Donald Thropp Rutledge: Lineage to Governor John Rutledge of South Carolina

Y-DNA Lineage: Haplogroup R-BY77067

By Jean Ann Ables-Flatt

Generation One – Donald Thropp Rutledge was born in Robson County, NC the son of Henry Middleton Rutledge and Flora Hadden MacDonald.¹ There is a record of a Donald T Rutledge marrying Leslie T Dotterer about 1964 in Richland, SC² – it is unconfirmed if this is the marriage of the correct Donald T Rutledge. [Editor’s Note: Marriage confirmed by Leslie Townsend Dotterer Rutledge, via telephone, June 2022.]

Generation Two – Henry Middleton Rutledge and Flora Hadden MacDonald were married in New Jersey in 1932.³ Henry was the son of Archibald Hamilton Rutledge and Florence Louise Hart. He was born in Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania July 29, 1910. The Birth Certificate states that his father, Archibald, was born in South Carolina, 27 years old and a teacher. Florence was 34 and born in Tennessee.⁴ Henry died January 18, 1943 from injuries received in a motorcycle accident in Laurens, Laurens County SC.⁵ According to Find A Grave.com⁶, he is buried in the Hampton Plantation Cemetery, McClellanville, Charleston County SC. Find A Grave also has a picture of the tombstone which has the wrong date of death (03 Jan 1942).⁷ Henry M appears in 1920 on the census as the 9-year-old son of Archibald H and Florence H Rutledge.⁸

Henry’s death was reported in newspapers in both Pennsylvania and South Carolina.⁹ Henry was an eye, nose and throat specialist in Laurens, Laurens County, SC, having practiced a short time in Pennsylvania. One paper reported his survivors as his widow (living in Princeton, NJ), daughter, Elise and son, Donald Thropp; father, Dr Archibald Rutledge, Hampton Plantation, SC, formerly of Mercersburg Academy; brothers, Archibald Rutledge Jr of the United States Navy and Lieutenant Irvine H Rutledge, Edgewood Arsenal, MD. He is also reported to be a graduate of Princeton University, Medical College of South Carolina at Charleston and the Chicago hospital in a specialized subject.

Generation Three – Archibald Hamilton Rutledge and Florence Louise Hart were united in marriage on December 12, 1907 at Mercersburg, Franklin County, PA. Their Application for Marriage states that he is 25 years old and she is 33. It also records that the parents of Archibald were Henry M and Margaret H Rutledge.¹⁰ Florence’s parents were Camillus Sluman Hart and Joanna Barbara Kraba. The newspaper at the time of the engagement states “Archibald Hamilton Rutledge, of Santee, SC. Miss Hart and Mr Rutledge are both lineal descendants of signers of the Declaration of Independence.”¹¹ “Dr. Rutledge was born at McClellanville in 1883, a son of Col Henry Middleton Rutledge of the Confederate States Army.”¹² (His tombstone states born 23 Oct 1882 Charleston County, SC and died 15 Sep 1973 McClellanville, Charleston County SC). Archibald appears twice on the 1900 census. He was enumerated at the Porter Military Academy in Charleston, SC as age 16 born Oct 1883 and also enumerated at his home at Hampton Plantation as a son of Henry M and Margaret H Rutledge and reported as age 15.¹³

Archibald Hamilton Rutledge was bestowed the honor of Poet Laureate of South Carolina by the Governor.  At the time of his death he had received 20 honorary degrees and 30 gold medals for writing and many more honors.¹⁴ When his son, Henry was born, he was a teacher at the Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Franklin County, PA where he taught for about 30 years.
Florence Hart Rutledge died in Charleston, SC on January 5, 1935 at the age of 61.¹⁵

An interesting story was published in the newspaper at the time of the christening of Archibald and Florence’s oldest son, Archibald Hamilton Rutledge II in Mercersburg. “The font used in the service was a large silver cup which was brought from France about 150 years ago by a branch of the Rutledge family who were of Hugenot descent. This cup has been handed down from generation to generation as an heirloom.”¹⁶ Author’s Note: This researcher believes the family story is referring to the Horry family. As a genealogy researcher for many years, I have never known a family story to be completely true. They usually have elements of truth and good clues. Hampton Plantation, the family home of the Rutledges, was built about 1750, according to two newspaper articles, and owned by Daniel Horry, a French Hugenot.¹⁷ (Author’s Note: This would be about 159 years before the christening.) After Horry’s death in 1785, his daughter Harriott Pinckney Horry married Frederick Rutledge (Author’s Note: Archibald’s great grandfather). Their son, Frederick Rutledge II, eventually inherited Hampton Plantation through her.

Another story about the Hampton Plantation at Santee River, South Carolina appears in the Abbeville, South Carolina newspaper in 1921.¹⁸ An oak tree on the plantation was nominated for the Hall of Fame for Trees. Archibald’s father, Henry Rutledge owned the plantation at that time.  It seems that tree was closely associated with George Washington.  Washington visited the plantation in 1791 and admired the oak so much that he prevailed on the Horry family not to cut the tree down.  It has long been known as the oak that Washington saved.

Generation Four – Henry Middleton Rutledge and Margaret Hamilton Seabrook.¹⁹ Henry M and Margaret H married in 1875 in South Carolina; His first wife was Anna Maria Blake who died in 1872. Margaret H was his second wife.²⁰ The 1900 census states they have been married 25 years.²¹ That census shows they were the parents of four children, including Archibald as has been proven above.

Henry Middleton Rutledge was born August 5, 1838 in North Carolina according to his death certificate. He died June 10, 1921 of Bright’s Disease at his home (Hampton Plantation) in McClellanville, Saint James Santee, Charleston SC.  His parents were Frederick Rutledge, born in Charleston County, and Henrietta M Rutledge, born in Tennessee.  He was buried in Saint Johns in the Wilderness Churchyard in Flat Rock, Henderson County, North Carolina.²²

A newspaper article noting the history of the plantation states the following:  “The house was neglected and abandoned by 1923 after then-owner Col Henry Middleton Rutledge died.  Rutledge’s son Archibald Hamilton Rutledge, the first poet laureate of South Carolina, returned to the home in 1937.  He renovated the house and lived there until he died in 1973.”²³ In later years, walking tours were held at Hampton Plantation to pay tribute to the literary works of Archibald H Rutledge.

Colonel Henry Middleton Rutledge
Confederate States of America Army

Generation Five – Frederick Rutledge II and Henrietta M Rutledge. The following article was published in the newspaper. “Married at Nashville, on the 15th October, Frederick Rutledge, Esq of this city, to Henrieta, daughter of Major Henry M Rutledge, of Tennessee.”²⁴

Frederick Rutledge II
Grandson of Governor JohnRutledge

Henrietta’s mother was Septima Sexta Middleton. Her name in Latin means 1776. It will be noted here that Henrietta was a granddaughter of Edward Rutledge,²⁵, the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Frederick was a grandson of John Rutledge who, as Governor of South Carolina, was deeply involved in all American Independence negotiations. Edward and John were brothers. Frederick and Henrietta were second cousins, therefore, Donald Thropp Rutledge descends from two American founding fathers. Donald’s direct male line would come from John.

Henrietta Middleton Rutledge
Granddaughter of Founding Father Edward Rutledge

In 1840, Frederick Rutledge was living at Saint James Santee Parish, Charleston, SC (Hampton Plantation).  He is reported to have sixty-six slaves with one free colored male over the age of 56 and under 100.²⁶ Henrietta, born in 1813, died on September 27, 1842.²⁷ Her son, Henry Middleton Rutledge would only have been four years old. She is buried at Flat Rock NC in the churchyard of St Johns in the Wilderness, as is Frederick, her husband, and her sister Emma Middleton Rutledge Blake.²⁸  As you will note, their son, Henry Middleton, was also buried there.
In 1850, Frederick is age 60, a farmer, with real estate worth $10,000 and personal property (which included slaves), $90,000, and living with N Hyatt, a clergyman, age 48, the only other person in his household.²⁹

By 1880, Frederick has moved into Matilda H Kinlock’s boarding house in the City of Charleston on Meeting Street and is suffering from poor health.³⁰ Frederick Rutledge who was born October 28, 1800, baptized February 27, 1802, died July 7, 1884.³¹

Frederick and Henrietta were the parents of six children:  Henry Middleton, Alice Izard, Eliza Pinckney, Edward, Sarah Henrietta and Emma Fredricka.³²

Generation Six – Frederick Rutledge and Harriott Pinckney Horry.
Excerpted from Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants: “Frederick Rutledge married October 11, 1797, Harriett Pinckney Horry, daughter of Daniel Horry (French Hugenot) and Harriett Pinckney.  Harriett died October 13, 1858 and is buried in St. Michael’s Churchyard.  Her will dated 11 Feb. 1850, proved 15 Nov 1858 made as Harriett Pinckney Rutledge of Charleston SC widow. . .”To her four children, Edward Cotesworth Rutledge, Hariett Pinckney Holbrook, Eliza Lucas Rutledge, and Frederick Rutledge(II) all plate and plated ware. . .Son Edward Cotesworth Rutledge plantation called Hampton, St James Santee, with furniture pictures &c. and after his death to son Frederick Rutledge (II) and then to his oldest son.  Said Hampton plantation ‘has been in our family for five generations’ request it not to be sold out of the family. Mention of her late husband Fredrick Rutledge, Esq and her late Mother Mrs Elizabeth Horry. . .”³³

Frederick Rutledge was Delegate and Vestryman for the Episcopal Elections held on Easter Monday, the 12^th of April 1819 for St James, Santee.³⁴ In 1820, he possessed ninety slaves, thirty of whom were engaged in agriculture and four in commerce.³⁵

From a newspaper of the time,³⁶ “Frederick Rutledge Esq of Charleston was drowned on Monday, the 12 inst. By falling overboard from the ferry boat while crossing from that city to Haddell’s Point.  He was a few minutes previously overpowered by a sudden fit of illness and sunk down against the gunwale of the boat, with his back to the water – shortly afterward, placing both his hands upon his heart, he fell backward into the water, seemingly without sense or motion, and immediately sunk.  The event excited much sorrow in Charleston.”  He died April 12, 1824.³⁷ He is buried in the St Michael’s Episcopal Church Cemetery in Charleston, SC as is his father.³⁸

Frederick was the son of John Rutledge and Elizabeth Grimke whose history is well documented in “Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants” (Webber, Mabel, South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol 31 No 1, pp 7-25, January 1930).³⁹

Jean Ann Ables-Flatt, Genealogical Research Specialist
Member:  Association of Professional Genealogists
January 14, 2020

Citation Sources

[1] Index to Vital Statistics – Births – Robson County, NC {return}

[2] Richmond County, SC Marriage Index {return}

[3] Index of Marriages in New Jersey Vol 27 p 1364 {return}

[4] Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Vital Statistics – Certificate of Birth #1200115 {return}

[5] Standard Certificate of Death, State of South Carolina, Bureau of Vital Statistics State Board of Health #066956 {return}

[6] Findagrave.com {return}

[7] Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current, findagrave.com {return}

[8] Ancestry.com. 1920 US Fed Census, Mercersburg, Franklin, PA Roll T625, 1572, p 1114, ED 26 {return}

[9] Public Opinion (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania) 20 Jan 1943 Wed p 1; The Greenville News (Greenville, South Carolina) 19 Jan 1943, Tues – p 210 {return}

[10] Application for Marriage and Marriage License and Certificate #224, County of Franklin, State of Pennsylvania{return}

[11] Keowee Courier (Pickens, South Carolina) 31 Jul 1907 Wed p 7 {return}

[12] The Index-Journal (Greenwood SC) 05 Mar 1939, Sun p 11 {return}

[13] Ancestry.com; 1900 Charleston Ward 8, Charleston SC; p 11; ED 0099, FHL film 1241520 and 1900 Saint James Santee, Charleston Coounty SC; p 9; ED 0132 {return}

[14] The Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, SC) 11 Nov 1983 – Fri {return}

[15] SC Death Certificate, Ibid, State # 0245, local # 3516 {return}

[16] Mercersburg Journal (Mercersburg, PA) 22 Jan 1909, Fri p 1 {return}

[17] The Abbeville Press (Abbeville, South Carolina) 29 Aug 1921, Mon p 2; The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama) 2 Nov 1997, Sun p 24 {return}

[18] The Abbeville Press Ibid. {return}

[19] Harriott Rutledge Seabrook, daughter of Henry Middleton Rutledge and Margaret Hamilton Seabrook, is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) under her ancestor, John Rutledge (1739 – 1800) # 98122. She states her parents were married in 1875. SC did not require marriage licenses at that time. She appears as their daughter on the 1900 Saint James Santee census, Ibid. {return}

[20] “Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants” compiled by Mabel L Webber, published in “The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine”, Vol 31, No 2, April 1930. {return}

[21] 1900 Saint James Santee census Ibid. {return}

[22] Certificate of Death, State of South Carolina, Bureau of Vital Statistics, State Board of Health State #8459 {return}

[23] The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama) 2 Nov 1997, Sun p 24 {return}

[24] Newspapers.com 16 Nov 1825 p 2 {return}

[25] Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants compiled by Mabel L Webber, Ibid, p 99 {return}

[26] Ancestry.com – 1840 US Census St. James Santee Parish, Charleston, SC; roll 509, p 179; FHL film #0022508 {return}

[27] Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants – Webber, Ibid, p 99 {return}

[28] Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants – Webber, Ibid, p 97 {return}

[30] Ancestry.com 1880 US Census Charleston, SC, p 4; ED 58 {return}

[29] Ancestry.com – 1860 US Census St. James Santee, Charleston, SC {return}

[31] Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants, Webber, Ibid, p 99 {return}

[32] “Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants”, Webber, Ibid, p 99 {return}

[33] Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants, Webber, Ibid, p 94 {return}

[34] Newspapers.com 18 Apr 1819, Thu p 2 {return}

[35] Ancestry.com 1820 US Census, St James Santee, Charleston County SC, p 114; RARA Roll: M33-119; image 242 {return}

[36] Posted on Findagrave.com – source not given {return}

[37] City of Charleston Death Index – Frederick Rutledge died of drowning 12 Apr 1824 {return}

[38] Findagrave.com {return}

[39] Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for Harriott Rutledge Seabrook #98122 (great granddaughter of John and Elizabeth Grimke Rutledge) Dr John Rutledge and His Descendants, Webber, Ibid. Webber used information from the “Journal of Mrs Ann Manigault” who kept this journal from the years 1754 through 1781. Ann was the wife of Gabriel Manigault, a wealthy merchant, for many years Public Treasurer. He was reputed to be the richest man in the Province. {return}