The 1921 census of Canada has recently been released. Here's what it has to say about our family:
In 1921, Arthur and Minnie Scott, St. Andrew's Ward, Montreal, were living with their very recently widowed 26-year-old daughter, Norton Fry, and her daughter (their granddaughter), the 2-year-old Mary Fry. Arthur is listed as an import broker making $2,000 (I assume annually). They are renting a brick home for $150.00/month, and they have two female live-in servants. I am sooo jealous.
William Rutherford, Jr (age 56) and his wife Ida (Bulmer) Rutherford (age 54) were living in Westmount, sub-district 62, with several adult children: John Bulmer Rutherford, age 24, Ida Jean Rutherford, age 22, Andrew Scott Rutherford, age 20, and E. Marjorie Rutherford, age 19. Also part of the household is Jane Bulmer, age 50, Ida's younger sister. They have one live-in servant. William and his son William Jackson are listed as merchants, while John Bulmer is an accountant (probably of his father's lumber company) who makes $720 annually. Andrew and Marjorie are students. They own a brick home with ten rooms (I'm not sure which rooms are included in the count). It's interesting how many adult children are still living at home, even the men.
John Galloway Scott (age 84) and his wife Mary (Elliot) Scott (age78) are living in Toronto North, Ward 4, 29 Dunvegan Road. For those of us in Toronto, 29 Dunvegan is in the St. Clair/Avenue Road region. Very posh. With them is their daughter Helen Scott, age 37, "Janey" C. Elliot, Mary's younger sister, age 67, and two female servants, one cook and one maid. John is retired and none of the three ladies of the household have an occupation. They own the home.
Showing posts with label William Rutherford Jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label William Rutherford Jr.. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Sarah Dolphin, Home Child
 |
| Home Children on a Canadian Stamp |
In 1901, the census tells us, William Jr. and Ida (Bulmer) Rutherford had a 14-year-old domestic servant, a girl named Sarah Dolphin who was born in England. Further investigation at Library and Archives Canada reveals that Sarah was a Home Child. This is what I can discover about her story.
Sarah and her family appear on the 1891 census of England, living in the St. Martin district of Liverpool, Lancashire. Her parents are Richard Dolphin, age 34, and Rachel Dolphin, age 26. Sarah is 4 years old on this census, and she has three siblings: Mary A. Dolphin, age 8, Esther Dolphin, age 6, and James Dolphin, age 5 months. They live at 13 Court (Street?), in a two-room house. Her father is a Carter by occupation; it is evidently a working-class neighbourhood as their fellow street-dwellers have occupations such as Fish Hawker, Clothes Gatherer, Basket Girl, Charwoman, and Dock Laborer. The oldest girl in the Dolphin family, Mary, attends school, the others are presumably too young. The father, Richard Dolphin, is probably illiterate as he signed his marriage record with an X (Rachel was able to sign her maiden name, Rachel Hayes Wright). The whole family, including Richard and Rachel, were born in Liverpool. Richard and Rachel's fathers were both Carters by occupation as well.
Death records for Lancashire show that Rachel Dolphin was buried on 22 September 1896 at age 31 in Ford Cemetery. I can find no death record for Richard.
In the 1901 census of England, James Dolphin appears living at St. George Industrial School in Everton, Lancashire. This is an all-boys boarding school for orphans and destitute children and at ten years of age he appears to be one of the younger students.
On September 21, 1896, the day before their mother's burial, Sarah, Mary and Esther Dolphin arrived in Montreal on the ship Sardinian. The ship had left England on September 10th. They were with a group of 32 children going to Montreal under the protection of Miss Yates of the Liverpool Catholic Children's Protection Society. The words "from workhouses" appears beside the children's names. Sarah is ten years old, Esther is twelve, and Mary is fourteen.
 |
| Ship's Passenger List Recording Sarah, Mary and Esther Dolphin's Arrival in Canada. |
Sarah Dolphin and her sisters drop off the Montreal records after 1901. They were three of approximately 118,000 children sent to Canada under the Child Immigration Scheme which began in 1863 and, astonishingly, did not completely end until 1939. Under this program British children from poor families were brought in to Canada to serve as unpaid domestic and farm labour. They were required to remain with the families they were placed with until they turned eighteen, while these families had no obligation to educate them or even treat them well. Historians now believe that very few of these children were true orphans, rather, their families had been either temporarily or permanently incapacitated by poverty in a society which had no government supported social safety net as we know it today. According to the British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association and many other sources, often British families without other resources would place their children in the care of charitable aid societies for what they hoped was a short period. Once the children were shipped to Canada without the parent's knowledge or consent, they would be impossible for the family left behind to locate. No effort was made to minimize the trauma of being uprooted from family by at least keeping siblings together, as evidenced by the case of the four Dolphin siblings. It makes me truly sick to think that Sarah was the age my youngest child is right now when she crossed the ocean and entered the Rutherford household in service, all alone. I hope they were kind to her. I wonder where she ended up.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Obituary for William Rutherford Jr.
From the Montreal Gazette, February 29, 1932. Page 4.
"WESTMOUNT LOSES PROMINENT CITIZEN IN W. RUTHERFORD / Former Mayor and Alderman of Suburban City Dies in 68th Year / LEADING INDUSTRIALIST / Was Director of Lumber Business Bearing Family Name--Had Various Sporting Associations.
Over the city hall of Westmount a flag flew at half mast yesterday. It signified that the municipality is mourning one of its most distinguished sons--William Rutherford, ex-alderman, former mayor, and widely known business man, who died on Saturday evening at his home, 458 Mount Stephen avenue. He was 67 years of age and had been ill for a long time.
Always interested in civic affairs, Mr. Rutherford was elected by acclamation to the highest post the municipality could offer, that of chief magistrate. He occupied the mayoral chair for the term of 1911-12 and previous to that had been an alderman for three years.
His business activities were centred in the Rutherford Lumber Company, formerly known as the William Rutherford and Sons, Company, Limited. This firm was founded by Mr. Rutherford's father. At the time of his death he was a director of this firm having served for many years as treasurer.
Mr. Rutherford had wide business interests and was called upon to serve on the board of many business associations. He was a past president of the Quebec branch of the Canadian Manufacturers Association, a past president of the mechanics institute and a former councillor of the Montreal Board of Trade.
Following his term as mayor of the city of Westmount he was elected chairman of the board of school commissioners of the municipality, a post he filled with distinction for many years.
Keenly interested in sports, Mr. Rutherford was a life member of the Montreal Athletic Association, and, as a younger man, he belonged to many curling and bowling clubs.
He was a lifelong member of St. Andrews Church, Westmount.
BORN IN MONTREAL.
William Rutherford was born in Montreal on April 22, 1864. His father, William, was a native of Scotland, locating here in 1852, and he established his lumber business in 1856. He was one of the pioneers in the development of the Province of Quebec, and was of that famous old Scotch and Presbyterian strain which produced many of the sturdy men of Canada. His mother was Elizabeth (Jackson) Rutherford, also a native of Scotland.
Mr. Rutherford received his education in the high schools of the city, later taking a course at the private school of the late Professor Edward Springrice.
He is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Ida Bulmer; three sons, William Jackson, John Bulmer and Andrew Scott Rutherford; two daughters, Mrs. H.G.D. Ross of Larchmount, New York, and Mrs. R.H. Wallace, of Shawinigan Falls; four brothers, Andrew Rutherford and Stewart S. Rutherford of Montreal, Forest Rutherford of New York, and Gordon S. Rutherford, of Painesville, Ohio, and two sisters, Mrs. William Dunlop of Ottawa, and Mrs. Thomas McIntosh, of Montreal.
The funeral service will be held at 2:30 o'clock in St. Andrews United Church, Westmount. Internment will be made in the Mount Royal Cemetery."
The more I read about William Jr., the more I picture him as a vigorous, active and successful man, comfortable with leadership, and interested in making a mark on his city, which he certainly seems to have done. I'm still trying unsuccessfully to find out more about his mother, Elizabeth Jackson, and her family. Hopefully I'll get a breakthrough soon.
"WESTMOUNT LOSES PROMINENT CITIZEN IN W. RUTHERFORD / Former Mayor and Alderman of Suburban City Dies in 68th Year / LEADING INDUSTRIALIST / Was Director of Lumber Business Bearing Family Name--Had Various Sporting Associations.
Over the city hall of Westmount a flag flew at half mast yesterday. It signified that the municipality is mourning one of its most distinguished sons--William Rutherford, ex-alderman, former mayor, and widely known business man, who died on Saturday evening at his home, 458 Mount Stephen avenue. He was 67 years of age and had been ill for a long time.
Always interested in civic affairs, Mr. Rutherford was elected by acclamation to the highest post the municipality could offer, that of chief magistrate. He occupied the mayoral chair for the term of 1911-12 and previous to that had been an alderman for three years.
His business activities were centred in the Rutherford Lumber Company, formerly known as the William Rutherford and Sons, Company, Limited. This firm was founded by Mr. Rutherford's father. At the time of his death he was a director of this firm having served for many years as treasurer.
Mr. Rutherford had wide business interests and was called upon to serve on the board of many business associations. He was a past president of the Quebec branch of the Canadian Manufacturers Association, a past president of the mechanics institute and a former councillor of the Montreal Board of Trade.
Following his term as mayor of the city of Westmount he was elected chairman of the board of school commissioners of the municipality, a post he filled with distinction for many years.
Keenly interested in sports, Mr. Rutherford was a life member of the Montreal Athletic Association, and, as a younger man, he belonged to many curling and bowling clubs.
He was a lifelong member of St. Andrews Church, Westmount.
BORN IN MONTREAL.
William Rutherford was born in Montreal on April 22, 1864. His father, William, was a native of Scotland, locating here in 1852, and he established his lumber business in 1856. He was one of the pioneers in the development of the Province of Quebec, and was of that famous old Scotch and Presbyterian strain which produced many of the sturdy men of Canada. His mother was Elizabeth (Jackson) Rutherford, also a native of Scotland.
Mr. Rutherford received his education in the high schools of the city, later taking a course at the private school of the late Professor Edward Springrice.
He is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Ida Bulmer; three sons, William Jackson, John Bulmer and Andrew Scott Rutherford; two daughters, Mrs. H.G.D. Ross of Larchmount, New York, and Mrs. R.H. Wallace, of Shawinigan Falls; four brothers, Andrew Rutherford and Stewart S. Rutherford of Montreal, Forest Rutherford of New York, and Gordon S. Rutherford, of Painesville, Ohio, and two sisters, Mrs. William Dunlop of Ottawa, and Mrs. Thomas McIntosh, of Montreal.
The funeral service will be held at 2:30 o'clock in St. Andrews United Church, Westmount. Internment will be made in the Mount Royal Cemetery."
The more I read about William Jr., the more I picture him as a vigorous, active and successful man, comfortable with leadership, and interested in making a mark on his city, which he certainly seems to have done. I'm still trying unsuccessfully to find out more about his mother, Elizabeth Jackson, and her family. Hopefully I'll get a breakthrough soon.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Biography of William Rutherford Jr., or, Don't These Men Ever Sleep?
This biographical sketch is from Montreal 1535-1914 Vol. 3 by William H. Atherton. The S.J. Clark Publishing Company, Montreal, 1914. p. 245. It summarizes the life of an extraordinarily busy man! I also like that it gives us some extra information about William Sr. as well.
"WILLIAM RUTHERFORD. The steps in the orderly progression of William Rutherford whereby he has reached his present advanced position in business circles of Montreal are easily discernible and each forward step has brought him a broader outlook and wider opportunities. Born in Montreal, April 22, 1964, he is a son of William and Elizabeth (Jackson) Rutherford, both of whom are of Scotch birth, the former coming from Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, and the latter from Biggar, Lanarkshire. They were representatives of the excellent Scotch type that has done so much for Canada and its substantial upbuilding. The father was a member of the first council of Cote St. Antoine, which afterward became Westmount. He was an enthusiastic curler and greatly enjoyed other outdoor sports. His interests, however, were largely concentrated on the development and management of important business interests. He founded the lumber firm of William Rutherford and Sons in 1852 and was largely instrumental in developing it into one of the most extensive lumber enterprises in Canada.
In the acquirement of his education William Rutherford attended successively the schools of Cote St. Antoine, the high school of Montreal and the private school conducted by Hon. E.H. Springrice. He crossed the threshold of the business world as a junior clerk with Gillespie, Moffat & Company, general merchants, and subsequently became a clerk for the Pillow Hersey Manufacturing Company, owners of rolling mills, etc. Subsequently he entered the firm of William Rutherford & Sons of Montreal and upon incorporation of the company became its treasurer. The business is conducted today under the style of William Rutherford & Sons Company, Ltd., dealers in and manufacturers of lumber and timber. The business is now one of mammoth proportions and in his official capacity William Rutherford of this review is bending his energies to administrative direction and executive control. Into other fields he has also extended his efforts and his business interests are now of considerable volume and importance, placing him among the prominent representatives of commercial and industrial activity in the province. He is now the president of the Dominion Box Company, Ltd., of the Grier Timber Company and of the Dominion Park Realty Company, Ltd.
On the 16th of May 1894, in Montreal, Mr. Rutherford married Miss Ida Bulmer, a daughter of John Bulmer and a representative of a well known Montreal family. Their children are William J., John B., Jean, Andrew S. and Marjory. Presbyterian in religious faith, the family hold membership in St. Andrew's Church of Westmount. Mr. Rutherford is a liberal in politics, conversant with the leading questions and issues of the day. He has filled a number of local offices, having been elected alderman of Westmount in 1908, while in 1910 he was chosen mayor of the city. In 1913 he was made school commissioner of the city and in 1912-13 was a member of the executive committee of the Canadian Manufacturing Association. He is also a member of the committee of St. Andrew's Society, while along more strictly social lines his membership is in the Canada, Engineers, Manitou, and North Lake fish and game clubs. His success permits him that leisure which enables him to enjoy hunting, fishing and other outdoor and indoor sports, but he is preeminently a business man and one whose successful methods might be studied by all who wish to gain prosperity within the legitimate line of business."
His success permits him leisure??? You've got to be kidding me! He's president of three companies and treasurer of a third! And involved in city politics! And raising a family of five! And goes to church on Sundays!
Here is a sketch of William Jr. from the 1900 book Canadians As We See 'Em, by the Canada Newspaper Cartoonists Association.
"WILLIAM RUTHERFORD. The steps in the orderly progression of William Rutherford whereby he has reached his present advanced position in business circles of Montreal are easily discernible and each forward step has brought him a broader outlook and wider opportunities. Born in Montreal, April 22, 1964, he is a son of William and Elizabeth (Jackson) Rutherford, both of whom are of Scotch birth, the former coming from Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, and the latter from Biggar, Lanarkshire. They were representatives of the excellent Scotch type that has done so much for Canada and its substantial upbuilding. The father was a member of the first council of Cote St. Antoine, which afterward became Westmount. He was an enthusiastic curler and greatly enjoyed other outdoor sports. His interests, however, were largely concentrated on the development and management of important business interests. He founded the lumber firm of William Rutherford and Sons in 1852 and was largely instrumental in developing it into one of the most extensive lumber enterprises in Canada.
In the acquirement of his education William Rutherford attended successively the schools of Cote St. Antoine, the high school of Montreal and the private school conducted by Hon. E.H. Springrice. He crossed the threshold of the business world as a junior clerk with Gillespie, Moffat & Company, general merchants, and subsequently became a clerk for the Pillow Hersey Manufacturing Company, owners of rolling mills, etc. Subsequently he entered the firm of William Rutherford & Sons of Montreal and upon incorporation of the company became its treasurer. The business is conducted today under the style of William Rutherford & Sons Company, Ltd., dealers in and manufacturers of lumber and timber. The business is now one of mammoth proportions and in his official capacity William Rutherford of this review is bending his energies to administrative direction and executive control. Into other fields he has also extended his efforts and his business interests are now of considerable volume and importance, placing him among the prominent representatives of commercial and industrial activity in the province. He is now the president of the Dominion Box Company, Ltd., of the Grier Timber Company and of the Dominion Park Realty Company, Ltd.
On the 16th of May 1894, in Montreal, Mr. Rutherford married Miss Ida Bulmer, a daughter of John Bulmer and a representative of a well known Montreal family. Their children are William J., John B., Jean, Andrew S. and Marjory. Presbyterian in religious faith, the family hold membership in St. Andrew's Church of Westmount. Mr. Rutherford is a liberal in politics, conversant with the leading questions and issues of the day. He has filled a number of local offices, having been elected alderman of Westmount in 1908, while in 1910 he was chosen mayor of the city. In 1913 he was made school commissioner of the city and in 1912-13 was a member of the executive committee of the Canadian Manufacturing Association. He is also a member of the committee of St. Andrew's Society, while along more strictly social lines his membership is in the Canada, Engineers, Manitou, and North Lake fish and game clubs. His success permits him that leisure which enables him to enjoy hunting, fishing and other outdoor and indoor sports, but he is preeminently a business man and one whose successful methods might be studied by all who wish to gain prosperity within the legitimate line of business."
His success permits him leisure??? You've got to be kidding me! He's president of three companies and treasurer of a third! And involved in city politics! And raising a family of five! And goes to church on Sundays!
Here is a sketch of William Jr. from the 1900 book Canadians As We See 'Em, by the Canada Newspaper Cartoonists Association.
 |
| William Rutherford Jr., every inch the successful businessman. |
Monday, June 3, 2013
Rutherford Family Weddings
Not only are weddings significant family events, they are significant social events as well. If we're lucky, newspaper accounts can bring to life family weddings long past, giving us a sense of the personalities, aesthetics and social circumstances in our family line. Here are three generations of newspaper reports of Rutherford family weddings in Montreal.
Generation 1: William Rutherford Jr. and Ida Bulmer.
Montreal Gazette, May 17, 1894. p.3.
"Rutherford-Bulmer. At 5 o'clock last evening Mr. William Rutherford jr., of Cote St. Antoine, was joined in holy wedlock to Miss Ida Bulmer, daughter of Mr. John Bulmer, and niece to Mr. Henry Bulmer, chairman of the Harbour commissioners. The ceremony took place in St. George's Church the Very Rev. Dean Carmichael tying the nuptial knot, and although invitations were extended only to the immediate relatives, so popular were the young couple that before 5 o'clock the church was crowded with their numerous friends. Miss Jane Bulmer, sister of the bride, acted as bridesmaid. Mr. Sept. Fraser played the wedding march as the bridal procession left the church. The newly married couple, before leaving for New York, were the recipients of many costly presents."
Here are some images of St. George's Church in Montreal:
"The marriage took place quietly last evening at nine o'clock, at the residence of the bride's parents 61 Rosemount Avenue, Westmount, of Ida Jean, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, to Mr. James Hargrave Drummond Ross, son of the late Dr. and Mrs. James Ross, of Dundas, Ontario. The bride, who was given away by her father, was gowned in white georgette, with an overskirt of chantilly lace, with a georgette and lace scarf falling from one shoulder. Her tulle veil was caught with orange blossoms and pearls, and she carried a shower bouquet of sunburst roses. She was attended by her sister, Miss Marjorie Rutherford, as maid of honour, and by Miss Daintry Notman and Miss Kathleen Darling, as bridesmaids. All three attendants were gowned alike, in orange shade georgette with petal skirts, and carried bouquets of nasturtiums. Dr. Graham Ross was his brother's best man. The Rev. Dr. Clark, of St. Andrew's Church, performed the ceremony, and Mr. E.W. Whitely played the wedding music. The rooms were decorated with ferns, palms and autumn foliage, interspersed with pink and white hydrangeas and masses of gladioli and dahlias. Mrs. Rutherford, the bride's mother, wore a gown of grey canton crepe combined with Spanish lace and a corsage bouquet of mauve orchids. A reception followed the ceremony, and later Mr. and Mrs. Ross left for Lake Placid. Going away the bride wore a russet brown suit with a tailored hat, suede cloth wrap, and an Isabella fox fur. They will reside in Larchmount, N.Y. The out of town guests included Miss Isabel Ross, sister of the groom, of Saranac Lake, and Miss Audrey Fitzgerald, of Winnipeg."
The wedding of John Bulmer Rutherford to Norton Scott, daughter of Arthur H. Scott and Minnie Davis, is described in the Montreal Gazette on March 27, 1928, p. 8:
"At St. Mark's Chapel, Dorval, the Rev. W.P.R. Lewis officiating, the marriage took place quietly yesterday of Norton Scott, widow of Henry Stephenson Fry, late Lieutenant 42nd H.R.C., to Mr. John Bulmer Rutherford, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, Cote St. Antoine Road. Owing to the absence of her father, Mr. Arthur H. Scott, who is in Italy, the bride was given in marriage by her brother-in-law, Mr. John Fry, and was unattended. She wore a French frock of pearl grey pussy willow with touches of rose needlepoint, a small rose transparent hat to match, and carried an arm bouquet of Ophelia roses. Mr. Wilson Dunton acted as best man, and Mrs. Dunton played the wedding march. The ushers were Mr. Jackson Rutherford, Mr. Andrew Rutherford and Mr. George McTaggart. Following the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford received informally at their residence, 351 Cote des Neiges Road. Later, they left to spend two weeks in Bermuda and New York. Among the out-of-town guests were Mrs. Ruggles George and Mrs. F.A. Rolph, both of Toronto."
John Bulmer Rutherford and Norton Scott are my husband's grandparents. Jackson and Andrew Rutherford were brothers of the groom, and Mrs. Ruggles George was Helen Elliot Scott, Norton's sister. According to David Austin Roses, the Ophelia rose is a blush-pink hybrid tea rose with a strong fragrance. Sounds lovely.
1928 was a busy year for the Rutherford family. William Jackson Rutherford, William and Ida's oldest child, married on October 6th of the same year.
The Montreal Gazette, October 6th, 1928, p. 8.
"The marriage of Katherine, daughter of Rev. Canon and Mrs. Roger Howard, to Mr. William Jackson Rutherford, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, of Westmount, is taking place at four o'clock this afternoon at St. Martin's Church. The ceremony will be performed by the bride's father, Rev. Canon Howard, rector of St. Martin's, and the service will be choral. The church, which will be lighted by candles, will be decorated with pink lilies, hydrangea and smilax. Pink lilies will be arranged on the altar, and the chancel rail will be festooned with smilax and banked with hydrangea, the pews reserved for guests being marked with bunches of hydrangea tied with white tulle. The decoration is being done by members of the chancel guild of the church. The bride, who will be given away by her uncle, Rev. O.W. Howard, will wear a gown of white satin made with a long tight bodice finished by a V. neck, and the skirt, uneven in length, will have a hem of tulle outlined in pearls. Her train, falling from the shoulders, is of the satin lined in pale pink chiffon edged with a circular frill of tulle. Her tulle veil, pleated in cap effect, will be held by a bandeau of orange blossoms, and her satin shoes matching her gown will have buckles of pleated tulle and orange blossoms. She will carry a shower bouquet of sweetheart roses and lilies of the valley. Miss Glynne Howard, sister of the bride, who will act as maid-of-honor, and Mrs. Herbert B. Norris and Miss Marjorie Houson, of Toronto, the bridesmaids, will be dressed alike in gowns of Nile green chiffon in Princess style, the skirts finished with circular flounces short in front, and forming a train at the back. They will wear large felt hats of a deeper tone, satin shoes with brilliant buckles to match their hats, and will carry arm bouquets of pink butterfly roses. Little Miss Cherry Riepert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. Vernon Riepert, will act as flower girl. She will wear a frock of Nile green georgette, a poke bonnet of felt of a deeper tone, and will carry a tiny bouquet of pink roses. Mr. Andrew Rutherford will act as best man for his brother, and the ushers will be Mr. J.B. Rutherford and Mr. Hugh Crombie. During the signing of the register the choir will sing 'O Perfect Love', and Mr. O.W. Rodomar will sing 'Love's Coronation'. Mrs. Howard, the bride's mother, will wear a gown of goblin blue ring velvet, with a small Reboux felt hat, and suede shoes to match. Her corsage bouquet will be of pink orchids and maidenhair fern. Mrs. Rutherford, mother of the bridegroom, will be gowned in black net and silver, with a small black velvet hat with a brilliant ornament, and will wear a corsage bouquet of red roses.
The reception following the ceremony will be held at the residence of the bride's parents, St. Martin's rectory, where the decorations will be carried out in pink lilies, hydrangea and ferns. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford will leave for a motor trip through the Adirondacks, the bride traveling in a French frock of beige crepe and satin, a beige coat trimmed with wolf and a small brown felt hat. She will carry a brown bag and wear shoes to match. They will reside at 465 Cote des Neiges Road.
Goblin blue, in case you're wondering, is a shade of blue-grey.
In 1929, William and Ida's daughter Elizabeth Marjorie married Reginald Wallace. Here is a rather short announcement from the Montreal Gazette, September 21, 1929, p. 8. I miss the descriptions of clothing and flowers.
"The marriage of Elizabeth Marjorie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, to Mr. Reginald H. Wallace, of Shawinigan Falls, son of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Ramsay Wallace, of Halifax, N.S., is taking place this afternoon at half-past four o'clock at St. Andrew's Church, Westmount, Rev. Dr. Clark officiating. The bride will be attended by her sister, Mrs. Drummond Ross, of Larchmount, N.Y., as matron-of-honor, and by Miss Betty Gordon, as bridesmaid. Mr. Ronald Irving will act as best man, and the ushers will be Mr. Arthur Wallace, of New York, brother of the bridegroom, Mr. Eric Jones, Mr. John A. Macdonnell and Mr. Andrew S. Rutherford, brother of the bride. The reception following the ceremony will be held at the residence of the bride's parents, 109 Cote St. Antoine Road, Westmount."
Generation Three: Children of John Bulmer Rutherford and Norton Scott.
I could only find an account for one marriage out of the family's two daughters. I think my mother- in-law has a clipping of an account of her wedding, which I'll ask her about the next time I see her. I could not locate an account for Mary Fry's wedding either (Mary was the daughter of Norton Scott and Henry Fry, her first husband).
The Montreal Gazette, June 14, 1951, p. 19.
"Stauble-Rutherford. The marriage of Jean Scott, daughter of the late J. Bulmer Rutherford and of Mrs. Rutherford, of Montreal, to Mr. William John Stauble, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor J. Stauble, of Port of Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I., took place yesterday afternoon, at half-past four o'clock, in St. Andrew's Church, Westmount, the Rev. D.M. Grant officiating. Mr. Phillips Motley played the wedding music and white gladioli, peonies and snapdragons were used to decorate.
The bride, who was given away by her uncle, Mr. W. J. Jackson Rutherford, was in a gown of white lace, the fitted bodice worn with a lace jacket, fastened to the waist with tiny buttons, having a small collar and sleeves ending in points over her hands, and the full flared skirt fashioned with an overskirt of tulle. Her veil of tulle illusion, extending to the hem of her train, was held by a coronet of orange blossoms and she carried a bouquet of lily of the valley and stephantois.
Miss Jocelyn Rutherford, as maid of honour for her sister, and Miss Rosina McCarthy and Miss Shirley McCall, as bridesmaids, were in frocks of mist green organdy, with bodices having bateau necklines and short sleeves, and very full skirts. They wore bandeaux of multicolour sweetpeas to match those in their bouquets.
Little Miss Susan Wang, niece of the bride, as flower-girl, wore a Kate Greenaway frock of white dotted Swiss organdy with a bandeau of flowers in her hair and carried a tiny nosegay.
Dr. Philip Gofton acted as best man for Mr. Stauble and the ushers were Mr. Alfred Stauble, brother of the bridegroom, Mr. David Blair and Mr. Hugh Miller.
Mrs. Rutherford, the bride's mother, was in a floor-length gown of French blue crepe with a side panel of matching lace and wore a hat of blue flowers and a corsage bouquet of pink feathered carnations.
Mrs. William Rutherford, grandmother of the bride, wore a gown of navy blue sheer with a hat of the same colour, trimmed with pink and a corsage bouquet of Sweetheart roses.
The reception was held at the Montreal Badminton and Squash club where the bride's table, centred with the wedding cake, was arranged with multicolor sweetpeas.
Later Mr. and Mrs. Stauble left for Bermuda and Trinidad, B.W.I., the bride travelling in a frock of navy blue and white tie silk, trimmed with red, and wearing a navy blue hat and accessories and a corsage bouquet of white carnations. They will reside in Montreal.
The bridegroom is a student in the faculty of medicine at McGill University."
These kinds of announcements, with their precisely detailed description, are uncommon in newspapers today. I love reading them, though. If anyone out there has pictures from any of these wedding ceremonies, I'd love to see them!
Generation 1: William Rutherford Jr. and Ida Bulmer.
Montreal Gazette, May 17, 1894. p.3.
"Rutherford-Bulmer. At 5 o'clock last evening Mr. William Rutherford jr., of Cote St. Antoine, was joined in holy wedlock to Miss Ida Bulmer, daughter of Mr. John Bulmer, and niece to Mr. Henry Bulmer, chairman of the Harbour commissioners. The ceremony took place in St. George's Church the Very Rev. Dean Carmichael tying the nuptial knot, and although invitations were extended only to the immediate relatives, so popular were the young couple that before 5 o'clock the church was crowded with their numerous friends. Miss Jane Bulmer, sister of the bride, acted as bridesmaid. Mr. Sept. Fraser played the wedding march as the bridal procession left the church. The newly married couple, before leaving for New York, were the recipients of many costly presents."
Here are some images of St. George's Church in Montreal:
 | ||
| Engraving of interior of St. George's Church, Montreal, 1850-1885. Courtesy of McCord Museum. |
 | ||
| Exterior of St. George's Church, Montreal, 1872. Courtesy of McCord Museum. |
 |
| Modern interior shot of St. George's Church. |
Generation Two: Their Children
The first child of William and Ida to be married was their daughter Ida Jean. Here is the
description of her wedding, from the Montreal Gazette, September 18, 1924.
"The marriage took place quietly last evening at nine o'clock, at the residence of the bride's parents 61 Rosemount Avenue, Westmount, of Ida Jean, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, to Mr. James Hargrave Drummond Ross, son of the late Dr. and Mrs. James Ross, of Dundas, Ontario. The bride, who was given away by her father, was gowned in white georgette, with an overskirt of chantilly lace, with a georgette and lace scarf falling from one shoulder. Her tulle veil was caught with orange blossoms and pearls, and she carried a shower bouquet of sunburst roses. She was attended by her sister, Miss Marjorie Rutherford, as maid of honour, and by Miss Daintry Notman and Miss Kathleen Darling, as bridesmaids. All three attendants were gowned alike, in orange shade georgette with petal skirts, and carried bouquets of nasturtiums. Dr. Graham Ross was his brother's best man. The Rev. Dr. Clark, of St. Andrew's Church, performed the ceremony, and Mr. E.W. Whitely played the wedding music. The rooms were decorated with ferns, palms and autumn foliage, interspersed with pink and white hydrangeas and masses of gladioli and dahlias. Mrs. Rutherford, the bride's mother, wore a gown of grey canton crepe combined with Spanish lace and a corsage bouquet of mauve orchids. A reception followed the ceremony, and later Mr. and Mrs. Ross left for Lake Placid. Going away the bride wore a russet brown suit with a tailored hat, suede cloth wrap, and an Isabella fox fur. They will reside in Larchmount, N.Y. The out of town guests included Miss Isabel Ross, sister of the groom, of Saranac Lake, and Miss Audrey Fitzgerald, of Winnipeg."
The wedding of John Bulmer Rutherford to Norton Scott, daughter of Arthur H. Scott and Minnie Davis, is described in the Montreal Gazette on March 27, 1928, p. 8:
"At St. Mark's Chapel, Dorval, the Rev. W.P.R. Lewis officiating, the marriage took place quietly yesterday of Norton Scott, widow of Henry Stephenson Fry, late Lieutenant 42nd H.R.C., to Mr. John Bulmer Rutherford, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, Cote St. Antoine Road. Owing to the absence of her father, Mr. Arthur H. Scott, who is in Italy, the bride was given in marriage by her brother-in-law, Mr. John Fry, and was unattended. She wore a French frock of pearl grey pussy willow with touches of rose needlepoint, a small rose transparent hat to match, and carried an arm bouquet of Ophelia roses. Mr. Wilson Dunton acted as best man, and Mrs. Dunton played the wedding march. The ushers were Mr. Jackson Rutherford, Mr. Andrew Rutherford and Mr. George McTaggart. Following the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford received informally at their residence, 351 Cote des Neiges Road. Later, they left to spend two weeks in Bermuda and New York. Among the out-of-town guests were Mrs. Ruggles George and Mrs. F.A. Rolph, both of Toronto."
John Bulmer Rutherford and Norton Scott are my husband's grandparents. Jackson and Andrew Rutherford were brothers of the groom, and Mrs. Ruggles George was Helen Elliot Scott, Norton's sister. According to David Austin Roses, the Ophelia rose is a blush-pink hybrid tea rose with a strong fragrance. Sounds lovely.
 |
| St. Mark's Chapel, Dorval, date unknown. |
The Montreal Gazette, October 6th, 1928, p. 8.
"The marriage of Katherine, daughter of Rev. Canon and Mrs. Roger Howard, to Mr. William Jackson Rutherford, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, of Westmount, is taking place at four o'clock this afternoon at St. Martin's Church. The ceremony will be performed by the bride's father, Rev. Canon Howard, rector of St. Martin's, and the service will be choral. The church, which will be lighted by candles, will be decorated with pink lilies, hydrangea and smilax. Pink lilies will be arranged on the altar, and the chancel rail will be festooned with smilax and banked with hydrangea, the pews reserved for guests being marked with bunches of hydrangea tied with white tulle. The decoration is being done by members of the chancel guild of the church. The bride, who will be given away by her uncle, Rev. O.W. Howard, will wear a gown of white satin made with a long tight bodice finished by a V. neck, and the skirt, uneven in length, will have a hem of tulle outlined in pearls. Her train, falling from the shoulders, is of the satin lined in pale pink chiffon edged with a circular frill of tulle. Her tulle veil, pleated in cap effect, will be held by a bandeau of orange blossoms, and her satin shoes matching her gown will have buckles of pleated tulle and orange blossoms. She will carry a shower bouquet of sweetheart roses and lilies of the valley. Miss Glynne Howard, sister of the bride, who will act as maid-of-honor, and Mrs. Herbert B. Norris and Miss Marjorie Houson, of Toronto, the bridesmaids, will be dressed alike in gowns of Nile green chiffon in Princess style, the skirts finished with circular flounces short in front, and forming a train at the back. They will wear large felt hats of a deeper tone, satin shoes with brilliant buckles to match their hats, and will carry arm bouquets of pink butterfly roses. Little Miss Cherry Riepert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. Vernon Riepert, will act as flower girl. She will wear a frock of Nile green georgette, a poke bonnet of felt of a deeper tone, and will carry a tiny bouquet of pink roses. Mr. Andrew Rutherford will act as best man for his brother, and the ushers will be Mr. J.B. Rutherford and Mr. Hugh Crombie. During the signing of the register the choir will sing 'O Perfect Love', and Mr. O.W. Rodomar will sing 'Love's Coronation'. Mrs. Howard, the bride's mother, will wear a gown of goblin blue ring velvet, with a small Reboux felt hat, and suede shoes to match. Her corsage bouquet will be of pink orchids and maidenhair fern. Mrs. Rutherford, mother of the bridegroom, will be gowned in black net and silver, with a small black velvet hat with a brilliant ornament, and will wear a corsage bouquet of red roses.
The reception following the ceremony will be held at the residence of the bride's parents, St. Martin's rectory, where the decorations will be carried out in pink lilies, hydrangea and ferns. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford will leave for a motor trip through the Adirondacks, the bride traveling in a French frock of beige crepe and satin, a beige coat trimmed with wolf and a small brown felt hat. She will carry a brown bag and wear shoes to match. They will reside at 465 Cote des Neiges Road.
Goblin blue, in case you're wondering, is a shade of blue-grey.
In 1929, William and Ida's daughter Elizabeth Marjorie married Reginald Wallace. Here is a rather short announcement from the Montreal Gazette, September 21, 1929, p. 8. I miss the descriptions of clothing and flowers.
"The marriage of Elizabeth Marjorie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, to Mr. Reginald H. Wallace, of Shawinigan Falls, son of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Ramsay Wallace, of Halifax, N.S., is taking place this afternoon at half-past four o'clock at St. Andrew's Church, Westmount, Rev. Dr. Clark officiating. The bride will be attended by her sister, Mrs. Drummond Ross, of Larchmount, N.Y., as matron-of-honor, and by Miss Betty Gordon, as bridesmaid. Mr. Ronald Irving will act as best man, and the ushers will be Mr. Arthur Wallace, of New York, brother of the bridegroom, Mr. Eric Jones, Mr. John A. Macdonnell and Mr. Andrew S. Rutherford, brother of the bride. The reception following the ceremony will be held at the residence of the bride's parents, 109 Cote St. Antoine Road, Westmount."
Generation Three: Children of John Bulmer Rutherford and Norton Scott.
I could only find an account for one marriage out of the family's two daughters. I think my mother- in-law has a clipping of an account of her wedding, which I'll ask her about the next time I see her. I could not locate an account for Mary Fry's wedding either (Mary was the daughter of Norton Scott and Henry Fry, her first husband).
The Montreal Gazette, June 14, 1951, p. 19.
"Stauble-Rutherford. The marriage of Jean Scott, daughter of the late J. Bulmer Rutherford and of Mrs. Rutherford, of Montreal, to Mr. William John Stauble, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor J. Stauble, of Port of Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I., took place yesterday afternoon, at half-past four o'clock, in St. Andrew's Church, Westmount, the Rev. D.M. Grant officiating. Mr. Phillips Motley played the wedding music and white gladioli, peonies and snapdragons were used to decorate.
The bride, who was given away by her uncle, Mr. W. J. Jackson Rutherford, was in a gown of white lace, the fitted bodice worn with a lace jacket, fastened to the waist with tiny buttons, having a small collar and sleeves ending in points over her hands, and the full flared skirt fashioned with an overskirt of tulle. Her veil of tulle illusion, extending to the hem of her train, was held by a coronet of orange blossoms and she carried a bouquet of lily of the valley and stephantois.
Miss Jocelyn Rutherford, as maid of honour for her sister, and Miss Rosina McCarthy and Miss Shirley McCall, as bridesmaids, were in frocks of mist green organdy, with bodices having bateau necklines and short sleeves, and very full skirts. They wore bandeaux of multicolour sweetpeas to match those in their bouquets.
Little Miss Susan Wang, niece of the bride, as flower-girl, wore a Kate Greenaway frock of white dotted Swiss organdy with a bandeau of flowers in her hair and carried a tiny nosegay.
Dr. Philip Gofton acted as best man for Mr. Stauble and the ushers were Mr. Alfred Stauble, brother of the bridegroom, Mr. David Blair and Mr. Hugh Miller.
Mrs. Rutherford, the bride's mother, was in a floor-length gown of French blue crepe with a side panel of matching lace and wore a hat of blue flowers and a corsage bouquet of pink feathered carnations.
Mrs. William Rutherford, grandmother of the bride, wore a gown of navy blue sheer with a hat of the same colour, trimmed with pink and a corsage bouquet of Sweetheart roses.
The reception was held at the Montreal Badminton and Squash club where the bride's table, centred with the wedding cake, was arranged with multicolor sweetpeas.
Later Mr. and Mrs. Stauble left for Bermuda and Trinidad, B.W.I., the bride travelling in a frock of navy blue and white tie silk, trimmed with red, and wearing a navy blue hat and accessories and a corsage bouquet of white carnations. They will reside in Montreal.
The bridegroom is a student in the faculty of medicine at McGill University."
 | |||
| A historic photo of St. Andrew's Church in Westmount, circa 1910. The church was destroyed by fire in 1965. |
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
William Rutherford, Liberal Candidate for Westmount, 1912
 | |||
| Sir Lomer Gouin, Quebec Premier and supporter of William Rutherford |
WESTMOUNT HEARS SIR LOMER GOUIN
PREMIER AND MAYOR RUTHERFORD ANSWER QUESTIONS OF LT-COL SMART
"The speech of Sir Lomer Gouin in Victoria Hall last night in the interest of Mr. William Rutherford, Liberal candidate in Westmount, and those of the candidate himself and the other speakers, concerned themselves mainly with the address made by Lieut.-Col. Smart, the Conservative candidate, in his meeting in the same hall on the previous Saturday night, and charges made by him of graft and rottenness in the present government...
Mr. William Rutherford, who was welcomed enthusiastically, said that many of his Conservative friends told him he was leading a forlorn hope, and he was inclined to accept that way of putting things as, said he, 'many forlorn hopes get there, and generally it is the best men who are chosen to lead forlorn hopes'. He appealed to his Conservative friends to leave federal politics out of the question, and vote for the man instead of for the party, and so help him to run up a good majority. He spoke of the work he in association with others had done for Westmount, with special reference to good roads, temperance and education. He submitted that what they had been doing for Westmount Sir Lomer Gouin had been trying to do for the Province of Quebec, and whereas they had succeeded in making Westmount a place that was called the model city, he believed that Sir Lomer Gouin if allowed to finish his work would make Quebec into a province that would deserve to be called the model one in Canada.
Speaking of Colonel Smart, a personal friend, he said that he thought the Conservative candidate would have to take back much of what he had said in regard to graft and bribery...
'I stand four-square for no forced annexation of Westmount or other municipal districts on the island of Montreal to the city of Montreal, and I tell you now so that if that question ever comes up in Quebec, you and Sir Lomer Gouin will know where I stand,' said Mayor Rutherford.
As to temperance, Mr. Rutherford said he stood to support the continuance of the present Early Closing Bylaw, to fight against any effort to repeal the Quebec License Law, and to favour any temperance movement which had for its object the restriction of the liquor traffic if in his judgment it was fair to the interests involved.
'I am not an intemperate temperance man,' he said, 'and I feel that that is as far as I can go.' "
The election was held on May 15, 1912, and of 83 Liberal candidates running, 63 were elected. William was not one of them. Charles Allan Smart, the Conservative candidate (and apparently William's friend), won the district of Westmount. He would be the Westmount MP from 1912 until 1936.
The Montreal Gazette of May 16 had this to say about Westmount's results:
"While the new riding of Westmount, as was expected, went Conservative by a good majority, the personal popularity of the Liberal candidate, Mayor Rutherford, cut down the normal Conservative vote considerably. More interest was displayed in the contest between Mayor Rutherford and Lt.-Col. Smart than in almost any other riding, and a comparatively fair vote was registered. It was taken as a foregone conclusion that the latter would be elected, the riding having been cut out with the evident intention of hiving the Conservatives."
To give this election some historical context, women in Quebec did not have the right to vote until 1940. Mrs. Rutherford could not vote for her husband in 1912.
As to temperance, Mr. Rutherford said he stood to support the continuance of the present Early Closing Bylaw, to fight against any effort to repeal the Quebec License Law, and to favour any temperance movement which had for its object the restriction of the liquor traffic if in his judgment it was fair to the interests involved.
'I am not an intemperate temperance man,' he said, 'and I feel that that is as far as I can go.' "
The election was held on May 15, 1912, and of 83 Liberal candidates running, 63 were elected. William was not one of them. Charles Allan Smart, the Conservative candidate (and apparently William's friend), won the district of Westmount. He would be the Westmount MP from 1912 until 1936.
 | |||||
| Charles Allan Smart, MP for Westmount 1912-1936 |
The Montreal Gazette of May 16 had this to say about Westmount's results:
"While the new riding of Westmount, as was expected, went Conservative by a good majority, the personal popularity of the Liberal candidate, Mayor Rutherford, cut down the normal Conservative vote considerably. More interest was displayed in the contest between Mayor Rutherford and Lt.-Col. Smart than in almost any other riding, and a comparatively fair vote was registered. It was taken as a foregone conclusion that the latter would be elected, the riding having been cut out with the evident intention of hiving the Conservatives."
To give this election some historical context, women in Quebec did not have the right to vote until 1940. Mrs. Rutherford could not vote for her husband in 1912.
Friday, September 7, 2012
William Rutherford and Sons at the National Archives of Quebec
Every other province in Canada has a provincial archive, but not Quebec...search around for the Quebec provincial archives and you'll find something called Archives Nationales du Quebec. It is a very nice website, I must admit. And it has a snazzy blue online engraving of the industrial headquarters of Wm. Rutherford and Sons, the company that made William Rutherford Senior a minor baron of Montreal industry! Here it is:
Dated 1894, it comes from a publication called Montreal Illustrated 1894, published by the Consolidated Illustrating Co. I find it a rather spartan building, especially for the time period. I'd love to know if it still stands.
I think this is text from the same publication.
It's not easy to read online, so I'll transcribe the significant parts.
"This is the house conducted by Messrs. Wm. Rutherford & Sons, manufacturers of sashes, blinds, stair-work, and general mill-work, and hardwood finish of every description, occupying the site, No. 85 to 95 Atwater avenue. This flourishing concern was originally established by the present head of the firm, Mr. William Rutherford, some forty years ago. His operations were primarily of a comparatively modest character: year after year, however, widening the scope of his endeavors until to-day the house ranks as one of the leading industrial establishments of its type in the province of Quebec. Mr. Rutherford's first efforts were restricted to the business of contractor and lumber merchant: in 1880 the trading title became William Rutherford & Co., and in 1887, being joined by his sons, Messrs. Thomas J., William Rutherford Jr., and Andrew Rutherford, the present firm style was assumed. The spacious premises occupied (which, by the way, are about to be enlarged in the spring of 1894, in order to meet the demands of an increasing trade connection) cover a ground area of 338 x130 feet, with lumber yards on the canal bank, having dimensions of 800 x120 feet. The working plant consists of mills, drying kilns and storage sheds. The mills for sawing, planing and general wood working are abundantly supplied with the newest and best machinery in use, operated by a steam engine of one hundred horse power. The kilns have a holding capacity of 60,000 feet of lumber, and a force of from ninety to one hundred skilled workmen is employed in the various departments of the business. The range of manufacture embraces an extended range of wood work, including, as it does, sashes, doors and blinds, stair-work and turning, prepared lumber of all descriptions, packing cases and boxes, besides many specialties in hardwood finish and interior work peculiar to this house. These are produced in great quantity and variety....Noted for its enterprise, probity and business integrity, the firm of Messrs. William Rutherford and Sons possesses most deservedly the confidence of Montreal's leading commercial and financial circles in the highest degree."
The article also mentions that William Rutherford Sr. was a member and ex-president of the Mechanics' Institute of Montreal.
Dated 1894, it comes from a publication called Montreal Illustrated 1894, published by the Consolidated Illustrating Co. I find it a rather spartan building, especially for the time period. I'd love to know if it still stands.
I think this is text from the same publication.
It's not easy to read online, so I'll transcribe the significant parts.
"This is the house conducted by Messrs. Wm. Rutherford & Sons, manufacturers of sashes, blinds, stair-work, and general mill-work, and hardwood finish of every description, occupying the site, No. 85 to 95 Atwater avenue. This flourishing concern was originally established by the present head of the firm, Mr. William Rutherford, some forty years ago. His operations were primarily of a comparatively modest character: year after year, however, widening the scope of his endeavors until to-day the house ranks as one of the leading industrial establishments of its type in the province of Quebec. Mr. Rutherford's first efforts were restricted to the business of contractor and lumber merchant: in 1880 the trading title became William Rutherford & Co., and in 1887, being joined by his sons, Messrs. Thomas J., William Rutherford Jr., and Andrew Rutherford, the present firm style was assumed. The spacious premises occupied (which, by the way, are about to be enlarged in the spring of 1894, in order to meet the demands of an increasing trade connection) cover a ground area of 338 x130 feet, with lumber yards on the canal bank, having dimensions of 800 x120 feet. The working plant consists of mills, drying kilns and storage sheds. The mills for sawing, planing and general wood working are abundantly supplied with the newest and best machinery in use, operated by a steam engine of one hundred horse power. The kilns have a holding capacity of 60,000 feet of lumber, and a force of from ninety to one hundred skilled workmen is employed in the various departments of the business. The range of manufacture embraces an extended range of wood work, including, as it does, sashes, doors and blinds, stair-work and turning, prepared lumber of all descriptions, packing cases and boxes, besides many specialties in hardwood finish and interior work peculiar to this house. These are produced in great quantity and variety....Noted for its enterprise, probity and business integrity, the firm of Messrs. William Rutherford and Sons possesses most deservedly the confidence of Montreal's leading commercial and financial circles in the highest degree."
The article also mentions that William Rutherford Sr. was a member and ex-president of the Mechanics' Institute of Montreal.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Identifying the Rutherfords from the McCord Museum Collection
The McCord Museum of Montreal has a truly magnificent archival collection of photographs and images, and even better, they are searchable online! If you search on the name "Rutherford" you will find a number of images, some of them donated by a Mr. Andy Rutherford, and some of them purchased by the archives. The problem is, it's sometimes hard to identify which Rutherfords are "ours", especially when it comes to the women (who are usually unhelpfully identified as "Mrs. Rutherford" or "Miss Rutherford"). I'm going to try to identify the relatives I can, and hope someone else out there can identify the others.
Please note, the images below are all copyright images. If you would like to copy them, please see the McCord's copyright page. Reproductions can also be purchased through the McCord Museum.
First of all, let's remind ourselves of the Rutherfords in our immediate family line. William Rutherford Sr., born circa 1831, came to Montreal in 1852, married Elizabeth Jackson there in 1856, and had 12 children.
Thomas Jackson Rutherford, born 1858
Helen Paton Rutherford, born 1860 (married William MacEwan Dunlop of New York, 1893)
Margaret Brown (Maggie) Rutherford, born 1862 (married Thomas McIntosh of Toronto, 1892)
William Rutherford Jr., born 1864
Andrew Rutherford, born 1865
Arthur James and Edward (Land or Lamb?) Rutherford, twins, born 1868 (Arthur d. 1869 age 11 months)
Forest Rutherford, born 1871
Elizabeth Jackson (Bessie) Rutherford, born 1872, died 1895, age 23, unmarried
Anne Paton (Annie) Rutherford, born 1874
Stewart Rutherford, born circa 1876
Gordon Rutherford, born circa 1876 (twins)
William Rutherford Jr., the son we descend from, married Ida Bulmer in 1893 and had five children.
William Jackson Rutherford,
John Bulmer Rutherford, born 1897
Jean Rutherford
Andrew Scott Rutherford (probably donor of photographs)
Marjorie Rutherford
Image 1:
Image 3:
Please note, the images below are all copyright images. If you would like to copy them, please see the McCord's copyright page. Reproductions can also be purchased through the McCord Museum.
First of all, let's remind ourselves of the Rutherfords in our immediate family line. William Rutherford Sr., born circa 1831, came to Montreal in 1852, married Elizabeth Jackson there in 1856, and had 12 children.
Thomas Jackson Rutherford, born 1858
Helen Paton Rutherford, born 1860 (married William MacEwan Dunlop of New York, 1893)
Margaret Brown (Maggie) Rutherford, born 1862 (married Thomas McIntosh of Toronto, 1892)
William Rutherford Jr., born 1864
Andrew Rutherford, born 1865
Arthur James and Edward (Land or Lamb?) Rutherford, twins, born 1868 (Arthur d. 1869 age 11 months)
Forest Rutherford, born 1871
Elizabeth Jackson (Bessie) Rutherford, born 1872, died 1895, age 23, unmarried
Anne Paton (Annie) Rutherford, born 1874
Stewart Rutherford, born circa 1876
Gordon Rutherford, born circa 1876 (twins)
William Rutherford Jr., the son we descend from, married Ida Bulmer in 1893 and had five children.
William Jackson Rutherford,
John Bulmer Rutherford, born 1897
Jean Rutherford
Andrew Scott Rutherford (probably donor of photographs)
Marjorie Rutherford
Image 1:
This photograph is entitled William Rutherford, about 1850. It is a daguerreotype measuring 8 x 7 cm. and was a gift of Mr. Andy Rutherford, whom my mother-in-law believes would be her Uncle Andy (my brother-in-law Andrew is named after him). Our William Rutherford Senior, however, didn't arrive in Montreal until 1852. This image could have been taken in Scotland, or it could be dated slightly later than the McCord is estimating.
Image 2:
The McCord calls this Rutherford Group, About 1900. It is also a gift of Mr. Andy Rutherford. Handily, someone has annotated the faces in this collection.
The man on the far left, T.J. Rutherford, would be William Sr.'s oldest son Thomas Jackson Rutherford, born 1858, which would make him around 42 in 1900. To the right of him, on top is Forest Rutherford, the youngest son, born in 1871 (so around 30 years old at this time). The gentleman underneath him, S. F. Rutherford, is Stewart Rutherford, around 24 years old, and his twin Gordon is on the same level, to the right of William Sr. They look like identical twins to me, from what I can see here.
In the centre of the collection is the family patriarch, William Sr., who would be about 69 years old in 1900. I think I can see some resemblance with the 1850 image...or am I just imagining things?
To the right of William Sr. are Andrew Rutherford (on top), the family's second son, born 1865. Then, at the very left hand side, we have William Rutherford Jr., born 1864 (age 36), through which our family line descends.
Do you notice that there are no women in this picture? This grouping includes all the Rutherford men except for Arthur and Edward. We know Arthur died young, and I suspect Edward did too, as he does not show up on any census records. These are all very formal, posed shots. In fact, Forest, Gordon and S. F. look like they may be wearing commencement gowns. All in all, this is a handsome group of confident-looking men.
Image 3 is also a gift of Mr. Andy Rutherford. It is entitled James Rutherford, about 1855. If the dating is right, this was taken about 3 years after William immigrated to Canada. From the setting, it's hard to place this photograph in terms of country of origin. James is the name of William Rutherford's oldest brother, born in 1829, who as far as I know stayed in Scotland. If this is the same James, he would be around 26 years old in the photo (that looks about right to me). This might have been brought with William when he left home, or sent to him later from Scotland.
What I notice about this photograph is that was not taken in a photographer's studio, as most of these other pictures were. James seems to have been posing against a residential building, possibly his own home. The lone plant looks a little forlorn! I considered the possibility that the photograph may have been taken on a visit to William in Canada, but I think in that case they would have posed together, don't you?
Image 4:
This portrait, also part of the Andy Rutherford donation, is entitled Mrs. William Rutherford, about 1900. This would be Elizabeth (Jackson) Rutherford, and she would have been around 64 years old in 1900. I like how clearly you can see her face and expression. Although this is a formal portrait, I think a lot of her personality comes through.
Image 5:
Now this image is interesting. The final portrait in the Andy Rutherford donation, it is entitled Rutherford Family, About 1900. It is the largest portrait in the collection, measuring 25 by 32 centimetres. The fun is going to be in identifying everyone! Clearly the matriarch in the centre with the baby on her lap is Elizabeth (Jackson) Rutherford, wife of William Sr. Could this be a portrait of her with her grandchildren? Some of them seem to be young adults (especially the young lady directly behind Mrs. Rutherford). Although this is certainly a formal studio portrait, I like how Mrs. Rutherford is not only holding the youngest child on her lap but also holding the hand of the young boy next to her. I wonder if this was a gesture of affection, or a ploy to keep him from fidgeting? You'll notice that his brother (or cousin) beside him seems to have an arm around him, and his sister (or cousin) behind him has a hand on his shoulder. My suspicion is that this young man is being gently corralled.
Now we get to images which are more difficult to identify as being part of our line of Rutherfords. These photographs were all purchased by the McCord museum, so their provenance offers no clue as to family ties. They were taken by William Notman, a prominent Montreal portrait photographer who took pictures of a great many Montrealers during the course of his career. I'm thinking that these photographs may be proofs or duplicate copies, and that the originals may be in the hands of descendents.
Image 6:
This portrait is entitled Mr. Rutherford, Montreal, QC., 1882. It was taken February 11, 1882 by Notman and Sandham, and measures 10 x 15 centimetres. I don't think it could be William Sr., who would have been around 51 years old at this time. William Jr. would have been 18 years old, which doesn't seem right either. Could this have been one of William Sr.'s older sons? I'm looking at the Image 2 composite photograph and I can't decide.
Image 7:
This one is called W.H. Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1886. (Didn't Oscar Wilde write a story called "The Portrait of Mr. W.H."?)
Image 8:
Image 8 is another pose of the young Mr. W.H.Rutherford in 1886.
Image 9:
Image 9 is G.E. Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1868.
Image 10:
Again, G.E. Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1868. This looks like the same sitting.
Image 11:
Image 11 is called J.K. Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1880.
Image 12:
This one is called Robert Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1866.
Image 13:
George Rutherford,Montreal, QC, 1868. I have to say that George Rutherford looks a little gone to seed. Maybe it's the greasy hair and the eyebrows.
Image 14:
Image 14 is entitled Mrs. Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1863.
Image 15:
And image 15 is Mrs. Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1865. I'm pretty sure this is the same person. But which Mrs. Rutherford is she? Elizabeth (Jackson) Rutherford would have been 29 years old in 1865, which fits the age of the portrait sitter, I think. But is she the same woman as in images 4 and 5 (which are much later dates?), or is she an unconnected Mrs. Rutherford?
Image 16:
This is James Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1867. I don't have a clue who he could be.
Image 17:
Miss Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1868. Image 18 is of Miss Rutherford at the same sitting.
Image 18:
Image 19:
Master I. and Missie M. Rutherford, Montreal, QC, 1865. These two are real sweethearts--I hope they're some of "our" Rutherfords!
Image 20:
Image 20 might be impossible to identify, unless someone recognizes the horses or sleigh! It's entitled Mrs. Rutherford Horses and Sleigh, University Street, Montreal, QC, 1896. The title does not mention the man standing up at the back of the sleigh with the whip and the big fur coat, so perhaps he's a servant.
Image 21:
Image 21 is Mrs. Rutherford's Baby on a Horse, Montreal, QC, 1896. This shot is interesting. It's not taken in the studio but probably on family property. Who are the two men? The one holding the horse looks very butler-ish. The one holding the baby is dressed more casually. Are they both servants? Or is the man holding the baby the baby's father? It's funny that of all the elements (building, two men, horse, trees) the one hardest to see is the child who is the subject of the photo. Even though this is not a studio portrait, it and image 20 are still attributed to Notman.
There are several other images at the McCord archives relating to the Rutherford family, mostly landscapes from Scotland, which I will post separately. For now, I'd be happy to figure out more about these portraits. Do any Rutherford cousins/aunts/uncles have any similar portraits in their possession which would help in identifying these?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)