Andrew Rutherford (* say 1725) and Mary Davis (* 1732-10-22) were my 6th-great grandparents, being the parents of Tristram Rutherford. They married 1751-11-28 in Brimfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts^ref, and had at least six children.

Origins

Andrew’s parents do not seem to be known. There are claims about them, but they don’t appear to be supported by evidence.

Mary is recorded born in Brimfield, the daughter of Trustrum and Mary Davis.^ref Trustrum was a Revolutionary officer and a prominent early settler of Brimfield. I can find no credible information on this couple’s origins, although the marriage of an older Trustrum Davis to Sarah Archer is Scituate, Massachusetts in 1695^ref is suggestive.

Lives

The earliest record of the couple is the marriage record, and the latest are the births of their first three children. I hope to do more thorough searches of other records, but what I have done so far turned up nothing.

Neither Andrew or Mary have been found in any Federal census, while their children start appearing in Vermont in 1790. There are heads of household Andrew Rutherford^ref and Thomas Rutherford in 1790 in Monkton. Andrew may be our subject, but is more likely to be a son of the same name.

It is a reasonable guess that both parents had died before 1800, where ages ranges are provided, and no Rutherfords are shown old enough to be Andrew or Mary. But absence of proof is not proof of absence.

Family

Andrew and Mary had six known children, the first three born in Palmer, MA, the rest born probably elsewhere:

• John Best or Burt^ref (* 1752-11-20). I can find no further record. Some provide a death date of 1803-11-07 for him, but that seems to be confusion with his brother.
• Eleanor (* 1754-04-04). Fate unknown.
• Thomas (1755-09-25 – 1812-01-11). He appears to have been married to both an Esther and a Rachel (née Tracy?), who is recorded as mother to his children born from 1795 on. Esther may have been the woman who died in 1793 aged 22.^ref Thomas’s death record refers to his wife as Esther, however, which is puzzling.^ref
• William (* maybe c.1757), probably. He is listed in the 1800 census of Middlebury, VT, and a William in the 1810 census may be him, but would be recorded as younger than expected, so it may be a son or other relative.
• Tristram (* 1758), my 5th-great-grandfather.
• Andrew (* 1760), married Electa Smith on 1788-01-24 in Monkton, VT.^ref No birth record has been found, but he is supposed to be of this family due to the name and common locations. An 1802-11-30 land sale in Bristol, VT may be from him.

Further research

I intend to search more land records to look for clarification of this poorly documented family.