Samuel Morton Rutherford (Arkansas politician)
{{ infobox officeholder
| office = Treasurer of Arkansas Territory
| term_start = November 12, 1833
| term_end = October 1, 1836
| predecessor = James Scull
| successor = William E. Woodruff (as State Treasurer)
| birth_date = {{birth date|1797|3|31}}
| birth_place = Virginia, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1867|4|1|1797|3|31}}
| death_place = Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S.
| relatives = Samuel Morton Rutherford (grandson)
}}
Samuel Morton Rutherford was an American politician who served as the Treasurer of Arkansas Territory from 1833 to 1836 and in the Arkansas General Assembly.
Biography
Samuel Morton Rutherford was born on March 31, 1797, in Virginia.{{sfn|Rand|1952|p=149}} When he was 12, his family moved to Tennessee.{{cite news |last1=Mullins |first1=Jonita |title=Three Rivers History: Rutherford descendants had major roles in Muskogee's history |url=https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/archives/three-rivers-history-rutherford-descendants-had-major-roles-in-muskogees-history/article_41d9ff0f-a7e9-5cee-84fa-43624af3d2a4.html |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=Muskogee Phoenix |date=January 12, 2014}} In 1814, he enlisted in the United States Army to serve during the War of 1812 and he fought in the Battle of New Orleans. He retired from the army in 1817 and moved to the mouth of the Verdigris River.{{sfn|Rand|1952|p=149}}
In 1819, he moved to Arkansas Territory. He served as the Treasurer of Arkansas Territory, as registrar of the land office, Superintendent of Indian Affairs West of the Mississippi River, Fort Smith Judge, and as a trustee for the University of Arkansas. He was the first representative elected from Sebastian County, Arkansas to the Arkansas General Assembly.{{sfn|Rand|1952|p=149}} In 1859, he was a member of the commission who organized Seminole removal. He died in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on April 1, 1867.{{cite news |last1=Lemke |first1=Walter J. |title=Arkansas History Dailies: March 30 |url=https://ar-digital.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/manuscripts/id/1508/ |access-date=19 October 2024 |via=Arkansas State Archives}} His grandson, also named Samuel Morton Rutherford, was active in politics in Indian Territory and Oklahoma.
References
{{Reflist}}
Works Cited
- {{cite journal |last1=Rand |first1=Jerry |title=Samuel Morton Rutherford |journal=Chronicles of Oklahoma |date=Summer 1952 |volume=30 |issue=2 |pages=149-159 |url=https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2123455/m2/1/high_res_d/1952-v30-n02_a02.pdf |access-date=19 October 2024}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rutherford, Samuel}}
Category:Arkansas circuit court judges
Category:State treasurers of Arkansas
Category:United States Army personnel of the War of 1812
Category:University of Arkansas System trustees
Category:19th-century members of the Arkansas General Assembly