Charles Hays Rutherford was an American lawyer and politician from Arizona who served in the Arizona State Senate from 1917 through 1918, during the 3rd Arizona State Legislature.[1] He also served during the 6th Arizona State Legislature. He served in the Army Reserve, first in the JAG corps, then in the Specialist Reserve Corps, eventually attaining the rank of Colonel. From 1930 until his death in 1950 he served as a civilian aide to the Secretary of War. He practiced law, first in Indiana early in his career, and then in Arizona, until he was disbarred by the Arizona Supreme Court in 1949.

Charles Hays Rutherford
Rutherford, ca. 1924
Member of the Arizona Senate
from the Yavapai County district
In office
January 1917 – December 1918
Preceded byMorris Goldwater
Frances Munds
Succeeded byA. A. Johns
C. P. Hicks
Personal details
Born1884
New Hampshire
DiedNovember 27, 1950
Phoenix, Arizona
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseErie Dykes
Alma materMarion Normal School
ProfessionPolitician

Early life

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Rutherford was born in New Hampshire in 1884, and attended the seminary in Montpelier, Vermont.[2][3][4] Rutherford was a graduate of the Marion Normal School in Marion, Indiana.[5] He opened a law practice with George W. Wells in Seymour, Indiana in 1904.[6] The law practice did not last long and was dissolved later that year.[7] In 1905 Rutherford was appointed as deputy prosecutor in Seymour.[8]

He relocated to Prescott, Arizona in 1906, where he set up a law practice.[5] Later in 1906 he had moved to Jerome, where he was appointed city attorney, a position he held for the next fifteen years. He was a large shareholder of and served as a director on the board of the Lloyd Consolidated Copper Company, which had extensive workings near Camp Verde. In 1907 a new townsite was set up near their mining operations, including a post office, and was named Rutherford, Arizona, after him.[3][9][10] He was married to Erie Dykes on November 8, 1909, in King County, Washington.

Political career

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In 1911 he ran for the Democrat's nomination for one of the two state senate seats from Yavapai County.[11] He lost in the Democrat's primary to H. R. Wood and M. G. Cunniff.[12] In 1913, Rutherford was appointed the Navajo County attorney.[13] In 1914 Rutherford once again ran for the State Senate.[14] It was a crowded race, with seven candidates running for the two senate seats. Rutherford came in fourth, behind winners Morris Goldwater and Frances Munds, as well F. A. Reid.[15] In 1916, he ran for the State Senate for a third time. This time he won the Democrat nomination for one of the two senate seats, coming in high man in the primary over Morris Goldwater and Nathan Shutz.[16] In the general election, Rutherford won, however Goldwater was defeated by Republican N. H. Getchell.[17]

In July 1922, Rutherford announced he would be running for the State Senate for the fourth time.[18] He, along with fellow Democrat, Howard Cornick, won the primary in September, and then went on to win the general election in November.[19][20] He ran for re-election in 1924, with A. H. Favour, since Cornick did not choose to run again.[21] In the general election Republican Wayne Thornburg led all vote getters, while Favour edged out Rutherford by 200 votes.[22] In 1926 Rutherford announced his intention to seek the Democrat's nomination for the U. S. Senate. He was running to oppose the favorite, Carl Hayden, Arizona's representative in Congress since statehood, who had declared his intention to run for the Senate. Hayden was in favor of the Colorado River Compact, which Rutherford opposed.[2][23] Rutherford was defeated by Hayden in the primary by a landslide margin.[24] In 1928 Rutherford ran against Arizona's other senator, Henry F. Ashurst in the Democrat's primary.[25] Ashurst defeated him by a 3-1 margin in the primary, 32,698 to 9,547.[26]

In 1934 he again ran for the Democrat's nomination for U.S. Senate against incumbent Ashurst.[3] In addition to Ashurst, there were three other candidates. Rutherford finished a distant fifth in the field of five.[27] In 1944 he ran for mayor of Phoenix,[28] however he and his entire ticket were defeated by incumbent mayor, J. R. Fleming and his ticket.[29]

Life outside politics

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Rutherford, ca. 1926

In 1912 Rutherford invented a device to replace women's hatpins. It was a band which went inside the hat and had a small hook which kept the hat attached to the woman's hair.[30] He came up with the idea after reading an article about a man who lost an eye while traveling on a streetcar and getting poked with a woman's hat pin. He incorporated the National Hat Fastener Co., with its headquarters in Phoenix, and contracted with a factory in Leominster, Massachusetts to manufacture the device.[31][32] In 1918 Rutherford was one of the national spokesmen for the government's liberty bond drive, to support the U. S. war effort during World War I.[33] He traveled the country aboard the "trophy train", giving speeches in support of buying the bonds.[34] In 1921 he was elected president of the Yavapai County Bar Association.[35] He had also served as a vice-president in the American Bar Association.[2]

Rutherford was a major in the United States Army Reserve, as a member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG).[36] In 1924 he organized, and was selected as the first president, of the Arizona chapter of US Reserve Officers Association.[37] In 1925 Rutherford moved to Phoenix, and opened a law office there the following year.[38][39] In 1929 Rutherford was promoted to colonel in the Specialist Reserve Corps, and was attached to the War Department in Washington, D. C.[40]

In 1930 he was appointed as Arizona's civilian aide to the Secretary of War.[41] One of his major responsibilities was overseeing the military training of civilians at Camp Stephen D. Little near Nogales.[42] In 1933 the training was moved to Camp Huachuca.[43] He was re-appointed in 1934,[44] and was re-appointed every four years through 1950.[45]

In 1938 he invented and patented a method for saving fruit from heavy frost, which became extensively used.[46][47] In 1940 he was added to the 1940-41 edition of Who's Who In America.[47] In June 1940 he was appointed to head the civil aeronautics training program in Arizona.[48] In February 1949, Rutherford was disbarred by the Arizona Supreme Court in a unanimous 5-0 decision. The case involved Rutherford soliciting clients to seek settlements with the state industrial commission.[49][50] He died on November 27, 1950, in Phoenix, and was buried in Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery.

References

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  1. ^ "History of the Arizona State Legislature 1912–1966". State of Arizona. pp. 8–9. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "C. H. Rutherford Announces Candidacy For Democratic Nomination For U. S. Senate". The Arizona Republican. August 6, 1926. p. 10. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ a b c "Charles Rutherford Announces Candidacy for U. S. Senator". Arizona Republic. July 20, 1934. p. 7. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ "Rutherford Reappointed". Arizona Daily Star. March 7, 1950. p. 6. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ a b "Arizona Lawyer Quoted in the East". Weekly Journal-Miner. October 24, 1906. p. 7. Retrieved June 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "Untitled". Jackson County Banner. April 6, 1904. p. 3. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ "Dissolved Partnership". The Tribune. November 22, 1904. p. 3. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ "Deputy Prosecutor". The Tribune. April 19, 1905. p. 3. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ "City News .... In Brief". Weekly Journal-Miner. October 3, 1909. p. 7. Retrieved June 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ "New Post Office Building in Verde Valley". The Coconino Sun. October 17, 1909. p. 6. Retrieved June 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ "In the Arena of Politics". The Tucson Citizen. September 5, 1911. p. 4. Retrieved June 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ "Mark Smith Leads The Bunch". Weekly Journal-Miner. October 25, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  13. ^ "Rutherford Is Given Good Job". Weekly Journal-Miner. September 10, 1913. p. 2. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  14. ^ "Rutherford In the Race". Weekly Journal-Miner. July 15, 1914. p. 5. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  15. ^ "Official Count of Yavapai County". Weekly Journal-Miner. September 23, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  16. ^ "Contents Close For County Offices". Weekly Journal-Miner. September 13, 1916. p. 6. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  17. ^ "Who Is Who In the Coming Legislature". Bisbee Daily Review. November 21, 1916. p. 5. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  18. ^ "Candidates Announce For State Senate". Tucson Citizen. July 5, 1922. p. 6. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  19. ^ "Candidates For the Legislature In Both Parties". The Arizona Republican. September 28, 1922. p. 14. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ "Democratic Land-slide". The Border Vidette. November 18, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  21. ^ "Democrats Adopt Platform And Endorse All State And National Party Candidates". The Arizona Republican. October 1, 1926. p. 6. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  22. ^ "Five County Officers and One State Senator Elected By Republicans In Yavapai". The Arizona Republican. November 7, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  23. ^ "Thirty-Three Candidates For State Nominations At Primaries File Petitions". The Arizona Republican. August 8, 1926. p. 9. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  24. ^ "Hayden Beats Rutherford In Landslide". Arizona Daily Star. September 8, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  25. ^ "Charles H. Rutherford In Primary Campaign Against H. F. Ashurst". The Arizona Republican. July 26, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  26. ^ "Peterson Wins By Small Count". Arizona Daily Star. October 2, 1928. p. 2. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  27. ^ "Greenway Vote Leads Ticket". Arizona Daily Star. October 3, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  28. ^ "Political Ad". Arizona Republic. February 20, 1944. p. 3. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  29. ^ "Administration Ticket Wins". Arizona Republic. March 1, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  30. ^ "City Attorney Finds Substitute For Dangerous Woman's Hat Pin". The Tucson Citizen. February 7, 1912. p. 6. Retrieved June 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  31. ^ "Simple Device To Save Eyesight". The Tucson Citizen. February 7, 1912. p. 6. Retrieved June 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  32. ^ "Arizona Man May Become Millionaire". Arizona Daily Star. September 7, 1912. p. 5. Retrieved June 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  33. ^ "Sen. Rutherford Gives Twenty Million Reasons For Buying of Liberty Bonds In Address Here". Arizona Daily Star. September 29, 1918. p. 1. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  34. ^ "Don't Leave Job Half Done, Is Speaker's Victory Loan Plea". The Arizona Republican. May 3, 1919. p. 9. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  35. ^ "From the Camp". Weekly Journal-Miner. June 26, 1921. p. 6. Retrieved April 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  36. ^ "Reserve Officers Will Organize At Capitol On Monday". The Arizona Republican. September 13, 1924. p. 11. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  37. ^ "Major Rutherford Will Head New Statewide Organization Of U. S. Army Reserve Officers". The Arizona Republican. September 16, 1924. p. 6. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  38. ^ "Senator Rutherford Moves To Phoenix". Arizona Daily Star. January 8, 1925. p. 6. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  39. ^ "Ex-State Senator To Open Law Office". The Arizona Republican. May 6, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  40. ^ "Rutherford Given Office In Reserve". Arizona Daily Star. December 30, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  41. ^ "Charles H. Rutherford Named Civilian Aide To Secretary". Arizona Daily Star. January 18, 1930. p. 22. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  42. ^ "Embryo Soldiers At Camp Little Kept Busy and Happy". The Arizona Republican. August 10, 1930. p. 20. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  43. ^ "Civilian Aide Re-Appointed". Arizona Republic. January 16, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  44. ^ "Three County Youths Enroll In C. M. T. C." Tucson Citizen. July 12, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved June 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  45. ^ "Civilian Aide To Army Secretary Reappointed". Tucson Citizen. March 7, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  46. ^ "U. S. Will Test Citrus Method". Arizona Republic. March 30, 1938. p. 5. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  47. ^ a b "Nine Arizonans Are Added to Who's Who Notable List". Arizona Republic. May 30, 1940. p. 33. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  48. ^ "Rutherford Head of Air Program". Arizona Daily Star. June 6, 1940. p. 20. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  49. ^ "Lawyer Facing Ethics Charge In High Court". Arizona Daily Star. January 19, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  50. ^ "Charles H. Rutherford Is Disbarred by High Court". Arizona Daily Star. February 22, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved June 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.