Re: Abney/Rutherford connection. Help needed in Edgefield SC

Betty,
The clerk was MUNFORD (NOT Rutherford as you averred in your message #1259). The transcription you have is obviously erroneous, and that by your own admission. Therefore, to make a statement “the will of George m. Unity had a Rutherford associated with the will in 1766, Halifax Co., Va. He either witnessed or tested to will.” is also erroneous as well as misleading. Regardless of the clerk’s name, that would in no way show any association with the testator and the clerk’s family, as the clerk was only doing his job. However, to reiterate, the clerk was NOT a Rutherford. The clerk was a MUNFORD…and NO Rutherford appears connected in any way to George ABNEY’s will. Transcriber’s errors account for nothing.

I’ve not seen anyone using the George Abney will to show any kinship to the Rutherford family. However, your statement makes it seem as though you are a proponent of such a usage. If you want an ABNEY connection to the RUTHERFORD family, you need only look to the descendants of Dr. Abraham ABNEY m. Cassandra. You will find 2 connections to the sons of Dr. Nathaniel, 3 connections to the children & granddaughter of Paul ABNEY m. Eleanor HAMILTON, and one to the son (George) of Cassandra ABNEY m. Dannett ABNEY. These ABNEY’s are ALL near kin to Paul Collins ABNEY…and their spouses are ALL near kin to Dorothy “Dolly” RUTHERFORD, Paul’s wife. These are not accidental relationships. These happened because these two family branches were close to each other.

My suggestion is to throw away the transcription you have, or make corrections thereon so as to avoid making further misstatements.