The Rutherfords of Hunthill — Generations

Patrilineal descent from Sir George Rutherford of Chatto to Captain James Rutherford of Utrecht

The progenitor of the Hunthill cadet was Sir George Rutherford of Chatto. Chatto and Hunthill are ancient estates quite near each other in Roxburghshire, Scotland. Hunthill is located very near Jedburgh just to the southeast of town and Chatto is located almost due east of Jedburgh near the Northumberland border. The family was later styled “of Hunthill” in the lifetime of Sir George’s son Robert.

Generation 1

1. Sir George Rutherford and Jonet Rutherfurd

(c.1380 – c.1428)

The progenitor of the Hunthill cadet was Sir George Rutherford of Chatto. Sir George was married to Janet Rutherfurd of Edgerston. He was the squire of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas.

Generation 2

2. Sir Robert Rutherford of Chatto and Margaret Glendonwyn

(c.1410 – 1490/5)

Margaret Glendonwyn, daughter of Sir Simon Glendonwyn, married Sir Robert Rutherford of Chatto (a 1484, d before 05.1495) who acquired the land in Roxburghshire that is called Hunthill through marriage. He had confirmation of his late father’s gift of Nether Chatto on 21 November 1429 from Archibald 4th Earl of Douglas, as “his dear esquire”, with a Crown confirmation on 25 March 1439. His wife, Margaret Glendonwyn, was the grand daughter of Sir Adam de Glendonwyn and Margaret de Wauchope.

Generation 3

3. George Rutherford I of Hunthill and Mariota

(c.1435 – 1495/6)

In September 1484, following the Battle of Kirtle, Windydoors (Bowland) was let to Robert and his son George (ER IX, 609); the tack was renewed in 1486, 1488 and 1490 (Ib IX, 619; X, 652, 680) but Robert probably died before 4 March 1491/2 when the lease was to George and Robert’s grandson William (Ibid X, 738). He certainly died by May 1495. By his wife Margaret daughter of Sir Simon Glendonwyn of that Ilk and his wife Elizabeth, d/o Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Earl of Crawford.

Glendonwyn: Glendonwyn family crest
Glendinning: Glendinning clan history

George Rutherford’s grandfather, Sir Simon Glendonwyn, was highly esteemed by King James II of Scotland. He married 1st before 3 Jan 1436–7 to kinswoman, Agnes Helborn or Hepborn, 2nd another kinswoman, Lady Elizabeth Lindsay daughter of Alexander, 2nd Earl of Crawford, 3rd Marjory Johnstone, survived him; Simon died in battle, 1 May 1455.

Generation 4

4. William Rutherford of Hunthill

(c.1455–?1507)

George Rutherford I of Hunthill’s son William was joint tenant of Windydoors in 1492 and had sasine of Nether Chatto and related properties in 1496 (ER X, 772). A letter of reversion in Thomas Rutherfurd of Edgerston’s favour by William Rutherford of Chatto over the lands of Castlewoodfields in the barony of Hownam, dated at Hunthill 11 July that year is among the Edgerston papers. No more is known of him except that he died before November 1507 when his son was served heir.

Generation 5

5. George Rutherford II of Hunthill and Elizabeth Turnbull

(c.1475 – 1522)

Incorrectly referred to as “John”, he was served heir to his father in Nether Chatto on 2 November 1507 (Rutherford charters in the Register House, Edinburgh; EdgCh). He was probably the George who attested a Peeblesshire charter of David Lindsay in January 1508/9.[4] David Lindsay was the nephew of Sir Simon Glendonwyn. David’s parents Alexander Lindsay — 7th Earl of Crawford and Isobel Campbell were the brother of Sir Simon Glendonwyn’s wife; Elizabeth Lindsay.

At Edinburgh on 18 May 1516 George Rutherford signed a bond of manrent to Alexander Lord Home, subscribed also by Thomas of Edgerston and John of Hundalee and witnessed by his brother Archibald (MS 12, App VIII, 92). Alexander Lord Home was the brother-in-law of Catherine Rutherford wife of Lord James Stewart of Traquair and a descendant, like the Rutherfords, of the Lauder family.

Generation 6

6. John Rutherford I of Hunthill

(c.1510–1577)

At the same time Philip Rutherford of Edgerston also married Isobel’s sister Elizabeth Ker at Cessford 12 February 1484 — Elizabeth died 1545.

An agreement was signed to end longstanding bad blood with the Kers at Ancrum on 6 June 1560, providing for the settlement of the murder of Andrew Ker of Corbethouse by John Rutherford and his friends; John’s second son William was to marry Haufie Ker or pay £500, and John Rutherford the younger of Hunthill had to beg pardon for the deed in church.

Generation 7

7. William Rutherford of Littleheuch and Haufie Ker

(c.1545 – c.1620)

William was the founder of the Littleheuch line of Capehope and Kirkraw. A Littleheuch is a small glen with steep sides.

William Rutherford of Littleheuch was also unknown to earlier Rutherford writers. The Scots peerage thought he was John II’s son, but the latter John’s son William was a contemporary of William of Littleheuch’s sons.

John I had a second son William who under the 1560 pact with the Kers was to marry Haufie Ker or pay a penalty, and this must be the Littleheuch William; no other identity for him is tenable, and virtual proof is a reference in 1588 to “the Lairde of Hunthill’s brother” as a night raider waylaying the Morpeth post in England, which suits Littleheuch’s behaviour.[5]

Generation 8

8. William Rutherford of Nether Nisbet

Brother of Richard Rutherford aka “Dickon, Draw the Sword”. Cousin german to the Earl of Huntly.

The Pistol Fight. The assumption is that the “pistol fight” which involved so many Rutherfords in 1601 was over land. William of Nether Nisbet was among the combatants who also included William and Thomas ‘the younger’ of Hunthill, Robert and Adam of Littleheuch, bailie of Jedburgh, Walter Rutherford of Chatto, Andrew Rutherford called “Philp’s Andro”, Nicol Rutherfurd of Edgerston and Robin Rutherfurd of Edgerston.

Generation 9

9. Captain James Rutherford

James Rutherford was an officer in the Dutch service. It was he who conveyed the invitation to his brother, Rev. Samuel Rutherford, to become a professor at Utrecht. James’ two sons who fought at the battle of Boyne received lands in Tyrone and Down counties, Ireland. By deduction, James was the father of Rev. Samuel Rutherford, the Presbyterian minister in Ireland.

A Scots brigade existed in Holland as early as the 1570’s. From that time generations of Scots crossed the North Sea to serve their Dutch friends and allies. Late in the 18th century the Dutch disbanded their Scots Brigade.

Capt. James Rutherford was a Scot who served in the Scots Brigade and was a resident of Utrecht, Grave, ’s-Hertogenbosch and Fort Crèvecoeur. It was he who conveyed the invitation to his brother, the Rev. Samuel Rutherford, to become a professor at Utrecht. The Dutch records show Jheemes Rutherford marrying Maragreta Gledstein. The Hunthill Rutherfords intermarried frequently with the Gledstaines (Gladstones). Jheemes Ridderfort of Scotland and Margariet Gleetseel had their banns published in ’s-Hertogenbosch and Woudrichem in the Province of Noord-Brabant on 22 October 1639 and they were married in the Fort Crèvecoeur near ’s-Hertogenbosch on 24 November 1639.[6]

The Hunthill or Chatto cadet spells its name Rutherfoord and/or Rutherford. There are many junior lines from this family: Longnewton, Bankend, Littleheuch, Capehope, Ladfield, Knowsouth and Kidheugh. Some are possibly of Hunthill origin but are unproven at present. The Rutherfords have many descendants in America from the Nisbet-Crailing area: the Wigton-Walkers, the descendants of Thomas Rutherford of Paxtang, Pennsylvania; the descendants of James Rutherford of Walker’s Creek, Virginia; the descendants of James Rutherford of Cub Creek, Virginia; and the descendants of General Griffith Rutherford.

Source: Gary Rutherford Harding

References

  1. Kenneth Rutherford Davis, The Rutherfords in Britain: A History and Guide, Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester, 1987, pages 88–89.
  2. William Anderson, The Scottish Nation; or The Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Biographical History of The People of Scotland, Fullarton & Co, London, 1871, vol. III, page 394.
  3. Edna Rutherford Davey, The Gathering of the Clans, Part I — “The Rutherford Story”, compiled 1955–1957, pages 5–7 and page 72.
  4. J. M. Thomson et al., eds., The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 11 vols. (1882–1914), 2:N.3315.
  5. Calendar of Letters and Papers Relating to the Borders of England and Scotland, 2 vols. (1894–95), 1:319.
  6. Dr. Ir. J. Maclean, De huwelijkintekeningen van Schotse militairen in Nederland, 1574–1665 (Zutphen: De Walburg Pers, 1976), 165, 320.

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