in this Last Will and testament
leaving his estate to his daughter Mary.
Sarah Rutherford his sister also recorded on the headstone
was born 1825 and died 26.10.1873
Robert Rutherford 1822-1904 marries Mary McKeown 13. 8.
1852. There are four children recorded to this union.
PRONI Valuation Revision Books show Robert Rutherford
Farming a 5 acre farm in the Townland of Ouley Map
Reference 17 close to Carryduff CoDown from around 1889
through to 1913.
Why Mary inherits this small farm is unusual given she was
the youngest sibbling.
However there may have been Rutherford's earlier in my
family line as a freeholder record from 1783 testifies to a John
Rutherford living in the Townland of Oughly
Freeholders were men who either owned their land outright or
who held it in a lease for the duration of their life, or the lives
of other people named in the lease. The Freeholders' Records
application includes pre-1840 Freeholders' Registers and Poll
Books.
