Profile Text
Rutledge portrait, by Robert C. Hinckley
Date of Birth: September 17, 1739
Place of Birth: Charleston, South Carolina, British America
Date of Death: July 23, 1800
Place of Death: Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Ethnicity: Scottish, Northern Irish, English
John Rutledge was an American politician, jurist, and Founding Father. He was a Member of the South Carolina Commons House of Assembly, from 1761 to 1775, Attorney General of South Carolina, in 1764, a Delegate from South Carolina to the Stamp Act Congress, from October 7, 1765 to October 25, 1765, a Delegate from South Carolina to the Continental Congress, from September 5, 1774 to October 26, 1776, Governor of South Carolina/President of South Carolina, from July 4, 1776 to March 7, 1778, and again, from January 9, 1779 to January 16, 1782; an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, from February 15, 1790 to March 5, 1791; Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, from 1791 to 1795; and the second Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States , from August 12, 1795 to December 28, 1795.
He was a Federalist Party candidate for President of the United States in 1788-89 .
Chief Justice Rutledge was the son of Sarah Boone (Hext) and John Rutledge. His father was born in Longford County, Tyrone, Ireland.
Chief Justice Rutledge was married to Elizabeth Grimké, with whom he had ten children.
Chief Justice Rutledge’s paternal grandfather was named Edward Thomas Rutledge (the son of John Rutledge and Anne). Edward was Scottish. John was born in Melrose, Roxburghshire, the son of George Rutledge.
Chief Justice Rutledge’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Graem (the daughter of Andrew Grem/Graem). Elizabeth was born in Fermanagh Co., Ireland.
Chief Justice Rutledge’s maternal grandfather was Hugh Hext (the son of Hugh David Hext and Grace Greene). Chief Justice Rutledge’s grandfather Hugh was English, the son of a father from Dorsetshire.
Chief Justice Rutledge’s maternal grandmother was Sarah Boone (the daughter of John Boone and Elizabeth Patey). Sarah was born in South Carolina. John was born in South Carolina, the son of John Boone, who was English, and of Mary Audrie. Elizabeth was also born in South Carolina, the daughter of Edward Richard Patee/Patey, who was born in St. Michaels Church, Barbados, of English origin, and of Elizabeth Gibbes.
Source: Genealogy of John Rutledge – https://www.geni.com