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Richmond and able political writer. He was educated at
Princeton College, studied law, but practiced it for only a
short time. He was many years president of the Mutual
Assurance Society, the first insurance company in the State;
also first captain of the Richmond Fayette Artillery and rose
to the rank of colonel. He was a States rights man, supported
William H. Crawford in 1824, and Andrew Jackson in 1828
and 1832 as a choice of evils. When Jackson issued his
proclamation against South Carolina, Rutherfoord, like John
Tyler, Littleton Waller Tazewell and William F. Gordon,
joined the ranks of the Whigs, then forming of many elements
of opposition. In 1837 he, like Gordon and Calhoun, returned
to the ranks of the Democrats on the issue of the Independent
Treasury, which the Democrats now put forward to take the
place of the National Bank. From 1826 to 1839 he was a member
of the House of Delegates, and in the latter year became
a member of the Council of State. On March 31, 1841, as
Senior Councillor, he succeeded John M. Patton as Acting
Governor. After a year of service he retired to private life,
dying at Richmond August 3, 1866.

During his administration Governor Rutherfoord continued
with much ability the correspondence with Governor
Seward of New York regarding slave stealers, begun by Governor
Gilber. This correspondence was only another exposure
of the discordant nature of the Union.

The coming of Charles Dickens to the State was perhaps
the most notable event of his year of office. He stopped first
in Washington where he called upon President Tyler, whose
"whole carriage and demeanor" received from the critical
Englishman the favorable comment of "becoming his station
singularly well." He afterwards came to Richmond. Mr.
Ritchie, editor of the Richmond Enquirer, presided at a banquet
given to him in Richmond on the night of March 18, 1842.
Mr. Ritchie sat on his right hand and Governor Rutherfoord
sat on his left. There was great enthusiasm.