John Cobb Rutherford was born on April 13, 1842, the son of Williams Rutherford and Laura Cobb Rutherford. At a young age, he moved with his parents to Athens, Georgia, where his father ran a school. He distinguished himself academically, studying law with Joseph H. Lumpkin, W. Hope Hull, and Thomas R. R. Cobb. In 1861, he volunteered in the Cavalry Company of Athens, becoming a sergeant. When Cobb’s Legion, commanded by his uncle Thomas R. R. Cobb, was organized, he became its adjutant. He served with Cobb’s Legion until Cobb’s death, whereupon he transferred to the staff of General Howell Cobb in Florida.

While in Florida, he became acquainted with Elizabeth King, a native of Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia. They were married on February 21, 1864 and had four daughters: Bessie, Lamar, Laura, and Katie. Laura died as an infant; Bessie married Dr. Vassar Woolley of Atlanta, and Lamar married A. A. Lipscomb of Washington, D. C. After the death of his first wife, Rutherford married Mrs. Carroll of New York City.

When the war ended, Rutherford, unable to practice law in Athens, farmed for a time in Bainbridge, Georgia. However, with the outbreak of yellow fever in Bainbridge, he and his family moved north to Macon, where he practiced law with A. O. Bacon, forming the practice Bacon & Rutherford in 1876. He also taught law for a time at Mercer University. He defended Thomas Woolfolk (spelled Woolfork in the document) of Bibb County , who was accused of murdering his entire family. Shortly after Woolfolk’s hanging for the crime, Rutherford died suddenly on March 10, 1891. He is buried in Oconee Cemetery