The 1910 Census records Rutherford as a sawmiller living at Precinct 7, residence 121, in Timpson. That year he mortgaged to Cottonbelt Bank for an Ames boiler and an engine, and a cutoff saw. The next year, he mortgaged to the Cottonbelt bank for a Curtis sawmill complete and a Weber gas engine. The equipment for the mortgage included a 22-horsepower Weber gasoline engine, an Ames 44-inch by 12-ft boiler, and a 9-inch by 12-inch steam engine