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Rutherfurd Family Papers

Call Number

MS 532

Date

1721-1879, inclusive

Creator

Extent

8.6 Linear feet

Language of Materials

The documents in the collection are in English.

Abstract

The Rutherfurd Family Papers is one of four discrete but closely related collections, known together as the Alexander-Stuyvesant-Rutherfurd Collections. The Rutherfurd Family Papers contain material created by or pertaining to members of the Rutherfurd and Alexander families of New York City and New Jersey, and the Reid family of New York City and Great Britain. The collection is arranged into series for each of the members of the respective families represented in the collection. The principal subseries within each of these series are: Correspondence; Legal Papers; Accounts, Bills, Receipts; and Surveys.

Biographical / Historical note

Timeline for Alexander, Stuyvesant and Rutherfurd Collections

1691 James Alexander born in Scotland, May 27
1693 Mary Spratt born in New York, April 17
1711 Mary Spratt marries Samuel Provoost, October 15
1715 James Alexander arrives in New York
[1719] Samuel Provoost dies
1721 Mary Spratt Provoost marries James Alexander, June 5
1721 Mary Alexander II born
1722 Susanna Alexander born
1726 William Alexander born
1729 Catherine Alexander born
[17--] Elizabeth Alexander born
[17--] Walter Rutherfurd born in [Edgerston, Roxburghshire] Scotland
1739 Mary Alexander II marries Peter Van Brugh Livingston
1748 William Alexander marries Sarah Livingston
[17--] Elizabeth Alexander marries John Stevens
1756 James Alexander dies
1756 Walter Rutherfurd arrives in America. Serves in the Royal American Regiment
1758 Catherine Alexander marries Walter Rutherfurd
1760 Mary Alexander dies, April 18
1760 John Rutherfurd born September 20
1767 Mary Alexander Livingston dies
1782 John Rutherfurd marries Helena Morris October 30. Walter Rutherfurd presents John Rutherfurd with Tranquillity [sic] Estate in Allamuchy, Warren County, New Jersey
1783 William Alexander dies, January 15
1788 Robert Walter Rutherfurd born in May
1800 Elizabeth Alexander Stevens dies
1801 Catherine Alexander Rutherfurd dies
1804 Walter Rutherfurd dies January 10
1807 Gen. John Reid dies February 6, at the age of 86
1808 John Rutherfurd moves to Edgerston on the Passaic River
1809 Robert Walter Rutherfurd marries Sabina Morris
1809 Helena Rutherfurd marries Peter Gerard Stuyvesant
1816 Lewis Morris Rutherfurd born November 25 to Robert Walter Rutherfurd and Sabina Morris Rutherfurd
1841 Lewis Morris Rutherfurd marries Margaret Chanler July 22
1842 Stuyvesant Rutherfurd born to Lewis Morris Rutherfurd and Margaret Chanler Rutherfurd
1847 Peter Gerard Stuyvesant dies August 16
[1847] In accordance with a provision of Peter Gerard Stuyvesant's will, Stuyvesant Rutherfurd changes his name to Rutherfurd Stuyvesant
1854 Margaret Rutherfurd born
1859 Louisa Morris Rutherfurd born March 31
[1860] Lewis Morris Rutherfurd Jr. born
1862 Winthrop Rutherfurd born
1863 Rutherfurd Stuyvesant marries Mary Pierrepont
1870 Robert Walter Rutherfurd dies
1873 Helena Rutherfurd Stuyvesant dies
1879 Mary Pierrepont Stuyvesant dies
1879 Margaret Rutherfurd marries Henry White, December 3
1892 Louisa M. Rutherfurd dies
1902 Rutherfurd Stuyvesant marries Countess Matilde E. de Wassanaer (nee Matilde Lowenguth), June 16
1903 Lewis Rutherfurd Stuyvesant born
1906 Alain Stuyvesant born
1907 Stuyvesant Rutherfurd dies July 4
1916 Margaret Rutherfurd White dies
1925 Lewis Rutherfurd Stuyvesant marries Rosalie Pillot
1927 Henry White dies at the age of 77
[19--] Lewis Morris Rutherfurd Jr. dies
1944 Winthrop Rutherfurd dies
1944 Lewis Rutherfurd Stuyvesant dies, September 7
1948 Matilde Lowenguth Stuyvesant (in 1948, Princess Alexandre de Caraman Chimay) dies, July 10
1954 Alain Stuyvesant dies, Februrary 9

Historical Resources:

Dictionary of American Biography. James Alexander, William Alexander, Lewis Morris Rutherfurd

American National Biography. James Alexander, Mary Alexander, William Alexander, Lewis Morris Rutherfurd, Henry White

Dictionary of National Biography. John Reid

Rutherfurd, Livingston. Family Records and Events. New York : De Vinne Press, 1894.

Valentine, Alan Chester. Lord Stirling. New York : Oxford University Press, 1969.

Arrangement

The Rutherfurd Family Papers are organized into the following twelve series:

Missing Title

  1. Series 1: John Rutherfurd
  2. Series 2: Walter Rutherfurd
  3. Series 3: Mary Rutherfurd/Estate of John Rutherfurd
  4. Series 4: James Alexander
  5. Series 5: William Alexander
  6. Series 6: John Reid
  7. Series 7: Susannah Reid Robertson
  8. Series 8: John Stark Robertson
  9. Series 9: Rutherfurd Family
  10. Series 10: Other Persons
  11. Series 11: Court Papers
  12. Series 12: New Jersey Proprietors

Scope and Content note

Scope and Content for the Alexander - Stuyvesant - Rutherfurd Collections

The Rutherfurd Family Papers is one of four discrete but closely related collections. The largest and the smallest of the four collections, the Alexander Papers and the John Rutherfurd Papers, were originally a single donation, made in the late 19th Century. The remaining two collections, the Rutherfurd Family Papers and the Stuyvesant-Rutherfurd Papers, were donated separately in the 1970's.

Together, these collections chronicle seven generations of an extended family in New York and New Jersey over the course of two centuries. The founders of the family were James and Mary Alexander, who married in 1721. James Alexander had a merchant business, but was primarily active as an attorney and government official in New York and New Jersey. Most of the material in the Alexander Papers derives from James Alexander's legal practice in both colonies, and from his tenures as Surveyor General of New Jersey, and Attorney General of New York. Other material in the Alexander Papers documents Mary Alexander's merchant business in New York, and the business activities and pre-Revolutionary military service of their son, William Alexander (Lord Stirling).

While the daughters of James and Mary Alexander are underrepresented in these collections,their husbands are represented to a greater or lesser extent in each of the collections described below. The Alexanders' four daughters married men who were or would become leading figures in New York and New Jersey. Mary married Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Susanna married John Reid, and Elizabeth married John Stevens. Catherine Alexander married Walter Rutherfurd.

The marriage of Catherine and Walter Rutherfurd also produced a son, John Rutherfurd, who evidently inherited the bulk of his father's and grandfather's papers. In 1847, Stuyvesant Rutherfurd (a grandson John Rutherfurd and nephew of Peter Gerard Stuyvesant), changed his name to Rutherfurd Stuyvesant in accordance with a provision of Peter Gerard Stuyvesant's will. Rutherfurd Stuyvesant evidently inherited at least some of the papers of his uncle. The Rutherfurd collections contain material created by or pertaining to the Alexander family, and the Stuyvesant-Rutherfurd Papers contain material created by or pertaining to the Alexanders and the Stuyvesants.

The material the Rutherfurd collections relates primarily to the landholdings and business undertakings of a wealthy and socially prominent family. The Stuyvesant-Rutherfurd Papers documents the activities of later generations of that family. By the mid-nineteenth century, the family had become more occupied in strictly leisure activities.

Various descendants of John Rutherfurd donated the collections described in these finding aids to the New-York Historical Society, and the collections extensively document the business dealings, professional activities, and family relationships of the Alexanders during the 18th Century, and the Rutherfurds from the 18th until the early 20th centuries.

For finding aids to the other three collections, click on the following links:

The Alexander Papers, 1668-1818 (bulk 1717-1786)

The John Rutherfurd Papers, 1726-1835 (bulk 1775-1835)

The Stuvesant-Rutherfurd Papers, 1647-1917 (bulk 1840-1917)

Scope and Content for the Rutherfurd Family Papers

This collection contains material created by or pertaining to members of the Rutherfurd and Alexander families of New York City and New Jersey, and the Reid family of New York City and Great Britain. The inclusive dates of the collection are 1721-1879. The bulk dates are 1765-1840. The Alexander, Rutherfurd, and Reid families were related by marriage. Walter Rutherfurd was married to James Alexander's daughter Catherine, and John Reid was married to James Alexander's daughter Susanna.

The Rutherfurd family is represented primarily by Walter Rutherfurd (1724-1804), and by his son, John Rutherfurd (1760-1840). Most of the material relating to the Alexander family pertains to or was created by James Alexander (1691-1754). The Reid family is represented by General John Reid (1722-1807), by his daughter, Susanna Reid Robertson, and Susanna's husband, Dr. John Stark Robertson.

The collection is arranged into series for each of the members of the respective families represented in the collection. The principal subseries within each of these series are: Correspondence; Legal Papers; Accounts, Bills, Receipts; and Surveys. Other material is contained in subseries specific to given persons as needed.

The Correspondence subseries for each family member contains those letters received by that person, as well as any letters written by that person to unidentified recipients. Legal Papers consists of deeds, contracts, agreements, or any legally binding document. Accounts, Bills, Receipts is self-explanatory. Surveys includes surveys of tracts, and field books associated with the production of surveys. All subseries are arranged chronologically.

The other principal series in the arrangement is entitled Other Persons. This series contains material pertaining to persons other than members of the Alexander, Rutherfurd, or Reid families. Letters received by the persons in this series are in folders titled [Addressee] - Letters Received. This includes letters to the addressee from members of the Alexander, Rutherfurd, or Reid families. Other formats in the Other Persons series, such as Legal Papers; Accounts, Bills, Receipts; and Surveys are not sorted by the names of individual persons, and are arranged together chronologically.

The remaining series in the collection consist of small amounts of material having to do with specific institutions or geographical locations. Which family members (if any) these items pertain to, is not clear. Consult the container list for the names of the other series in the collection.

Much of the material has to do with the families' land holdings. Most of the post-Revolution items relating to Gen. John Reid concern his efforts to retain ownership of his American properties, which were under the threat of confiscation because of his service in the British Army during the Revolution. (Reid had been stationed on the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel.) Members of the families owned some tracts as individuals, and some were owned jointly, sometimes with persons outside the families. In addition to discrete tracts of land, members of all three families held shares in the Propriety of the Eastern Division of New Jersey, and in the Second Nine Partners tract in colony/state New York.

The collection supports research examining the business affairs of the propertied class in the late colonial and early republic periods, and relations within families whose members assumed opposing sides in the Revolution. There is very little material in the collection concerning specific political or military matters associated with the Revolution.

Access Restrictions

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Use Restrictions

Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.

Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.

Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions

Preferred Citation note

This collection should be cited as the Rutherfurd Family Papers, MS 532, The New-York Historical Society.

Location of Materials

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Provenance

Donation of John Rutherfurd Jr., 1978

Related Materials at the New-York Historical Society

The Alexander Papers, 1668-1818 (bulk 1717-1786)

The John Rutherfurd Papers, 1726-1835 (bulk 1775-1835)

The Stuvesant-Rutherfurd Papers, 1647-1917 (bulk 1840-1917)

Account Books Relating to the Equivalent Lands (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander)

Alexander, James - Journal 1718 - 1769 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander, James)

Alexander, James - Records and Accounts Relating to his Services in Behalf of the Children of Governors Burnet and Hunter, 1718-1745 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander, James)

Alexander, James - Register of Cases, New York Supreme Court, 1721-1742 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander, James)

Alexander, William - Ledger, 1766-1775 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander)

Alexander, William - Account Books, 1756-1758, 1763-1777 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander)

Alexander, William - Battoeman's Book, 1756 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander, William - Battoeman)

Alexander, William - Papers Relating to the Disposition of Lord Stirling's lands in Nova Scotia, 1831-1838, plus Copies of Earlier Papers (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander)

Alexander - Livingston - Moore Account Book, ca. 1774-1785 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander-Livingston-Moore)

William Alexander Papers - Selected Papers in two folio volumes, 1767-1782 (BobCat call phrase: BV Alexander, William)

Collection processed by

Richard Fraser

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-28 14:56:32 -0400.
Language: Finding Aid is written in English.

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024