John Rutherfurd

John Rutherfurd ( born September 20, 1760 New York City; † February 23, 1840 in Rutherfurd, New Jersey) was an American politician who represented the state of New Jersey in the U.S. Senate.

Life

Origin

Rutherfurd came from an aristocratic family at that time, which had immigrated from England and Scotland in the United States. He was the son of Walter and Mary Rutherfurd and his mother, nephew of William Alexander, Lord Stirling. Rutherfurd also was related to Gilbert Elliot - Murray - Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto, who was from 1807 to 1813 Governor General in India. Another relative Rutherfurds was William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland, who was among others Britain's ambassador in Spain and the Netherlands.

Even American politicians were also among Rutherfurds distant relatives, including John Elliot, who was from 1786 to 1789 Governor of Newfoundland, and Arthur St. Clair, who was from 1799 to 1802 governor of the Northwest Territory.

Career

After attending Princeton University, where he obtained his degree in 1779, Rutherfurd studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1784. After about three years, where he had practiced as a lawyer in New York, Rutherfurd moved in 1787 to a farm in Allamuchy on the border between Sussex County and Warren County (New Jersey).

His first political appearance was Rutherfurd only a year later, when he was in 1788 one of those electors chose George Washington as the first President of the United States. Rutherfurd at that time was to pro- Administration Group, which later became the Federalist Party was formed.

1788 Rutherford was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, that the Electoral Office had just under a year until 1789 held. 1790 Rutherfurd ran successfully for the office of U.S. Senator and moved into the then still published daily in Philadelphia Congress on March 4, 1791. Although he was successfully re-elected in 1796, Rutherfurd put his mandate on December 5, 1798; his was succeeded by Franklin Davenport.

Late life

Rutherfurd retired after 1798 largely from politics. He was 1804 President of the Patent Office in the eastern Jersey, a post which he held until his death, 36 years later, clothed. In 1807 he took over the legal management of the Commissioners ' plan of 1811, which was to implement those characteristic map of New York City into action in 1811, outfitted with the visitors of the metropolis even today. He also invested in the construction of a canal that would connect the Delaware River to the Raritan and the Hudson River about 1816.

Another important project, in which Rutherfurd was involved, began in 1827 and should be in a six-year diplomatic process that was completed in 1833, fix the still existing borders between New Jersey and the neighboring states of New York and Pennsylvania.

Family and death

John Rutherfurd married at the age of 22 years, in 1782, Helen Morris, the daughter of Lewis Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. From the 58- year marriage eight children were born. One of them, the son of Robert Walter Rutherfurd served in the House of Representatives from New Jersey. Robert's son and grandson John Rutherfurs was the astronomer Lewis Morris Rutherfurd ( 1816-1892 ).

John Rutherfurd, until his death, the oldest living former member of the U.S. Senate was March 7, 1838 - his term ended 41 years ago - died at the age of 80 years. His grave is now located in Belleville (New Jersey).

Legacy

Those farm that manage the Rutherfurds, soon developed into a city that was originally baptized in honor of the U.S. politician Rutherfurd. However, from the U was developed in the common parlance soon as O. 1876 Rutherford B. Hayes was elected U.S. president, the city fathers of the city Rutherfurd took the opportunity to Rutherford to change the name of the city. Today the town has about 17,600 inhabitants.