Biography:

Dr. Reginald White Rutherford was born in Chatham, Ontario on the 21st of September, 1880.  Dr. Rutherford was the youngest of 2 sons, born to Dr. James Page Rutherford and the former Mary Ann Dunlop.  Dr. Rutherford had an older brother named James Warren Rutherford who was born on the 22nd of August, 1875.  From his father’s first marriage to the former Jeannie “Jennie” Dunlop, he had an older sister named Bertha Ann Rutherford, who died from scarlet fever on the 4th of May, 1874 at the age of 3.  (Her mother had died on the 23rd of February, 1871 from complications of the birth of Bertha Ann).  Dr. Rutherford’s mother was a sister to Jennie (Dunlop) Rutherford.

The Rutherford family lived in a large mansion located at 243 Wellington Street in Chatham.

Dr. Reginald White Rutherford received his early schooling in Chatham.  He attended Chatham Collegiate Institute before attending The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. He graduated M.B. from the Faculty of Medicine in 1902. He was a member of the Nu Sigma Nu Medical Fraternity.   According to the 1928 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. Rutherford joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 2nd of July, 1903.  After completing medical school, Dr. Rutherford received specialized training in Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat and started a practice in Chatham.  An article appeared in the May 5th, 1904 edition of the Chatham Daily Planet announcing that Dr. Rutherford had joined his father and his brother in their medical practice.

On the 5th of March, 1918 Dr. Rutherford was married to Caroline Millicent Newcomb in Detroit, Michigan.  At the time of her marriage, Mrs. Rutherford was a stenographer.  Mrs. Rutherford was born in Blenheim, Ontario on the 14th of October, 1896.  She was the youngest of 4 children born to Moses Newcomb and the former Sarah Collar.  Her father was a sawyer and her siblings were; William Henry Newcomb, Chloe May Newcomb and Lavina Myrtle Newcomb.

After their marriage, Dr. and Mrs. Rutherford lived in Detroit, while Dr. Rutherford, completed some medical courses.  After completing his courses, Dr. and Mrs. Rutherford returned to Chatham.  Dr. Rutherford’s medical practice was listed at 102 Wellington Street in the Vernon City of Chatham Business Directory in the years 1920 through 1924. Their daughter Mildred Rutherford, was born and died on the 6th of December, 1923 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham.  She was buried at Maple Leaf Cemetery (Chatham).

Dr. Rutherford died in Chatham on the 14th of January, 1925 at the age of 44 years. He was chatting with the owner of the Tecumseh Oil and Gasoline Station at the corner of Wellington and Centre Street in Chatham, when he had a heart attack and collapsed.  He was buried in the Mausoleum at Maple Leaf Cemetery.

After his death, his son Reginald White Rutherford Jr. was born on the 17th of June, 1925.

Mrs. Rutherford married Warren Ayres Rockwell Jr. on the 29th of June, 1929.  They were married at the home of Mrs. Rutherford, 102 Wellington Street (Chatham).  At the time of their marriage he was a salesman living in Chatham.  Her brother-in-law, Dr. James Warren Rutherford, did the honours of giving her away.  Mr. Rockwell was born on the 18th of February,1903 the 3rd of 4 children born to Warren Ayres Rockwell and the former Adda Beatrice Caldwell.  His family immigrated to Harriman, Tennessee when he was a young child.

Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell had 2 children.  Their son Warren Ayres Rockwell III was born in Chatham on the 19th of August, 1930 and a daughter, Carolyn “Beatrice” Rockwell was born in Chatham on the 18th of December, 1931.  Mr. Rockwell died on the 24th of July, 1957.  Mrs. (Rutherford) Rockwell died in Ventura, California on the 1st of June, 1983, while visiting her daughter, Beatrice (nee Rockwell) Thurner.  Mrs. Rutherford-Rockwell lived in Toronto at the time of her death and she was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery (Plot Q, Lot 172) in Toronto, next to her 2nd husband Warren Ayres Rockwell.

Note: Reginald White Rutherford Jr. also became a physician, specializing in cardiology. He practiced medicine in Toronto. He married Eleanor Hanna Dickson of Toronto and they had 5 children….the eldest one was named Reginald.

*Dr. Rutherford’s father Dr. James Page Rutherford and his brother Dr. James Warren Rutherford also appear on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.