Background
Rafferty was born in Woodbury, New Jersey (U.S.), December 29, 1816. His father, the Review William Rafferty, Doctor of Divinity, was born in Ireland, educated at Glasgow, removed to America, married Mission Chandler, of Orange County, New Jersey (U.S.), lived for a time in Woodbury, and was principal of Saint John"s College, Annapolis, Maryland (U.S.), from 1824 until his death in 1831.
Education
John Rafferty graduated from Yale College in 1835. After graduation, he attended lectures in the Harvard Law School, and continued his preparation in the office of O.W. Ogden, Esq., New York City, where he was admitted to the bar in 1838.
Career
In 1862 he removed to Flemington, New Jersey In 1863 he was admitted counsellor, and was appointed by Government. Joel Parker the military agent for New Jersey. This position he occupied for three years at Washington.
In 1867 he was elected to the office of County Superintendent of Schools.
In 1872 he was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Court of Common Pleas, and in 1877 was made Prosecutor of the Pleas. On the evening of December 30, 1880, he was without warning stricken by paralysis.
He did not return to consciousness, but died early the next morning. This article incorporates public domain material from the 1881 Yale Obituary Record.