John Rutledge Papers, 1782-1872.

Summary

Creator:
Rutledge, John, 1766-1819.
Abstract:

John Rutledge (1766-1819) of South Carolina was the son of Governor John Rutledge (1739-1800). He studied in Charleston and Philadelphia and traveled in Europe in 1787 through early 1790. His wife was Sarah Motte Smith. He practiced law in Charleston, was a planter in the Savannah River area, served in the South Carolina legislature, was a member of the United States House of Representatives, 1797-1803, and was an officer in the South Carolina militia. The major portion of the papers consists of letters written to Rutledge and is most detailed for his years in Europe and his period of political activity. There are letters in the earlier period from friends in England and Europe and from prominent persons he met while there. There are a few letters from his brothers in Charleston, but none from his father. Later letters deal primarily with politics and the Federal Party and are from political leaders and government officials. There are also a number of letters from Rutledge to his father-in-law, Bishop Robert Smith, written during the period 1797-1803. Rutledge and his wife were separated in 1804 and there is some discussion of divorce law about this time. After 1808 there is little political material and the papers deal largely with business and plantation affairs. Later items include scattered business papers of Hugh Rose, a South Carolina planter whose daughter married Rutledge's son; papers of Abram A. Massias, major and paymaster in the United States Army; and scattered papers of later members of the Rutledge family. Also among the major correspondents are William Short, with reference to the French Revolution, and Harrison Gray Otis.

Extent:
663 items (1.0 linear feet)
Language:
Materials in English
Library Catalog Link:
View UNC library catalog record for this item

Background

Biographical / historical:

John Rutledge (1766-1819) of South Carolina was the son of Governor John Rutledge (1739-1800). He studied in Charleston and Philadelphia and traveled in Europe in 1787 through early 1790. His wife was Sarah Motte Smith. He practiced law in Charleston, was a planter in the Savannah River area, served in the South Carolina legislature, was a member of the United States House of Representatives, 1797-1803, and was an officer in the South Carolina militia.

Scope and content:

The major portion of the papers consists of letters written to Rutledge and is most detailed for his years in Europe and his period of political activity. There are letters in the earlier period from friends in England and Europe and from prominent persons he met while there. There are a few letters from his brothers in Charleston, but none from his father. Later letters deal primarily with politics and the Federal Party and are from political leaders and government officials. There are also a number of letters from Rutledge to his father-in-law, Bishop Robert Smith, written during the period 1797-1803. Rutledge and his wife were separated in 1804 and there is some discussion of divorce law about this time. After 1808 there is little political material and the papers deal largely with business and plantation affairs. Later items include scattered business papers of Hugh Rose, a South Carolina planter whose daughter married Rutledge's son; papers of Abram A. Massias, major and paymaster in the United States Army; and scattered papers of later members of the Rutledge family. Also among the major correspondents are William Short, with reference to the French Revolution, and Harrison Gray Otis.

Acquisition information:

Purchase 1944

Processing information:

Processed by: SHC Staff

Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007

Updated by: Kathryn Michaelis, March 2011

Updated by: Laura Hart, June 2021

This collection was processed with support from the sponsorship of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Office of Preservation, Washington, D.C., 1990-1993.

Sensitive materials statement:

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Access and use

Restrictions to access:

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to use:

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

No usage restrictions.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], in the John Rutledge Papers, #948, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Location of this collection:
Louis Round Wilson Library
200 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
Contact:
(919) 962-3765
wilsonlibrary@unc.edu