Annie Rutherford's Will

Royal F Rutherford was the youngest of twelve or thirteen children of James Griffith Rutherford and Annie Verrell Rutherford whose maiden name was Rollins. Their children were as follows:

Sarah – Married HO Blanchat who was a chiropractor. Sarah also studied under Palmer and became a chiropractor.

Mary also known as Maide married H. Retherford they worked in and then owned several hardware stores. Their last store was in Montrose, Colorado. Starting in 1945 Royal worked at their store in Montrose. He was trying to get out of teaching. I don’t think he got along with his brother-in-law. After about a year he quit and took the job as High School Principle in Montrose. The Retherfords were the adoptive parents of Linda & Terri Retherford.

Lydia – married a Yokum. In southeast Colorado the Yokums & Rutherfords were close families.

Almon also know as Almond Conover – Married Featon and lived in Lincoln, Nebraska

Rollins also known as Turk. Acquired land during the dust bowl and died a very rich man.

Forest also know as Deet – Married had several children. One story I recall about Deet was he was working at a line shack or some place a way’s out in the country and a couple of the brothers went up to see him. As they went into the building under the table was a rattlesnake. Deet went and got a pitchfork and picked the snake up and threw it out the front door. He said to the snake, "Now stay out, if you come in here again I will have to kill ya."

Thomas (electrocuted himself accidentally in late teens or early twenties. He stood on a wooden fence and touched an electrical wire. He was trying to show that if he was not grounded the electricity would not go through his body. Sadly he touched a nail or wire on the fence and the electricity did go through his body). Royal’s first son Thomas William was named after Royal’s brother Tom and Martha’s father William Moore.

James also known as Bill – Had two wives with the first he had 5 boys and 1 girl. The second Opal still lives on the family farm. The oldest boy is about the same age as Royal's son Tom.

Royal - Married Martha Bell Moore and had 2 daughters (Marjorie & Mary) and 2 sons (Thomas & Richard).

Royal used to tell a story about one of his brothers who was bragging about how much he ate. He said, "I et six eggs." One of the sisters corrected him, "You mean ate, not et, ate." He looked around with a frown on his face and said, "Maybe it was eight I et."

I will have to work on this list. I am not sure how to come up with the three or four missing kids.


LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
OF
ANNIE V. RUTHERFORD.
************************
I, ANNIE V. RUTHERFORD, of Vilas, County of Baca and State of COLORADO, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, and mindful of the uncertainty of human like, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any and all wills by me at any time heretofore made.

FIRST: It is my will and I direct that all of my just debts and funeral expenses be first paid.

SECOND: I will and bequeath to my beloved Children, viz:
LYDIA R.YOKUM,
ALMON R. RUTHERFORD,
SARAH W. BLANCHAT,
ROLLINS R. RUTHERFORD,
FOREST W. RUTHERFORD,
MARY H. RUTHERFORD,
ROYAL F. RUTHERFORD,
the sum of Ten Dollars ($10.00) each.

THIRD: All the rest, residue and remainder, of my estate, real and personal, and whatsoever and wheresoever situate, I will, devise and bequeath to my beloved son, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD, to have and hold as his own, absolutely, and I make this devise and bequest in appreciation of, and in partial return for the faithful and unselfish service he has rendered me, and the loving care he has bestowed upon me.

FOURTH: I nominate and appoint my said son, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD, executor of this my last will and testament and exonerate him from giving any bond whatsoever.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF: I have set my hand and seal this 12th day of January, A.D. 1944.
ANNIE V.RUTHERFORD (SEAL)

On this the 12th day of January, A.D. 1944, the above and foregoing instrument in writing was in our present signed, sealed, published and declared by ANNIE V. RUTHERFORD, to be her Last Will and Testament, and we, at her request, and in her presence and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as attending witnesses thereto.

Roy P. Mathews
of Springfield, Colorado

Earl Huges
of 415 Colorado Ave., Pueblo, Colo.