Macoupin County
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Biography - HORACE EBERT RUTHERFORD

Horace Ebert Rutherford, a successful representative of the agricultural interests of Macoupin county and the owner of one of the productive farms of Nil wood township, is a native of this county, born in Girard township, December 9, 1851. He is a son of Julius and Melissa (Landon) Rutherford, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Vermont. The family on the paternal side has been traced to North Carolina, where Joseph Rutherford, the grandfather of our subject, was born. Horace Landon, the grandfather on the maternal side was a native of Vermont. The father of our subject came to Illinois in the pioneer days and took up three hundred and twenty acres of land in Nilwood township, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Mr. Rutherford, whose name stands at the head of this sketch, attended the district schools and pursued his education further at the Illinois State Normal. After leaving this institution he went with his sister to Texas and taught school, but returned in 1872 to Kirksville, Missouri, where he became a student of the normal school. In 1873 he took up his residence on the home farm, where he has ever since continued. He has greatly improved the place until it now possesses all the accessories and conveniences of a twentieth century farm. He practices rotation of crops and has shown in business affairs an excellency of judgment which has been productive of highly satisfactory returns. In addition to the ownership of valuable farm property he is a stockholder in the Nil wood State Bank.

On the 31st of August, 1876, Mr. Rutherford was married to Miss Jemima King, a native of Palmyra township and a daughter of Wesley and Ellen (Steidly) King. To this union eight children were born: Cecil, who married Bessie Turner, of Nilwood township; Daisy, who became the wife of William Eckels, of Staunton, and has three children; Wesley, who is at home; Alta, who married William Debold, of Springfield, Illinois; and Edgar, Ruth, May, and Percy, all of whom are at home. The children were given good advantages of education and engaged in school teaching, several of them being now actively identified with that occupation. Mrs. Rutherford died in May, 1906, and on June 4, 1908, Mr. Rutherford was married to Miss Marion Morrison, a native of this state and a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Crowder) Morrison, the former of whom was born in Ireland and the latter in Illinois. By his second marriage Mr. Rutherford has two children, Marion Elizabeth and Horace E., Jr.

Mr. Rutherford early perceived the benefits of education and has throughout his active life been one of the stanch supporters of the public schools. He has also been thoroughly wide-awake to the possibilities of the great state of Illinois and has demonstrated his practical knowledge of agriculture and stock-raising, heing recognized as one of the most efficient and progressive farmers of the township. Politically he is allied with the democratic party and religiously is affiliated with the Baptist church. He is a stanch believer in fraternal organizations and for many years has held membership in the Odd Fellows, being also identfiied with the Mutual Protective League.


Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 681-682.


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