Col. Henry Holcolm RUTHERFORD

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1920, Living in Minneapolis, Hennepin Co., Minnesota
• Census: 1940, Living in Washington D.C.

Notes:

Name:
Henry Holcomb Rutherford was born in the Marion community of Sebastian County, Arkansas to Louisa E. McAlester (McAllister) and James William Rutherford.

Henry attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, along with several of his McAlester cousins, including the sons of his uncle, James Jackson McAlester. He received his undergraduate degree at the University and then entered the medical school.

After graduating medical school in 1898, Henry Holcomb Rutherford was called to duty with the 2nd Missouri Volunteer Infantry for service during the Spanish American War. While serving with his unit in Georgia, he returned to Columbia and was married on January 10, 1899 to Ruby Lee Bowling, granddaughter of Brightberry McAlester, a distant cousin. They had one child, Dorothy.

Henry served in both the War with Spain and the Phillippines Insurrection. He began his regular army service in 1901. By 1904 he was stationed at Fort MacKenzie, Wyoming. By 1906, he was stationed at the Presidio where on April 18, he was awakened by The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. He was involved in organizing medical relief efforts and personally attended the wounded. In 1936, he wrote about his experience in a published book, The Military Surgeon."

Henry and Dorothy eventually divorced. August 4, 1913, Henry married Grace Tuttle Rutherford in Brooklyn, New York.

Henry had the distinction of serving under two General McArthurs, 1899 to General Arthur McArthur in Manila, and 30 years later to his general's son, General Douglas McArthur.

In 1920, Henry was listed in the Military Census at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. His last tour of duty was at the War Department in Washington DC where he retired as a colonel in 1938. After retirement, he continued to live in Washington, DC working for the firm of Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Beane. Henry is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia. He wife, Grace, is buried next to him.

Source: "History and Genealogy of Hendrick, Buckner, and Related Families," 2004 by Jerry Hendricks, great-nephew of Henry Holcomb McAlester, and his wife Wincie.



Gravesite Details
COL USA MED CORPS

Henry married Grace LITTLE on 5 Aug 1912 in Manhattan, New York. Grace (daughter of Elisha W. LITTLE and Isabelle SMITH) was born in Aug 1877 in New York; died on 14 Mar 1959; was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington Co., Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]