# Joseph Franklin Rutherford

> American lawyer, Watch Tower Society president (1869–1942)

**Wikidata**: [Q334839](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q334839)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Franklin_Rutherford)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/joseph-franklin-rutherford

## Summary
Joseph Franklin Rutherford was an American lawyer and religious leader who served as the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. Born in 1869 and active until his death in 1942, he is recognized as a prominent figure in the religious organization, holding leadership roles as both a judge and a jurist.

## Biography
- **Born:** November 8, 1869
- **Died:** January 8, 1942
- **Nationality:** United States
- **Known for:** Serving as President of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
- **Employer(s):** Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
- **Field(s):** Law, Religious Leadership
- **Occupations:** Lawyer, Judge, Jurist

## Contributions
Joseph Franklin Rutherford served as the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Warwick, New York. His leadership tenure occurred during a significant period for the organization, which was founded in 1884. As a legal professional, he bridged the disciplines of law and religious administration, applying his background as a lawyer and jurist to his leadership role within the society.

## FAQs
**What was Joseph Franklin Rutherford's professional background?**
He was an American lawyer, judge, and jurist. These occupations formed the basis of his professional identity before and during his tenure as a religious leader.

**What organization did Joseph Franklin Rutherford lead?**
He was affiliated with and served as the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. This organization is a not-for-profit entity headquartered in Warwick, New York.

**What were the dates of his birth and death?**
Joseph Franklin Rutherford was born on November 8, 1869, and died on January 8, 1942.

**What aliases was Joseph Franklin Rutherford known by?**
He was also known by the names Judge Rutherford, J. F. Rutherford, Joseph Rutherford, and Joseph F. Rutherford.

## Why They Matter
Joseph Franklin Rutherford matters primarily for his role as the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a position that placed him at the helm of a significant religious organization. His tenure as president followed the inception of the society in 1884, and his legal background as a lawyer and judge influenced his administration. His leadership spanned a distinct era in the organization's history until his death in 1942, marking him as a pivotal figure in its development.

## Notable For
- **Leadership Role:** Served as President of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
- **Legal Career:** Recognized distinctively as a lawyer, judge, and jurist.
- **Historical Context:** Lived from 1869 to 1942, leading a major religious organization during the early 20th century.
- **Organizational Affiliation:** Affiliated with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a not-for-profit organization based in Warwick, New York.
- **Professional Identity:** Identified as an American national with a career spanning legal and religious fields.

## Body

### Personal Life and Identity
Joseph Franklin Rutherford was born on November 8, 1869, and passed away on January 8, 1942. He held citizenship in the United States. Throughout his life and historical records, he has been referred to by several aliases, including Judge Rutherford, J. F. Rutherford, Joseph Rutherford, and Joseph F. Rutherford. His personal identifier is recorded as a human instance in the knowledge base.

### Professional Career
Rutherford's professional life was defined by his work in the legal field. He is classified as a lawyer, a legal professional recognized globally as an academic degree and occupation group. Additionally, he is identified as a judge, an official who presides over court proceedings, and a jurist, a legal scholar or academic who studies, teaches, and develops law.

### Affiliation with Watch Tower Society
Rutherford was affiliated with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. This organization is a not-for-profit entity headquartered in Warwick, New York, with an inception date of 1884. Rutherford served as the employer's president, leading the organization within the United States. The organization is recognized as a "Thing" in the knowledge base with a sitelink count of 29.

### Identifiers and Records
Rutherford possesses an extensive array of identifiers across various databases and library systems, reflecting his historical significance:
- **Library and Archives:** GND ID 134036360, Library of Congress ID n88058968, BNF ID 106549805, NDL ID 00560594.
- **Biographical Dictionaries:** SNAC ID 7046810, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress ID DA05216572.
- **Digital and Knowledge Graphs:** Freebase ID /m/01k_hw, Quora Topic ID 50597, BabelNet ID 00007051n.
- **Academic and Research:** VIAF ID 95206017, ISNI 0000000109272772, Open Library ID OL963956A.
- **Cultural Heritage:** Find a Grave ID 7046810, Wikidata item Q5 (human).

### Media and Visual Records
Visual representations and signatures of Rutherford are preserved in the knowledge base. An image file titled "J.F. Rutherford.gif" and a signature file "Joseph Franklin Rutherford signature.svg" are associated with his profile. His Commons category is listed as "Joseph Franklin Rutherford," and his Wikipedia title is "Joseph Franklin Rutherford," which has a sitelink count of 36.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. datos.bne.es
3. Find a Grave
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. CiNii Research
7. SNAC
8. Czech National Authority Database
9. BnF authorities
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. CONOR.SI
12. LIBRIS. 2005
13. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File