James Rutledge

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RUTLEDGE DIRECT MALE LINEAGE
FROM JAMES RUTLEDGE TO MICHAEL RUTLEDGE
OF BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND

13 FEB 2021
Cindy Barber

            Generation One – James Rutledge was born in Muncie, Indiana the son of Noah Aubrey Rutledge and Jeanne Louise Tucker.[1]

            Generation Two – Noah Aubrey Rutledge and Jeanne Louise Tucker were married in Anderson, Indiana on 3 September 1936.[2] Noah, the first-born son of Orville O. Rutledge and Nellie Ann Davis, was born on 1 October 1914 in  Delaware County, Indiana.[3] 

In 1940 Noah and Jeanne were living with her parents, Dr. O.A. and Lillian Tucker in Daleville, Indiana.[4] Noah was working as a machinist in an automotive factory.

Noah died of injuries sustained when he did not negotiate a curve and hit a telephone pole with his car at about 4:45 am on Sunday, 16 Sep 1979.[5] He died in Fort Wayne, Indiana.[6] He was buried in Tomlinson Cemetery, Muncie, Indiana.

            Generation Three – Orville O. Rutledge and Nellie Davis were married 6 Dec 1905 in Delaware County, Indiana.[7] Orville was born 27 Feb 1882 to James Zachariah Rutledge and Alice Rebecca McLain.[8]

The 1900 census lists Orville as the son of James Z. Rutledge and wife Rebecca.[9] James Z. also mentioned Orville in his will.[10]

Orville was an elder and assistant superintendent of the Tabor Christian Church, a member of the Tomlinson Cemetery Association board, and served as the director of the Farm Bureau for several years. He spent the last 50 years of his life farming the same farm.[11] Orville died 25 October 1966 in Delaware County, Indiana. He was buried in Tomlinson Cemetery, Muncie, Indiana.

The newspaper reported his survivors as wife, Nellie, a son, Noah, two grandsons, Jim, and Steven, four brothers: Loring, Matthew, Ernest, and Clay; and three sisters: Cora Daniels, Idella Baker and Mae Tharp.

            Generation Four – James Zachariah Rutledge and Alice Rebecca McLain were married 22 Oct 1876 in Delaware County, Indiana.[12] James was born in Indiana about 1858 to Jonathan Rutledge and Martha Jane Dynes. The 1860 and 1870 US Censuses list him with his parents, as expected.

James died 27 Jan 1927 in Muncie, Indiana.[13] His obituary listed six sons as survivors: Loring, Orville, Alva, Ernest, Clay, and Oscar; and incorrectly listed his daughters, Cora Daniels, May Charb [Tharp] and Idella Baker, as sisters.[14]  His will lists the children correctly: Loring, Orville, Alva, Oscar, Ernest, Cora, Clay, May, and Idella.[15]

            Generation Five – Johnathan Rutledge first married Hannah L. Williams in Fairfield County, Ohio on 18 Nov 1831.[16] In 1835, John (who was already living in Delaware County) bought 40 acres of land in Delaware County, Indiana.[17] After Hannah’s death in 1851, he married Martha Jane Dynes on 21 Apr 1853 in Smithfield, Delaware County, Indiana.[18] Martha is the mother of James Zachariah Rutledge.

John Rutledge about 1870

John was born 16 Oct 1801.[19] His parents were William Rutledge and Mary Rutledge. John died 10 June 1890 in Luray, Indiana.[20]

Proof of Parentage: John’s obituary states that he “was born in Baltimore County Maryland on 16 Oct 1801. When he was three, his parents moved to Western Virginia, at the age of 10, they brought him to Newskingum [Muskingum] county, Ohio.[21]” His obituary does not name his parents.

William Rutledge of Muskingum County, Ohio calls out a son, John in his 1849 will.[22] Unfortunately, he does not say where John lives. In the 5 Mar 1853 Probate Court of Muskingum County, Ohio,  John Rutledge, of Delaware County, Indiana, and heir to William Rutledge, challenges the administration of the will of William Rutledge by Samuel Winegardner.[23] Thus, John Rutledge of Delaware County, Indiana is the son of William and Mary Rutledge.

Autosomal DNA matches also supply evidence of this genetic relationship. Descendants of known children of William and Mary are DNA matches of the correct relationships to descendants of John Rutledge of Delaware County.

John had nine children by his first wife, Hannah Williams, and five by Martha J. Dynes.[24] Eleven of the sons and daughters were living at his death, along with 45 grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

            Generation Six – William Rutledge married Mary Rutledge probably between 1790-1794 in Maryland.[25] Mary Rutledge was William’s first cousin.[26] No record of this union was found. William was born 8 April 1769.[27] His parents were probably Michael Rutledge and Eleanor Deason. William died 11 Apr 1849 and was buried at Asbury Chapel, Muskingum County, Ohio.[28]

William traveled from Maryland through Ohio County, Virginia. He was in Ohio County from at least 1805 to 1817.[29] On 10 December 1817, The General Land Office granted William Rutledge of Ohio County, Virginia cash value patent #539 for a quarter section of land in Muskingum County, Ohio.[30] He spent the rest of his life on this farm.

William had two brothers, John Deason Rutledge, and Edmund Rutledge.[31] He also had a half-brother, Michael. Autosomal DNA matches between descendants of John D. and William supply evidence of this relationship. No descendants of Edmund or Michael have been found in the DNA match lists.

            Generation Seven – Michael Rutledge married Eleanor Deason on 17 Dec 1765 in St. John’s Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland.[32]  Michael Rutledge’s parents MAY have been John Rutledge and his wife Jane. Michael was born about 1740.[33] He died between 1790 and 1810.[34]

Eleanor died about 1774 and Michael married Elizabeth.[35] Elizabeth’s surname is unknown. No other evidence of this marriage was found. Based on the chronology of the movement of the children to Ohio, Michael’s death may have occurred before 1805, the date William appeared in Virginia. No probate records were found.

Michael was living in Mine Run Hundred, Baltimore County, Maryland in 1783.[36] There were five males and two females in his household. On the 1790 census, Michael’s household consisted of one male over 16, one male under 16 and five females.[37]

Michael Rutledge does not appear on the 1810 Baltimore County, Maryland census, but Elizabeth Rutledge appears in Mine Run Hundred. She is living next to the Standiford’s. There are no other Rutledges on this page. Elizabeth’s household has two males under 10, and eight females. These may be the seven sisters that her son Michael transported to Trumbull County, Ohio.[38] Elizabeth Rutledge is living next to Michael Rutledge (son of Michael) on the 1820 Vernon, Trumbull, Ohio census. She is of the correct age to be his mother and has four daughters living with her. This supports the claim that Elizabeth is the widowed mother of Michael.

Generation Eight – John Rutledge and wife, Jane. There are two men found of the ‘right’ age to be the parents of  Michael Rutledge. The first is John. John Rutledge first appears in the land records when the first survey of the 100 acres known as “Clay” was conducted.[39]   John received  a warrant out of the Land Office on 16 November 1728 according to the survey, however I have not been able to find this warrant. Clay laid between the head of the Gunpowder Falls and the drafts of the Patapsco Falls. John remained on the rent rolls until 1732 when he sold Clay to John Foy [Fey?]  for 2500 pounds of tobacco on 7 Jun 1732. [40]

After John sold Clay, he bought 100 acres named Franklin’s Gift from Thomas Franklin the same day. [41]   This deed immediately follows the sale of Clay, but of note is that the consideration is not specified, but rather says “for a valuable consideration”. Franklin’s Gift was located on the south side of the main branch of the Gunpowder River and near a parcel called Barrot’s Run. This land may have been located along the present-day Bird River, about 5 miles north of Hopewell.   John held this land until 9 September 1747 when he and his wife Jane sold it to John Wilmott, Jr for 40 pounds current paper money and 15 pounds of gold.

The land named Rutledge’s Venture and owned by Michael Rutledge (abt 1695-bef1745) was also located about 5 miles north of Hopewell, placing both men in the same area at the same time. The oldest Michael (bef 1674-1709) owned Hopewell.

This places John near the other Baltimore County, Maryland Rutledge family. Family lore says that Abraham, son of Michael (abt 1695-1745) married his cousin, Penelope Rutledge. Abraham and Penelope Rutledge were married 13 Oct 1747 in Baltimore County, Maryland.[42]  Penelope may have been John’s daughter. I have found no other records of John or his wife, Jane.

The second candidate for generation eight is a William Rutledge who witnessed the will of Robert Weddington in 1720, Baltimore County, Maryland. William has not been found in any other records.

These are the only two men found of approximately the correct birth date to be generation eight.

Generation Nine – Michael Rutledge (bef 1674-1709?)  The top contender for generation nine, Michael first appears in Baltimore County, Maryland on the will of John Boring. When Boring died in 1690, he owed Michael 400 pounds. [43] This bill, the first reference to Michael and listed alongside Edward Rutledge suggests Michael was an adult in 1690. This coupled with the 1692 census, where he had to be over the age of 16, shows he was born before 1674.[44]  Michael was the only adult male in his household on the north side of the Patapsco River, in the same area as the Boring and Ferry families. In 1694, aged around 20, Michael stayed the only male older than 16 in his household.

In 1698, now more than 24 years old, Michael Rutledge, Planter, bought Hopewell, 60 acres located along Sterling Creek in Baltimore County,  less than 5 miles northeast of the Boring lands for 2,000 pounds of tobacco from Robert Benger.[45] In 1699 he lived in the Middle River Hundred.[46]

I believe this is the Michael who was married to Anne and died in 1709.[47] His inventory and probate make no mention of land. However, this is common if the land passed silently to his oldest son (right of progeniture). In 1709 he would have been over 36 years old. There is no record of probate for Anne Rutledge.


[1] Muncie Evening Press, Muncie, Indiana 1 Jul 1942, p8c2, Births, Noah Aubrey.

[2] Muncie Evening Press, Muncie, Indiana, 5 Sep 1936, p6c2, Tucker-Rutledge Wedding AND Ancestry.com, Indiana Marriages, 1810-2001, Noah A. Rutledge.

[3] Indiana State Board of Health, Certificate of Birth, #407029.

[4] 1940 US Census, Indiana, Delaware, Daleville, ED 18-518, sheet 8A, line 24, Tucker, Oral A.

[5]  Times-Union, Warsaw, Indiana 17 Sep 1979, p1c5-6, Leesburg Man Dies from Fort Wayne Wreck.

[6] Indiana State Board of Health, Coroner’s Certificate of Death, State No. 79-034104.

[7] Muncie Evening Press, Muncie, Indiana, 8 Dec 1905, page 5.

[8] Indiana State Board of Health, Medical Certificate of Death, No. 66-035951 AND 1900 US Census, Indiana, Delaware, Salem, District 0052, Ed 52, Sheet 19B, line 71.

[9] 1900 US Census, Indiana, Delaware, Salem, District 0052, Ed 52, Sheet 19B, line 71.

[10] Indiana, Delaware County, Probate Order book 95 page 525, admitted to probate 28 Jan 1927, James Z. Rutledge will.

[11] The Star Press, Muncie, Indiana Obituary, 26 Oct 1966 p9c3.

[12] Delaware County, Indiana; Index to Marriage Record 1827 – 1920 Inclusive Vol, W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Clerk’s O; Book: C-6; Page: 483.

[13] Indiana State Board of Health, Certificate of Death. No. 30-469, James Zachariah Rutledge.

[14] Star Press, Muncie, Indiana, 22 Jan 1927, p2, “Daleville Man Dies…”

[15] Delaware County, Indiana, Will Book C, p557, 28 Jan 1927; Probate Order Book 95, p525.

[16] Fairfield County, Ohio Marriage record book, 1831, p.205.

[17] General Land Office Certificate No. 19757, 20 May 1835, Indianapolis Land Office.

[18] Marriage Certificate copy in the files of Cindy Barber.

[19] Family Bible pages, copy in the files of Cindy Barber

[20] Henry County Health Department, Certificate of Death, Book CSS-1 p.160, Jun 30, 1890. “Johnathan Rutglige”.

[21] Muncie Daily Times, Muncie, Indiana, 16 Jun 1890, p1. Obituary.

[22] Ohio, Muskingum County, Court of Common Pleas, June Term 1849, to wit, 9 Jun 1849 p.312, William Rutledge will.

[23] Ohio Probate Records, Muskingum County, Journal Docket 1852-1857, vol 1, p 177 & 122.

[24] Muncie Daily Times, Muncie Indiana, 16 Jun 1890, p1, Obituary.

[25] Mary is living with her father in 1790 and the first child, Elizabeth was born in 1795, so the marriage between 1790-1794 is reasonable.

[26] Mary Rutledge was the daughter of Ephraim. DNA matches to known descendants of the brothers of Ephraim, supply evidence of this relationship and probate research of Ephraim and his children, prove the relationship via traditional records.

[27] Ohio, Muskingum County, Asbury Chapel Cemetery, Tombstone of William Rutledge. Stated age at death: 80 years and 3 days, calculates to 8 April 1769. AND Doughty, Richard, Obituary of William Rutledge, Western Christian Advocate, 2 May 1849, p16.

[28] Find A Grave memorial #51044367, verified 18 Apr 2018 by visit to Asbury Chapel, Muskingum County, Ohio.

[29] West Virginia State Archives, Ohio County Land Book 1802-1806, p.435; 1807-1813,p.118,246; 1810 West Virginia Census.

[30] General Land Office, 10 Dec 1817, Land Patent CV, 35-539, William Rutledge.

[31] Ohio University Archives, Dr. William Henry Scott papers. Family Journals, pages 86-87.

[32] Barnes, Robert, Maryland Marriages, 1634-1777, Baltimore Maryland, Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc, 1975, p.157.

[33] Letter from John Deason Rutledge detailing his family. http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~donkelly/RUTLEDGE/Rutstates/ohio.htm

[34] Michael appears on the 1790 census but is not on the 1810 census.

[35] Letter from John Deason Rutledge detailing his family. http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~donkelly/RUTLEDGE/Rutstates/ohio.htm

[36] Maryland, Baltimore County, 1783 Tax List, MSA-s1161_scm 871-0181.

[37] Maryland, Baltimore County, 1790 Census, Mine Run Hundred p72.

[38] Wickham, Mrs. Gertrude Van Rensselaer, Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve, Volume 1, July 1896,  Whipporwill Publication, p248 c2.

[39] Maryland State Archives, MSA S1190 1191; FHC film # 0013083, page 52.

[40] Maryland State Archives, Land Records,  Grantor Index 1655-1769 MSA CE 33-1 p318; Maryland, Baltimore County, Rent Rolls Index.

[41] Maryland State Archives, Land Records, Clerk IS Book L page 252.

[42] Maryland Church Records, 1668-1995, St. Paul’s Protestant Episcopal Church,  familysearch.org. FHL Film# 13696, image 356.

[43] Maryland State Archives, John Boring Will

[44] 1692 Baltimore County, Maryland Census

[45] Maryland State Archives, Baltimore Land Records, clerk IS Book IK page 235.

[46] 1699 Census, Baltimore County, Maryland Historical Society Magazine, MSA SC 581-1-45, page 5.

[47] Baltimore Probate, 1709, Volume 1, pages 103-104.