Joseph Franklin Rutherford (November 8, 1869 – January 8, 1942) was the second president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and played a key role in shaping Jehovah’s Witnesses. A lawyer by training, he introduced doctrinal and organizational changes that defined the movement.
Born in Missouri, Rutherford became a prosecutor before joining the Bible Student movement in 1906. He was elected president in 1917, facing internal opposition that led to a schism. Under his leadership, Jehovah’s Witnesses adopted centralized governance, public preaching, and the rejection of nationalistic practices.
Rutherford introduced the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” in 1931 and emphasized the belief in Christ’s invisible return. Despite legal battles, his influence expanded the movement globally. He wrote extensively, publishing millions of religious texts. His leadership solidified the doctrines that continue to define Jehovah’s Witnesses today.