Memorable Manitobans: Thomas Rutherford (1833-1912)

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Thomas Rutherford
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Lumberman.

Born in the Glenmorris district of Ontario on 1 October 1833, son of William and Mary Rutherford, he left school at the age of 14 and apprenticed as a carpenter and cabinet maker at Galt, Ontario. From 1853 to 1857, he followed his trade at Detroit, Michigan then returned to Ontario until 1872 when he came to Winnipeg with his business partner Alexander Brown.

They established a lumber and planing mill, initially called Pioneer Planing Mills, later Brown and Rutherford. They also built a saw mill at Fisher River, Lake Winnipeg, and operated it for a number of years. Rutherford built the first Knox Church in Winnipeg.

He was married to Susan Bertha Lillie (1846-1917) of Dundas, Ontario. They had three children: Mary Jane Rutherford (1869-1933), William Thomas Rutherford (1870-1933), and Frederick James Rutherford. He died at Winnipeg on 22 June 1912 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery. He is commemorated by Rutherford Street in Winnipeg.

See also:

MHS Centennial Business: Brown and Rutherford Company Limited

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

A History of Manitoba: Its Resources and People by Prof. George Bryce, Toronto: The Canadian History Company, 1906.

Death registrations [Thomas Rutherford, Susan Bertha Rutherford, William Thomas Rutherford], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Thomas Rutherford, Winnipeg pioneer, died on Saturday,” Manitoba Free Press, 24 June 1912, page 28.

“Thos. Rutherford has passed away,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 June 1912, page 11.

“Woman pioneer, resident here 61 years, dead,” Winnipeg Tribune, 25 April 1933, page 5.

Pioneers and Early Citizens of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Manitoba Library Association, 1971.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 March 2024

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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