FIRST GENERATION

1. William Rutledge ⁽¹⁾ was born in Jun 1756 in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He appeared on the census in 1790 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. ⁽²⁾ He sold 320 acres on the middle fork of Brier Creek on 19 May 1790 in Wilkes County, North Carolina.⁽³⁾ He owned stock mark: a crop off right ear swallow fork on left on 24 Nov 1807 in Maury County, Tennessee.⁽⁴⁾ He appeared on the census in 1820 in Maury County, Tennessee. ⁽⁵⁾ He appeared on the census in 1830 in Wayne County, Tennessee. ⁽⁶⁾ He received a Tennessee Land Grant in 1830.⁽⁷⁾ He sold A certain negro girl named Cherry aged twenty two years (deed of gift) on 11 Feb 1832 in Wayne County, Tennessee.⁽⁸⁾ He bought 27 acres on Rayburn's fork of Indian Creek, Survey Simington & Davis, from David Cook on 29 Dec 1832 in Wayne County, Tennessee.⁽⁹⁾ He died about 1835 in Tennessee.

William Rutledge was born June, 1756, in Carlyle, Pennsylvania, the son of Isaac and Mary Rutledge of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is believed that William Rutledge's mother died young, as his father married Jane Finney in Lancaster County in 1760, and that Isaac himself died about 1770. Isaac's widow Jane married John Turnbull in 1772 in Rowan County, North Carolina.

William Rutledge's grandfather is said to be John Rutledge b. 1711 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who died in 1774 in Rowan County, North Carolina, and mentions in his will indebtedness to "Isaac Rutledge's children now living with John Turnbull". John Rutledge's wife was Eleanor Jane Caldwell.

The first record of William is in Rowan, County, North Carolina, where on August 2, 1775, "William Rutledge, Orphan of Isaac Rutledge, being of lawful age came into Court and chose for his guardian David Caldwell" (Court Records, Rowan County, NC).

William Rutledge then served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, which is outlined in his pension record listed below. Toward the end of the War, he settled in Wilkes County, NC, where he married Chloe Johnson, daughter of Jeffrey Johnson, in 1782. He is listed on the
1790 Census of Wilkes County, North Carolina.

About 1795, he moved to Williamson County, Tennessee, and then to Maury County after it was formed in 1807. He appeared on tax roll of 1815 and 1820 census in Maury County, Tennessee. In 1829, he moved to Wayne County, appearing there on the census in 1830. William Rutledge executed a deed in favor of his daughter Mahala Rayburn in 1832 in Waynce County. He died after applying for a revolutionary war pension from there in 1834, but before 1835, as he is not listed on the pension roll of 1835.

The greatest amount of information on William Rutledge is contained in his pension file which is listed below:


PENSION OF WILLIAM RUTLEDGE

Revolutionary War - North Carolina - #S4171


State of Tennessee } September sessions of the County
Wayne County } Court of said County for the year 1832


On this 5th day of Sept. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the justice of said county now sitting, William Rutledge, a resident of said County and State aged seventy six years since June last, in his being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath swear the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That is to say, He volunteered and entered the above-named service in Rowann County in the state of North Carolina early in the Revolutionary War, under the command of Capt. David Caldwell in General Griffin Rutherford's Brigade. He marched on this tour down on Cross Creek in North Carolina for the purpose of keeping down the Scotch Tories in that quarter.

He was then discharged at the expiration of his term of service which was three months. He next volunteered and entered the service in said County of Rowann for the term of three months. He was marched through Burke County over the mountains and crossed near the head of the Catawba River, and from thence over to the head of (the) Tennessee River against the Cherokee Indians under the command of Captain Joseph Dickerson in General Rutherford's Brigade.

On this expedition the troops with which applicant was associated drove the Indians from their settlements and towns, burnt their towns, huts, and wigwams and destroyed everything before them. He was then marched back to Rowann County where he was discharged at the end of his term of service.

He next volunteered and entered the service, again for the term of three months under Capt. Joseph Dickerson, who was the highest officer in Command on this expedition. He marched down to Pinetree in South Carolina for the purpose of quelling and keeping down the Scotch Tories, and was again marched home and discharged at the end of his term of service, which was one of three months.

Applicant then went to live up in Wilkes County, State of North Carolina where he went again into service as a volunteer under Major Micajah Lewis, and marched near to Haw River, thirteen or fourteen miles from Guilford Courthouse, where he and his associate troops defeated the Tories under the Command of Col. Piles. They killed in this engagement a number of the Tories, in full nearly all that were in the action and took no prisoners. Col. Perkins was their General on this occasion on the side of the United States troops. Col. Lee was also in this engagement.

About this time the said Applicant was sent in Company with Capt. Robert Cleveland with an express from the Moravian towns to General Green at Guilford Courthouse. Which express was to inform Gen. Green that the British were at the shallow ford on the Yadkin River advancing towards his quarters. This was a short time before the battle fought at Guilford Courthouse. This was the last service that applicant performed except being afterwards engaged in several scouting parties.

He has no documentary evidence and he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service except Col. John Witherspoon of said County of Wayne State of Tennessee. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name in not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.

Sworn to and subscribed in open court the date first above written, Test. Wm. Bennett, Clerk.



Wm. Rutledge (signed)




Questions put by the War Department:

Question 1: Where and in what year were you born?

Answer: I was born in the State of Pennsylvania near the town of Carlisle in the year 1756.


Question 2: Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?

Answer: I think I have at home a record of my age on a small piece of paper in my father's own handwriting.


Question 3: Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since, and where do you now live?

Answer: When first called into service I lived in Rowann County, N.C. But afterwards in Wilks County during the Revolutionary War. I came from Wilks County N.C. to Tennessee something like forty years ago to Williamson County where I resided until I moved to Maury County where I lived until three years last since which time I have resided in Wayne County, Tennessee, where I now live.


Question 4: How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom.

Answer: I volunteered in all the expeditions set forth in my declaration.


Question 5: State the name of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service.

Answer: This question I have answered as well as I am able in the above declaration.


Question 6: Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?

Answer: I received four discharges, one from Capt. Caldwell, two from Capt. Dickson, and another from Maj. Micajah Lewis, but I have lost or mislaid them all.


Question 7: State the names of the persons to whom you are acquainted in your present neighbourhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution.

Answer: I am known to Squire Henry Rayburn, Gen. John Rayburn, Col. John Witherspoon, Robert Thompson, Col. Gallaher, Lewis Johnson, and Samuel Johnson, and others, all of whom can testify both as to my character for veracity and the reputation of my being a Revolutionary soldier in the neighbourhood where I now live.


He further states that he was under General Rutherford at the battle fought at Ramsour Mill, where Capt. Gillespie was killed, where the United States troops and the Tories had a very considerable engagement. A number were slain on both sides, but the Tories were completely routed, some taken prisoners and the rest driven from the field.

He also states that the said Maj. Lewis was mortally wounded in the engagement at Whiteside Mill on Rudee fork of Haw river and that he was carried off the field and died the next day.

Sworn to and subscribed in open court the date first above written
Test. William Bennett, Clerk.

He was married to Chloe Johnson (daughter of Jeffery Johnson and Rachel Walker) on 3 Apr 1782 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Chloe Johnson was born in 1760 in Cameron, Loudoun, VA. She died before 1814 in Maury County, Tennessee. She was buried in Dooley Cemetery, Maury County, TN. William Rutledge and Chloe Johnson had the following children:

+2 i. Jane Ferilla Rutledge.
+3 ii. James Rutledge.
+4 iii. Samuel J. Rutledge.
+5 iv. William M. Rutledge.
+6 v. Martha C. Rutledge.
+7 vi. Ophelia Rutledge.
+8 vii. Mahala Williamson Rutledge.

He was married to Margaret Carson (daughter of Thomas Carson and Mary Smith) on 21 Dec 1814 in Maury County, Tennessee. Margaret Carson was born on 11 Sep 1762. She died on 2 May 1829.