Benjamin Huger Rutledge, Sr.

[Eric Wittenberg]

I'm hoping that a genealogy guru might be able to solve a mystery to me.

Col. Benjamin Huger Rutledge, Jr. commanded the 4th SC Cavalry during the Civil War. Among other things, he was a signer of the SC Ordinance of Secession and was a prominent lawyer in Charleston with the coming of the war.

His grandfather was Hugh Rutledge, also a prominent attorney. One of his great uncles was Edward Rutledge, the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Another was John Rutledge, Revolutionary War governor of SC and one of the original 9 Supreme Court justices appointed by President George Washington. John Rutledge was briefly the second Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after John Jay resigned.

The weak link in my chain is Colonel Rutledge's father, Benjamin Huger Rutledge, Sr., who died young--he was only 35 (1797-1832). I have been unable to turn up any information about him other then the name of his wife. I'm working on a biographical sketch of Colonel Rutledge and would like to be able to include a bit on his father. Can anyone help?

Nobody would EVER mistake me for a genealogy expert, which is why I am asking for assistance. Thanks to anyone who can turn up anything more on Rutledge, Sr.

 

[Zella]

What was his wife's name? I don't have anything on the Rutledges, unfortunately, but I have a book that focuses on some of the more prominent Huguenot families in SC and their genealogies. It's a bit of a long shot, but if she was from one of those families, I might still be able to piece together something about him.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Mary Huger Rutledge, Zella.

 

[Zella]

Huger was Huguenot. Let me dig around and see what I have!

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Huger was Huguenot. Let me dig around and see what I have!

Thank you!

 

[Zella]

I'm not finding anything in my references. However, I typed his name into Ancestry.com and saw that someone has a family story/history listed on there about him (there's really nothing else on there about him), but it is not visible to the general public. It might not be very useful, but it might be--do you want me to contact the person who has it listed to ask him if he'd be willing to share it?

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

I'm not finding anything in my references. However, I typed his name into Ancestry.com and saw that someone has a family story/history listed on there about him (there's really nothing else on there about him), but it is not visible to the general public. It might not be very useful, but it might be--do you want me to contact the person who has it listed to ask him if he'd be willing to share it?

If you'd be willing to do that, that would be great. Thank you!

 

[Zella]

Message sent! I'll let you know if he responds.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Message sent! I'll let you know if he responds.

You've been incredibly helpful. Thank you!

 

[Zella]

No worries--happy to help!

 

[Zella]

Eric, he got back with me pretty quickly and told me what he had was actually what is already on Find a Grave, which I'd already checked and doesn't include any info on his life. He didn't have any additional information on him.

However, the gentleman very kindly linked me to a FamilySearch entry for Rutledge Sr. No biographical sketch or anything there, either, but it does include a marriage lcation and date in 1824 for a wife (Alice Ann Weston) and information on a daughter born before Benjamin Jr. The daughter also passed away before Benjamin Jr's birth. It also includes some info on Sr's siblings.

I don't know how helpful any of that would be to you since there's nothing individual about his life, but I could PM you the link. Unlike Ancestry, Family Search is free to make an account, so you could view the information without paying. I always approach their family trees with caution since they merge everyone's together, but it might be a starting point all the same.

Sorry I couldn't turn up anything else. I know we have a lot of good genealogists here, though, and I'm hoping one of them swoops in with more information.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Eric, he got back with me pretty quickly and told me what he had was actually what is already on Find a Grave, which I'd already checked and doesn't include any info on his life. He didn't have any additional information on him.

However, the gentleman very kindly linked me to a FamilySearch entry for Rutledge Sr. No biographical sketch or anything there, either, but it does include a marriage lcation and date in 1824 for a wife (Alice Ann Weston) and information on a daughter born before Benjamin Jr. The daughter also passed away before Benjamin Jr's birth. It also includes some info on Sr's siblings.

I don't know how helpful any of that would be to you since there's nothing individual about his life, but I could PM you the link. Unlike Ancestry, Family Search is free to make an account, so you could view the information without paying. I always approach their family trees with caution since they merge everyone's together, but it might be a starting point all the same.

Sorry I couldn't turn up anything else. I know we have a lot of good genealogists here, though, and I'm hoping one of them swoops in with more information.

You've already gone above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you.

I found the same things. Apparently, there just isn't much out there to be had.

 

[gentlemanrob]

the Rutledge family was very prominent in Charleston I have visited the Colonel's grave in Charleston and did a profile on him for the book I am writing.

 

[Zella]

You've already gone above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you.

I found the same things. Apparently, there just isn't much out there to be had.

Thanks, Eric!

My armchair theory is given his prominent background, he must have just led an unremarkable life of relative leisure, cut short by his early death.

 

[5fish]

I'm hoping that a genealogy guru might be able to solve a mystery to me.

Here is his grave...

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59189362/benjamin-huger-rutledge

Here is Junior's grave...

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29682930/benjamin-huger-rutledge

I found this bio on him... You should be able to verify his military record... and his college records

Benjamin Huger Rutledge was the son of Hugh and Mary Golightly (Huger), Rutledge. He left college during his junior year in 1814 to join the army. From 1815 to 1817, Rutledge served as the third lieutenant in the U.S. Artillery Corps. Rutledge died only eight years after his marriage to Alice Ann Weston.

His College:

Attended South Carolina College for two years but did not graduate.

He was a lawyer? Should be able to verify that...

Admitted To Bar: Columbia, SC in 1820

You should be able to verify this info or contact the person that posted this bio...
The link: https://www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/ledger/students/2194

 

[5fish]

Benjamin Rutledge, Jr papers are available to the public and there a Rutledge, Sr. papers as well...

Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27570932?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Another Link another item: https://schistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Rutledge-B.H.-Jr.-386.pdf

 

[5fish]

Rutledge Sr is an alumnus of Lichfield Law School...

https://books.google.com/books?id=X...nepage&q=Benjamin Huger Rutledge 1832&f=false

Here:
Litchfield Law School - Wikipedia

Here:
https://www.ctexplored.org/the-influence-of-the-litchfield-law-school/

 

[5fish]

From Wiki... Rutledge may have been in the infantry...

Corps of Artillery[edit]
The Corps of Artillery was formed on May 12, 1814 (under the act of March 30, 1814) by consolidating the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regiments of Artillery. Its structure was defined as 12 battalions, each with four companies. On May 17, 1815 (under the act of March 3, 1815) under the military peace establishment, the Regiment of Dragoons and the 41st, 42nd, and 43rd Regiments of Infantry were consolidated with the Corps of Artillery, raising its strength to eight battalions, each with four companies. On June 1, 1821 (under the act of March 2, 1821) the Corps of Artillery ceased to exist. Assets of the Corps of Artillery and the Regiment of Light Artillery formed the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Regiments of Artillery.[4]:52