Rutherford

Rutherford

Clan Rutherford of that Ilk in Teviotdale and Edgerstoun, Scotland. Legend says that the origin of the name comes from a certain Ruther, who guided an ancient king of Scots over a ford in the River Tweed, giving him a victory against the Northumbrians. He was rewarded with a grant of land which became known as Rutherford which is near Maxton in Roxburghshire. The first to be documented was Robert de Ruthirfurde who witnessed a charter signed by King David I in 1140, and Sir Nichol de Ruthirfurde is mentioned in several charters between 1161 and 1272. Sir Richard de Ruthirfurde, "Dominus Ejusdem" witnessed a charter in 1390 in favour of William, steward of the lands of Minto. He was ambassador to England in 1398 and he and his sons were wardens of the marches. His heir Richard Rutherford’s daughter and heir married James Stewart of Traquair to whom the Rutherford lands passed. The clan were noted for their raids into Northumberland, Thomas Rutherford, the Black Laird of Edgerston, took the English Warden of the Marches, Sir John Forster, prisoner in the Battle of the Red Swire at Carterfell in July 1775. During the Civil War, Andrew Rutherford, Laird of Edgerston fought for Charles I and II in England, and was severely wounded at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650. He was created Earl of Teviot in1661 and appointed Governor of Tangier in 1663 and was killed by natives in 1664. Andrew Rutherford was Lord Advocate and MP for Leith from 1839 to 1851. Ernest, Lord Rutherford discovered the alpha particle and developed the nuclear theory of atomic structure.

Arms: Argent, an orle gules and in chief three martlets sable beaked of the second.

Crest: A martlet sable.

Motto: Nec sorte nec fato (Neither by chance nor fate).

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