John had two sisters, Elizabeth Rutherfurd (who married Andrew St Clair of Herdmanston, de jure 12th Lord Sinclair, parents of Charles St Clair, 13th Lord Sinclair)[2] and Jane Rutherfurd (who married William Oliver of Dinlabyre).
[7] Among his paternal family was uncle Walter Rutherfurd, who moved to American and became a prominent merchant (and the father of U.S.
[9] Rutherfurd declared his candidature for Roxburghshire (where his father had been member 50 years before) in 1787, under the aegis of the 3rd Duke of Buccleuch.
"His unpopularity was reported to be as positive as that of the sitting Member, Sir George Douglas, was negative, for he was 'snappish, petulant and assuming'.
"[9] He declined a compromise with his cousin Sir Gilbert Elliot, who ensured his defeat at the election of 1790.
Soon after acquiring most of his father-in-law's fortune (who died in 1794), he assured Buccleuch in 1796 that although "his windfall enabled him to consider becoming county Member in place of Douglas, he preferred Douglas's continuing or the adoption of another candidate to coming in himself or swallowing Sir Gilbert Elliot’s return."