Judge Rutherford's son & lineage???

love2Bworldly

So I have been doing a little light reading regarding the whack job Rutherford and find out he had a son. Does anyone know if he had grandchildren etc? If so, where are they?

blondie

Malcolm Rutherford

Mother: Mary

Ancestry.com can be a good place to start

I have heard rumours that Malcolm had no children

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=82732978

A quick google search on JWN may lead to some info.

blondie

I found this on JWN: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/154191/4/Rutherford-Exposed-The-Story-of-Berta-and-Bonnie-redux

Joseph F. Rutherford and family

According to the CDI, Joseph Franklin Rutherford was born on 11/8/1869 in Missouri and died in San Diego on 1/8/1942. His mother's maiden name was "Strickland". The same source says that his wife Mary M. Rutherford was born on 8/17/1869 in Missouri and died in Los Angeles on 12/17/1962, and that his son Malcolm Cameron Rutherford was born on 11/10/1892 in Missouri and died in Los Angeles on 6/22/1989. His mother's maiden name was "Fetzer". The three also appear mentioned in passport applications and ship passenger manifests. In a passport application dated 2/12/1910, Joseph F. Rutherford declared that he was born in Morgan, Missouri on 11/8/1869, that he was 40 years old and stood 6 feet and 2 inches, and that he would be travelling with his wife Mary M. Rutherford and his son Malcolm C. Rutherford, who was born in Boonville, Missouri on 11/10/1892. Identical information is found in the 7/17/1913 and the 7/27/1920 applications, except the latter adds that his father was James Calvin Rutherford who was then deceased and it includes a letter written by his mother Lenora Rutherford, on 5/21/1920 who declared that she was born in Tennessee, was 77 years old (i.e. born around c. 1843), and currently resides at Versailles, Morgan County, Missouri. She noted that when her son Joseph was born, "there was no official birth records kept amongst the public records, the only record of his birth being made in our family Bible". The first appearance of the Rutherfords in an extant passenger manifest is in the list for the Prinz Friedrich Wilheim, departing Southhampton on 11/2/1913, which mentions Joseph Rutherford, 43, born on 11/8/1869 in Versailles, Missouri, and Mary Rutherford, born on 8/17/1871 (sic) in Hornville, Missouri. Both were residents of 10 Orange Street, Brooklyn, New York. The second reference to them can be found on the manifest for the S. S. Mauretania, departing Liverpool, England, on 9/19/1914, wherein we find Joseph F. Rutherford, 44, born in Versailles, Missouri, on 11/8/1969, his wife Mary M. Rutherford, born in Hornville, Missouri, on 8/17/1871 (sic), and their son Malcolm C. Rutherford, 22, born on 11/10/1892. Joseph Rutherford thereafter appears in 18 more ship manifests, but never with his wife and only once more with his son Malcolm. On 5/16/1938, Malcolm Rutherford, 48, and his wife Pauline Rutherford, 41, were passengers arriving in Los Angeles, California aboard the S. S. Mariposa, along with Joseph F. Rutherford, Berta Peale, and Matthew Howlett (Bonnie Heath and William Heath had been on the same ship but returned on the S. S. Matsonia).

In the 1880 census, in Haw Creek, Morgan, Missouri, lived James Rutherford, 43, a farmer born in Missouri, Lanora Rutherford, 37 (i.e. born around c. 1843), born in Tennassee, and children Virginia Rutherford, 20, who was employed as a teacher, Anna Rutherford, 19, Salena Rutherford, 17, William Rutherford, 15, Florence Rutherford, 13, Joseph Rutherford, 11, and Bertie Rutherford, 4. Similar information is presented by Richard Felix in his booklet Rutherford Uncovered, published in 1940:

"The Rutherford family came from Morgan County, Missouri. James Colvin [sic] Rutherford and his good wife, Lenora Strickland Rutherford, the parents of our 'Judge' lived all their married life of nearly fifty years on the little farm that they owned three and one-half miles north of Versailles, Missouri. They were honest, hard-working people, respected by everyone. Both were active members of the Freedom Baptist Church located less than a mile from their home and it is in the little cemetary near that church where both lie buried.

"The father died July 11, 1912. The mother passed away October 9, 1926. The mother was an invalid the last three years of her life. At the time of her death she was blind and receiving help from the government in the form of a pension for the blind, as the records of the Probate Court in Versailles will show. The 'Judge' came home and preached a funeral sermon over the remains of his dead mother. The Versailles Leader pronounced it 'an impressive address' [Oct. 15, 1926].

"James Rutherford and his wife reared a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters. Three of the daughters, Mrs. Flora Chism, Mrs. Lena McDaniels, and Mrs. Anna Neville, are now dead. Of the two daughters still living, Mrs. Ella Newkirk resides in Tipton, Missouri and Mrs. Virginia Ross in Versailles, Missouri. W. P. Rutherford, the oldest son, died in the West a few years ago, I am told. The youngest son, James B., commonly called Bert, was living in Kansas City at the time of his mother's death. Our 'Judge', the second son in the family, was born November 8, 1869.

This source refers to Virginia Rutherford Ross, Anna Rutherford Neville, Lena Rutherford McDaniels (= Salena), W. P. Rutherford (= William), Flora Rutherford Chism (= Florence), James B. Rutherford (= Bertie), and notes that James Calvin Rutherford died on 7/11/1912 and Lenora Strickland Rutherford died on 10/9/1926. Unfortunately, the 1890 census has been lost, but there are several records from the 1890s mentioning JF Rutherford, including a photo and profile in an 1891 issue of the National Stenographer (see photo below), and various Boonville court records (which are summarized in Felix's booklet). According to the National Stenographer, Rutherford was then "official court reporter in the First Judicial Circuit of Missouri, located at Boonville. He received his shorthand education at the Normal Shorthand Institute, Carbondale, Ill." (p. 275). Felix notes that Rutherford received a license to practice law in Missouri on 5/5/1892, was cited for contempt of court on 8/8/1894, and again on 5/15/1895. Another record from 2/17/1897 notes that Hon. D. H. Shakleford, the regular judge of the Cooper County court in Boonville, was unable to hold session on that day so Hon. J. F. Rutherford was elected "special judge for this turn of court".

According to the 1/1/1892 issue of the Boonville Weekly Advertiser, Joseph F. Rutherford married Mary Fetzer (= Mary M. Rutherford) on 12/30/1891. The ceremony was performed at the Fetzer home by Rev. Gauss from the local Presbyterian church. The 1870 census mentions a physician named John Fetzer, 46, born in Wirtemberg, Germany, living in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri with his wife Mary Fetzer, 36, who was born in Hanover, Germany. John Fetzer appears to have been somewhat wealthy; the value of his real estate was $15,000 and the value of his personal estate was $300. They had four children: Anna Fetzer, 16, a son F. Fetzer (= Fred Fetzer), 15, a daughter R. Fetzer, 4, and another daughter M. Fetzer, 10 months. This last person is Mary Fetzer, who would have been born in 1869. According to the 1880 census, John Fetzer, 55, a physician and native of Westenberg, Germany, lived in Rolla, Phelps, Missouri, with Mary Fetzer, 44, born in Hanover, Germany, and one daughter, Mary Fetzer, 11. Interestingly, Mary Rutherford declared in later censuses that her mother was from France. I'm not sure if this is accounted for by a post-WWI change in borders and if Hanover at one point was part of Belgium. The Fetzers also had a white live-in servant named Hannah Prigg, 18, who was born in Ohio. According to another source, Dr. John Fetzer was a surgeon in the 5th regiment of the Union Army and experienced partial deafness during the Civil War, for which he received a regular pension. He died in 1884 and likely never met Mary's future husband. The birth of Malcolm C. Rutherford, moreover, was announced in the 11/11/1892 issue of the Boonville Weekly Advertiser. Allegedly, Malcolm's first words were "Hurrah for Cleveland"; J. F. Rutherford had campaigned for Cleveland in Boonville and Cleveland was elected President on 11/8/1892.

In the 1900 census, there lived on Trigg Street, Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, J. F. Rutherford, 30, born in November 1869 in Missouri, who was employed as a lawyer, Mrs. May Rutherford [sic], 29, born in August 1870 in Missouri, and Malcolm C. Rutherford, 7, born on November 1892 in Missouri. Joseph and Mary had been married for 8 years, according to the census. In the 1910 census, the Rutherfords lived near Bethel in Brooklyn, Kings, New York; the roster lists Joseph F. Rutherford, 40, employed as "Attorney -- Bible & Tract Soc.", Mary F. Rutherford, 39, born in Missouri, and Malcolm C. Rutherford, 17, who was employed as "Mail Clerk -- Bible & Tract Soc." Joseph and Mary declare themselves to have been married for 18 years. Their apartment building was filled with other Bible Students employed at Bethel, including a "Compositor", two "Clerks", a "Minister", two "Shipping Clerks", and a "Sexton". In the following year, a photo of Malcolm appeared in the 1911 Souvenir Convention Report (presented above). Also on 6/15/1917, Malcolm Cameron Rutherford, 24, filled out his WWI Draft Card, at which time he lived at 128 N. Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles, California. He states that he was born on 11/10/1892 in Boonville, Missouri. Malcolm was then a bookkeeper and clerk for H. G. Pangborn and Co. in Los Angeles. Significantly, he claimed an exemption from the draft as "Member of Bible Students Assn.", so he was still a Bible Student at the time.

In the 1920 census, Rutherford was no longer living with his wife. He appears on the roster for 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York, and his job title is given as "Minister -- Bible Society". At 128 N. Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles, California lived Mary Rutherford, 50, born in Missouri (whose father was indicated as born in Germany and whose mother was indicated as born in France). She indicated herself as still married and she was not otherwise employed. Malcolm meanwhile lived a few houses down on the same street. At 124 N. Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles, California lived Malcolm Rutherford, 26, born in Missouri and who was employed as an "Attorney at Law", and his wife Pauline Rutherford, 23, who was born in Missouri. There are several other references to Malcolm and his wife in the California Voter Registration Index. In the index for 1924, Malcolm C. Rutherford of 124 N. Eastlake Avenue registered as a Republican, and he described his job as "rptr", i.e. court reporter. In the index for 1926, Malcolm C. Rutherford and Mrs. Pauline S. Rutherford of 124 Eastlake Avenue registered as Republicans and Malcolm indicated that he was employed as a "crt clrk", i.e. court clerk. In the index for 1928, Malcolm C. Rutherford and Mrs. Pauline S. Rutherford of 6246 Drexel Avenue, Los Angeles, California registered as Republicans and Malcolm indicated his profession as "clrk", i.e. clerk. The information in the 1930 registration was identical. There was one final registration in 1946 when Malcolm C. Rutherford of 2207 Laverna Avenue, Los Angeles, California registered as a Republican. Since Bible Students did not take part in politics, this data indicates that Malcolm ceased being a Bible Student sometime betwen 1917 and 1924.

Joseph Rutherford appears twice in the 1930 census (at 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, Kings, New York and at 4440 Braeburn Road, Kensington, San Diego, California), and this information will be presented in the next section. At 160 N. Primrose Avenue, Monrovia, Los Angeles, California lived Mary M. Rutherford, 61, who was born in Missouri (whose father was born in Germany and her mother born in France), and who indicated that she was married but lived alone in a house valued at $5,000. This house was located less than a mile from the famous Pottenger Sanitorium which was at 600 N. Canyon Road, Monrovia, Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1903, the Pottenger Sanitorium was devoted to the treatment of pulmonary disorders. Since Rutherford left prison with a badly damaged lung, he likely sought treatment at this center for his condition. This suggests that Rutherford and Mary still lived together in the winter when Mary moved to this address in Monrovia. The construction of Beth Sarim in San Diego in 1929 as Rutherford's winter home, on the other hand, indicates that Rutherford no longer spent his winters in Monrovia by the late 1920s. Meanwhile, according to the 1930 census, Malcolm C. Rutherford, 37, and Pauline S. Rutherford, 33, resided at 6246 Drexel Avenue, Los Angeles, California. Malcolm indicated that his job was "Clerk -- Superior Court". As far as Pauline is concerned, the CDI indicates that her full name was Pauline Short Rutherford, her mother's maiden name was "Reed", she was born on 8/12/1896 in Missouri, and she died in Los Angeles on 8/29/1948.

The death certificate for Joseph Franklin Rutherford, dated 2/6/1942, indicates that he died of rectal carcinoma on 1/8/1942 at 4440 Braeburn Road, San Diego, California, and that his wife at the time of his death was Mary M. Rutherford, 72. As for Mary Rutherford, her obituary appeared on p. 1 of the Boonville Advertiser on 2/15/1963, which was as follows: "Word has been received here of the recent death of Mrs. Mary Rutherford, 93, former resident of Boonville, who had made her home in Monrovia, Calif., for the past 40 years. Until poor health confined her to her home, she took an active part in the ministerial work of Jehovah's Witnesses. Her husband, whose death occurred a number of years ago, served as president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society from 1917 until 1942. Mrs. Rutherford accompanied him frequently to many different foreign countries. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm C. Rutherford, of Arcadia, Calif. Paul L. Sergeants, minister of the Arcadia, Calif., Jehovah's Witnesses, officiated at the funeral service. Burial was in Live Oak Memorial Park in Monrovia". This source indicates that Malcolm remarried, although it does not give his wife's name. It also indicates that Mary lived in Monrovia since c. 1923. We otherwise know that Mary moved to Monrovia between 1920 and 1930. Athanasius has a source who apparently knew Mary Rutherford in her later years:

If the Boonville Advertiser is correct, Mary Rutherford lived in Monrovia, California beginning in 1923. This is where she lived when my friend CW met her in the early 1950s. Though Mary accompanied JFR on several European tours before World War I, she was not included in the Judge's post war entourage. As Mary told CW, when Joe would come out to California he would spend his time at Beth Sarim with his mistress and would never visit his wife, who lived just 100 miles away from the San Diego mansion.

And RR has this to say about Malcolm around the time he died:

Malcolm Rutherford died about 10/15 years or, He was in his 90s. He NEVER spoke of his involvement with the Watchtower. In fact, he split right after his father became president. He lived a hermits life, moving around from place to place so that "apostates" could not find him. He hated his father from what I was told from those who knew him personally. I knew a few Bible Students who grew up with him. At the time he died, he was renting a room in a private home. A few days later "apostates" went to visit the home and tried to gain access to his personal belongings. The owner of the house told them she would contact them AFTER she went through his things. She donated everything to goodwill. A friend of mine eventually found his Bible in a used bookstore. In it was the name of Judge Rutherford, as it was his personal copy. Poor guy just wanted to be left alone! But I'm sure he had some juicy stories to tell.

rebel8

The death certificate for Joseph Franklin Rutherford, dated 2/6/1942, indicates that he died of rectal carcinoma

Thanks for that info. I am going to keep that little fact in my back pocket to be pulled out when a certain jw spouts her "rectal cancer is a curse from Jehovah for being gay" BS. Oh yes, I had to hear that from several jw relatives. Unfreakinbelievable.

LoisLane looking for Superman

Thank you Blondie for posting Leolaia's work from 6 years ago.

I found out the above information through my own research, lol, and I had no clue there was a place like JWN that already knew about Rutherford's hypocritical life style. I started posting here 2 years ago, because I was so shocked and I thought nobody knew, and I, LoisLane was going to inform, lol, the world. lolololol At least, no one ever told me. I found out for myself.

@Love2BWorldly and @Rebel8, if you click on the above "Rutherford Exposed. The story of Berta and Bonnie" gathered public information by Leolaia, you will get an idea of what a lying, scoundrel that creep Rutherford was. Building a mansion during the Great Depression so he could live a millionaire lifestyle. What a creep!

LL

St George of England

marked

smiddy

I dont beleive any present day jehovahs witness young or old has any idea of these facts and if confronted with it would probably say "thats old light "

How do you argue with that mindset

smiddy

if you're lucky they'll recognize the name Rutherford. Most youngsters won't I guess.

Judge Rutherford's son & lineage???

love2Bworldly

blondie

blondie

rebel8

LoisLane looking for Superman

St George of England

smiddy

lurkernomore

love2Bworldly

fulano

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