Oakland Illinois Genealogy

Love Story

This one has a happy ending:

The Mordahs were about to set sail for America, specifically, Donegal County, Pa, and Thomas Rutherford, fearing he might lose his Jean, proposed and was accepted.
Jean was hardly 16 years old at the time and her father had a different plan for her. Her parents told them that she was too young to marry and took her across the ocean with them.
Before leaving Northern Ireland, Jean bought a journal and wrote inside of it “Enquire for Dennygal”, meaning Donegal, and gave it to Thomas. (This journal is still in the family)
It took Thomas a year to save for his passage to the new world, and sailed into the Philadelphia port on Dock Street in 1729. He came with one noggin, one spoon horn, one English shilling, and a few articles of clothing.
He was careful not to ask for the Mordahs were abouts straight out. Instead, he asked the way to Donegal. Once he got there he watched and waited. He found that Jean fetched water for the family as one of her chores, so he waited for her along the path. When she approached, he whistled their tune, and they were finally reunited.
Once he had spoken with Jean- he then approached her father again. James Mordah again trying to buy more time- Jean was only 17 now- he told Thomas that he must secure a certain amount of wealth before they could marry.
So, Thomas returned to the city where he had landed and went to work. It took him another year to obtain the items on James’ list.
He returned again to the Mordah house to ask for Jean’s hand in marriage. He was mounted on a good horse and had documents to prove he owned 150 acres of land.
After putting the boy off for two years, James Mordah finally gave his blessing. The couple was married 7 September 1730 by the Rev James Anderson.


Thomas Rutherford and Jean(Jane) Mordah (Murdoch) were Hiram Rutherford's great grandparents. They are the first Rutherfords in America.