History of Rutherford College, (Burke County) North Carolina United States of America

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Biographies:

Robert Labon Abernethy, educator, was born in Lincoln county, N.C., April 3, 1822; son of Turner and Fannie (Wedner) Abernethy. His father was a farmer and his first ancestor in America was John Abernethy, a near kinsman of the eminent English surgeon. He was brought up on the farm and had no school privileges. He gained a knowledge of English grammar from a second-hand textbook, and taught children in the neighborhood, extending his teaching as he gained further knowledge from such books as he could obtain. He became a minister in the Methodist church in 1840, preaching in the South Carolina conference, 1840-'43. In 1850 John Rutherford founded Rutherford college in Burke county, N.C., and the young Methodist preacher was made its first president. The building used, a log cabin, was built by Abernethy, and was used until the college was chartered and new buildings erected. In forty years he educated 10,000 boys and girls, 2200 of these being given free instruction through his personal liberality. In 1890 the college buildings were burned, the loss being $50,000. President Abernethy, although nearly seventy years old, took the lecture field and raised a sum sufficient to rebuild, making the college buildings among the first in the south. He received the degree of A.M. from Trinity college, N.C., in 1869, and that of D.D. from Alfred university, N.Y. He died at Rutherford College, N.C., Nov. 28, 1894.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Ellis Abernethy, educator, was born at Rutherford College, N.C., May 28, 1860; Son of the Rev. Dr. Robert Labon and Mary Ann (Hayes) Abernethy. His first ancestor in America, Robert Abernethy, came from Scotland, settled in North Carolina, and was a prominent member of the Halifax state constitutional convention of 1776. William Ellis was graduated at Rutherford college, of which his father was president, in 1877. He studied law under Col. George N. Folk, of Lanier, N.C., in 1880; was county superintendent of public instruction 1890-'93; twice declined the nomination of the dominant party for state senator; and served as professor of law and English literature in Rutherford college, 1881-'94, and succeeded to the presidency of the college on the death of his father in 1894.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Arthur Talmage Abernethy, educator, was born in Rutherford college, N.C., Oct. 10, 1872; son of the Rev. Robert Labon and Mary Ann (Hayes) Abernethy. He learned telegraphy when nine years old, and worked in various offices in the United States and Mexico until he was prepared for college at the Chafman school. He was graduated at Rutherford college, A.M. in 1889. He was professor of Latin in the college, 1887-90, having passed his A.B. examination in 1887, but was refused the degree on account of his youth. He took a post-graduate course in Latin and Greek in Johns Hopkins university as an honorary Hopkins scholar, 1890-91, and received the degree of A.M., from Trinity college, N.C., in 1891. He returned to Rutherford college as professor of Latin and Greek in 1891; edited the Telegrapher, 1895-97; was biographical writer on the Philadelphia Record, 1897-99; and was a newspaper correspondent during three years' travels in all parts of the United States. He became known as a humorist, and was given the name of "the New Bill Nye" by Edgar Wilson Nye, who was his friend and adviser. He published "Bertie and Clara" (1896); and "Mechanics and Practice of Electric Telegraph" (1891).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor