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Samuel Rutherford, son of Williams and Julia Frances Rutherford,was born near Culloden, Crawford County, Georgia at the family farm"Lochwood" on 15 March 1870. On 14 December 1897 he married AbigailElizabeth Ponder, daughter of James Monroe Ponder and Ella Ensign Ponder.Abbie was born 22 September 1877 in Forsyth, Georgia and died 3 March1946 in Forsyth.
Samuel Rutherford received his early education in the publicschools of Culloden, Georgia and then attended Washington and LeeUniversity. He was graduated from the University of Georgia at Athensin 1894 with al LL.B degree. He immediately began the practice of law inForsyth, Georgia. He was three times elected mayor of Forsyth andserved as county attorney two years.
He served as a member of the lower house of the state legislature in1896-1897, and as a state senator from the 22nd district in 1909-1910.In 1921 he was again sent to the state legislature and served until1924. He was then elected to represent the 6th congressional district inthe United States Congress, and was re-elected until his death removedhim from that office. He served in the 69th, 70th, and 71st Congresses.His legislative record was one of fairness, public-spirited service tohis constituents, and distinguished accomplishments. A staunch Democratin his political alignment, Samuel Rutherford consistently supported hisparty, its policies, and its principles.
The public services of Sam Rutherford extended into many branches oflife in the United States. During World War I he served as foodadministrator for the 6th District of Georgia. In the Free and AcceptedMasons he was also active, having been a member of the Blue Lodge. Hischurch was the Baptist, which he regularly attended and in which he was adeacon. When the Democratic party obtained a majority in the 71stCongress his work increased at the expense of his health. One of hislast activities was the conducting of hearings before the electionscommittee regarding the possibility of legislation to abolish the "Lameduck" sessions of Congress.
Mr. Rutherford brought numerous benefits to the groups with which hewas associated, proving himself a civic-minded citizen of the highestorder. In the periods when he was not engaged in the handling theaffairs of the different public offices that he held, he was busy withthe law, his first profession, or with different banking activities inwhich he became interested. He gave liberally at all times to charitablecauses of worth, contributing particularly to the Negro race and to thesocial work carried on by his church. He was devoted, first of all,however, to home and family and those branches of life of a moreinspirational nature that were always associated, in his mind, withdomestic happiness. From the home inspiration radiated through alldepartments of his life.
A History of Georgia had this to say concerning Samuel Rutherford:
"His ability, energy and integrity were quickly recognized by his fellowcitizens and success has crowned his efforts from the commencement of hisprofessional career, he having been connected as counsel with most of theimportant litigation in the local courts for years. He is a keen andsagacious analyst, a sound and sage advisor, and in the trial of causesis worthy of any foeman's steel, while as a pleader he is forceful andconvincing, logical and earnest. In addition to his professionalinterests, Mr. Rutherford is identified with commercial and financialaffairs; owns and operates a large and well improved plantation; wasvice-president of the First National Bank of Forsyth from 1902 to 1916;and was for a time a director of the Fourth National Bank of Macon,Georgia"
Samuel Rutherford died on 4 February 1932 of a heart attack whileshaving at his apartment in Washington, D. C.
Condensed Biography: Ancestry Reference Library 2000
RUTHERFORD, Samuel, a Representative from Georgia; born near Culloden,Crawford County, Ga., March 15, 1870; attended the public schools atCulloden and Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va.; was graduatedfrom the law department of the University of Georgia at Athens in 1894;was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice in Forsyth,Monroe County, Ga.; mayor of Forsyth for three consecutive years; memberof the State house of representatives in 1896 and 1897; solicitor of thecity court of Forsyth 1898-1900; interested in banking 1901-1916; servedin the State senate in 1909 and 1910; resumed the practice of law andalso engaged in agricultural pursuits; again a member of the State houseof representatives 1921-1924; elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-ninthand to the three succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1925,until his death in Washington, D.C., on February 4, 1932; interment inOakland Cemetery, Forsyth, Ga.
Information obtained by Eve Stocker from Capital records in Washington, DC
Before I forget, I wanted to tell you that I found out that CongressmanSam Rutherford (your grandfather and my great-great-great-uncle) had
offices in the Cannon House Office Building from 1925 to 1932, the lengthof his tenure, moving up from the first floor to the 3rd in each
succeeding term, a mark of seniority but also of accomplishment. Infact, in his last term, during which he died, he had two offices in the
Cannon, quite the accomplishment given space limitations. One was his,from which to serve his Georgia constituents and conduct ordinary Housebusiness, the other was his office as Chairman of the Committee for theElection of the President, Vice-President. I am told that this committeepossibly concerned itself with election irregularities. What aninteresting footnote, given the most recent election...
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1870 - 1932 (61 years)