Daughters of the Revolutionary War lineage:
Nancy Estes's parents (John D. Estes and Catherine Jane Kirkpatrick) (John's parents unknown)

Catherine Kirkpatrick's parents (Joseph Marion Kirkpatrick and Martha Patsy Ross)

Martha Patsy Ross's parents William Ross and Eliza Jane Allen | William Hugh Ross, Jr. and Mary Griffin

Other Ancestors:

Frances Skaggs parents: James Skaggs and Frances Beeler |

Joseph Kirkpatrick's parents (David Sevier Kirkpatrick and Catherine White) | John Hugh Kirkpatrick and Margaret "Jane" Wilkins (possible Revoluntary War; there are 2 John Hugh Kirkpatricks)

Catherine White's parents (Joseph White and Janet Mebane)

Colonial Rutledges:

Rutledges in 1790 Census | John James Rutledge and Jane Anne Stewart | Edward Thomas Rutledge and Elizabeth Graem (Son Andrew/Sarah Boone) | (Dr.) John Rutledge and Sarah Hext |

Y-DNA paths - Sons of John Rutledge and Sarah Hext: (Constitution|Atty) John Rutledge and Elizabeth Grimké | (Declaration) Edward Rutledge and Henrietta Middleton | Hugh Rutledge and Mary Golightly Huger

Y-DNA paths - Sons of (Constitution|Atty) John Rutledge and Elizabeth Grimke: John Rutledge, Jr. and Sarah Motte Smith | Frederick Rutledge and Harriott Pinckney Horry |

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THIS IS MY WORKING GENEALOGY BIOGRAPHIES, PLEASE DO NOT COPY AS FACT. Some photos are personal and are not to be copied and republished; other images are okay. Documentation I collected as proof to support facts (i.e. dates, relationships, etc.) are available for your use. I share freely, but please do not abuse copyright or perpetuate any information without supporting facts that may or may not be in error. I try to mark in red my questions or documents I need to look for, so your assistance in making this a complete collection is always appreciated.

Rutledges in the 1790 Census

Since my brick wall is James Rutledge born in 1790 in North Carolina, I have long wanted to document each Rutledge in the 1790 census. One of them has to be the family of my James! This is my working list. Where does your family line fall? (Link to Rutledges in 1790 census on Ancestry) (1790 First Census Heads of Families publications by state)

I find it interesting that there are more families in North Carolina than South Carolina!

It is interesting that there are none in Pennsylvania or Virginia. Unfortunately, the original 1790 and 1800 census records for Virginia were destroyed when the British burned Washington during the War of 1812. Most "1790 Virginia" data you see today is actually reconstructed from tax lists (like the 1782–1785 enumerations); The States of Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia were all destroyed when the British burned the Capitol at Washington during the War of 1812.

Maryland (13 familes)

Many of these families are the precursors to the "frontier" branches that eventually moved into Virginia and North Carolina. The Baltimore and Harford County clusters represent some of the oldest Rutledge settlements in the colonies.

Baltimore (Misc Run Hundred)

The "Hundred" was a sub-district of a county. These families were closely packed neighbors.

Abraham Rutledge Junior: 12 persons (2 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 3 males under 16, 4 females; 2 other free; Wife: Sarah, married about 1780; Children: Abraham III, Thomas
Abraham Rutledge Senior: 15 persons (7 enslaved); 3 males over 16, 3 males under 16, 2 females; Wife: Elizabeth Butler; A patriarch of this branch; a larger household with slaves
Ephrim Rutledge: 9 persons; 2 males over 16, 2 males under 16, 5 females; ; Wife: Mary "Molly" Dean; Children: John, Ephraim Jr.

John Rutledge: 4 persons; 2 males over 16, 2 females;

Joshua Rutledge: 3 persons (1 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 1 other free; Wife unknown; He was a Revolutionary War veteran (Lieutenant) and is often found in military bounty land records.
Michel Rutledge: 7 persons; 1 male over 16, 1 males under 16, 5 females;
Peter Rutledge: 6 persons; 1 male over 16, 2 males under 16, 3 females; Wife unknown; Brother to Abraham Jr.
Thomas Rutledge: 4 persons; 1 male over 16, 3 females; Wife unknown; Likely a son of Abraham Sr.

Harford County

Jacob Rutledge: 7 persons (5 enslaved); 2 males over 16
Shadrick Rutledge: 3 persons (1 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 1 female; Wife unknown
William Rutledge: 5 persons; 1 male over 16, 2 males under 16, 2 females; Wife unknown
Eliza Rutlege: 5 persons; 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16, 3 females; Likely a widow
John Rutledge: 20 persons (11 enslaved); 5 males over 16, 1 male under 16, 3 females; Wife unknown; A large household and likely significant landowner in the Bush River area.

New York (1 family)

New York City (East Ward)

William Rutledge: 9 persons (1 enslaved); 3 males under 16 and 4 females. Wife unknown; like a merchant or tradesman living in the bustling port of New York City.

North Carolina (18 families)

Duplin County (Coastal)

Thomas Rutledge: 2 persons (1 enslaved); 1 males over 16; Likely a new marriage or an elderly couple; only 1 male and 1 slave.
Thomas Rutledge Esquire: 15 persons (9 enslaved); 3 males over 16, 1 male under 16, 2 females; Wife: Margaret "Peggy" Moore; Children: Thomas Jr. and William

Lincoln County (Western)

Charles Rutledge: 4 persons; 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16, 2 females; Wife unknown

James Rutledge: 12 persons; 1 male over 16, 3 male under 16, 4 females; Wife Jane Glass; Children: James, George, William, and several daughters
John Rutledge: 8 persons; 2 males over 16, 3 males under 16, 3 females; . Wife unknown

New Hanover County (Coastal) (spelled with the "o")

Ester Routledge: (Total persons blank in record) Likely a widow of Nicholas Routledge (a prominent surveyor/clerk)
William Routledge: 7 persons (2 enslaved) 1 male over 16, 3 females; Wife: Elizabeth (possibly second marriage); Children: Nicholas, Thomas, and several daughters.

Rowan County (Backcountry)

James Ratlage: 9 persons (3 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 1 males under 16, and 4 females; Wife unknown

John Rutledge: 6 persons; 2 males over 16, 4 females; Wife: Jane Armstrong: Children: William, John
Daniel Ratledge: 4 persons; 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16, 2 females; Wife unknown; This "Ratledge" spelling becomes a distinct branch in Rowan/Davie County.

Stokes County (Backcountry)

Johnson Rutledge: 6 persons; 1 male over 16, 3 male under 16, 2 females; Possible brother of William Sr.
William Rutledge (Jr.): 8 persons; 1 male over 16, 3 males under 16, 4 females; Son of patriarch in family of 7 (maybe a nephew; Wife: Mary or Sarah; Children: At least 3 sons and 3 daughters
William Rutledge: 5 persons; 2 males over 16, 2 males under 16, 1 female; . Possibly a cousin or extended Rutledge clan of the Yadkin River Valley
William Rutledge (Sr.): 7 persons; 1 male over 16, 3 male under 16, 3 females; Wife: Matilda King, married 1753; Likely the patriarch of the Stokes/Surry branch; Children: Elijah (who married Isabelle Boles), Jean, William Jr., John. He was born around 1725–1734 and died in Stokes County around 1804

Surry County (Backcountry)

Surry and Stokes were adjoining; Stokes was actually formed from Surry in 1789.

Joseph Rutledge: 8 persons; 2 male over 16, 3 males under 16, 3 females; Wife: Mary "Molly" Paschal; Children: Paschal, William, John, and several daughters

Mary Rutledge: 8 persons; 2 male over 16, 3 males under 16, 4 females; Likely a widow of John or George
William Rutledge: 4 persons; 1 male over 16, 3 females;

Wilkes County (Backcountry)

William Rutledge: 8 persons (2 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 3 males under 16, 2 females; Born 1756 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Wife: Chloe Johnson married April 3, 1782; After serving in the Revolutionary War and leaving Pennsylvania, he stayed in the Wilkes/Rowan area for a few years before eventually migrating to Tennessee (Williamson and later Wayne County), where he applied for his pension. Children: Jane, Samuel Johnson, Margaret Matilda, James, Martha C. "Patsy", and William Jr.

South Carolina (10 families)

Abbeville County (Upcountry Pioneers & Frontier)

Garret Rutledge: 2 persons; 1 male over 16, 22 females; Likely a new marriage;
John Rutlege: 4 persons; 1 male over 16, 3 females; Wife unknown
Russell Rutledge: 9 persons; 1 male over 16,2 males under 16, 6 females; Wife unknown;

Beaufort County (Upcountry Pioneers & Frontier)

John (Planta) Rutledge: 2 persons (2 enslaved); Only 2 slaves in the house; Likely John Rutledge Smith or a specific plantation designation for a member of the Charleston branch holding land in Beaufort.

Charleston (Christ Church) (Coastal) (Lowcountry)

These two represent the estate of Dr. John Rutledge and his widow wife Sarah Hext Rutledge. Almost entirely enslaved persons working the family's Christ Church plantation.

Sarah (est) Rutledge: 67 persons (64 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16, 1 female
Frank Ratlidge: 67 persons (64 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16, 1 female

Charleston (St Phillips and St Michaels)(Coastal) (Lowcountry)

Edward Rutledge: 19 persons (16 enslaved); 1 male over 16, 2 females; Wife: Henrietta Middleton (first wife) or Mary Shubrick Eveleigh (married 1792); Henrietta passed in 1789 so the house was in transition; Children: Henry Middleton and Sarah Panton
John Rutledge: 32 persons (26 enslaved); 3 males over 16, 1 male under 16, 2 females (Constitution|Atty); Wife: Elizabeth Grimké; Children: Martha, John Jr., Edward, Frederick, William, Charles, Thomas, and Elizabeth; very large household
John (Returned) Rutledge: 8 persons (3 enslaved); 2 males over 16, 3 females; John Rutledge Jr., the son of Constitution John, who had recently returned from his travels and studies in Europe. Wife: Sarah Motte Smith, married shortly after this census in 1791;

Claremont County (Midlands)

John Rutledge: 13 persons (3 enslaved); 2 males over 16, 3 males under 16, 5 females; Wife: Jane "Jean" Officer; Children: James, William; Often linked back to Virginia Rutledges

NORTH CAROLINA TAX LIST SUBSTITUTES (1700s)

All North Carolina, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 results for Rutledge, but below are only the 1700's.

Craven County

William Rutledge, 1742 (Primary record)

This William Rutledge is likely a full generation or two earlier than all of the men listed in the 1790 census, though he may be the common ancestor for the coastal North Carolina lines of New Hanover and Duplin.

Duplin County

Thomas? Rutledge, 1783 (Early Tax List)
Thomas Routledge, 1783
Thomas? Routledge, 1783 (Early Tax List)
Thomas Routledge, 1786 (Gillespies Companyst)

Thomas Rutledge appears in the 1790 Duplin County Census.

Lincoln County

John Rutledge, No date listed
John Rutledge, No date listed
Charles Rutledge, no date listed

Charles Rutledge, no date listed

New Hanover County

William Rutledge, 1786 (Upper Sound District)
William Rutledge, 1786 (Upper Sound District)

William Rutledge appears in the 1790 New Hanover County Census.

Orange County

James Rutledge, 1779 (Early Tax List)
James Rutlege, 1779

There is no Rutledge in the 1790 Orange County census, indicating he may have moved or is no longer living.

Rowan County

William Rutledge, 1755
William? Rutleage, 1755
William Rutledge, 1759
William Rutlige, 1762
William Rutlidge, 1766 (Early Tax List)

Your tax list shows William Rutludge in Rowan County consistently from 1755 to 1766 which is consistent with the Rowan County 1790 census; but the earlier dates suggest he was an established landowner well before the Revolutionary War, or potentially the father of the William listed in 1790.

Surry County

William Rutlidge, 1771
William Rutlidge, 1771 (Early Tax List)
William Rutledge, 1778
William Rutledge, 1786 (Wrights District)
William Rutledge, 1786 (Wrights District)
Johnson Rutlage, 1786 (Blackburns District)
William Rutlage, 1786 (Blackburns District)
William Sr. Rutlage, 1786 (Blackburns District)
The three William Rutledges and Johnson Rutlage appear in the 1790 Surry County Census.

Rutledges in the 1790 Census