Henry Ruttan was definitely a prominent nation builder — a soldier, a statesman, an entrepreneur and an inventor.
Henry’s father, William Ruttan, was a lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Jersey Volunteers during the American Revolution and was severely wounded during his service. He and his brother, Captain Peter Ruttan, were among the 1784 settlers who went to Adolphustown Township following that war.
The Ruttans were Huguenots, French Protestants of the 16th to 17th centuries. The Huguenots suffered severe persecution at the hands of the Catholic majority and many thousands emigrated from France. Peter Wiiliam Ruttan’s forefathers fled from France and eventually ended up in the New World. Two brothers, William and Peter, both fought for the British in the American Revolutionary War. William was a lieutenant in the New Jersey Volunteers and Peter was a captain, also in the New Jersey Volunteers. Both left New York for Canada in 1783 with the VanAlstine band of United Empire Loyalists, eventually ending up in Adolphustown.
William and Margaret Steele Ruttan had 9 children:
In 1807 Peter W Ruttan married Fannie Roblin (my 4th great grand aunt), daughter of Elizabeth Esther Miller Roblin and Philip Roblin UE. They had 10 children:
Peter W Ruttan followed in his father’s footsteps when it came to defending the British Empire. When war broke out between the United States of America and Canada, Peter enlisted in Captain Dorland’s Company, 1st Regiment Lennox Militia in 1812 with the rank of sergeant. In 1813 his name is found on the muster roll of Colonel Cartwright’s Battalion, Embodied Militia. Sergeant Ruttan also served with Captain Nicholas Hagerman’s Company, Lennox Sedentary Militia. Peter was awarded Lot 25, Concession 6 in Vespra Township for his service. As this was a long way from his home in Prince Edward County, scrip was a much more favourable option.
Peter continued to serve his country when the War of 1812 ended. His name is found on the 1838 2nd Frontenac Militia. In 1839 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 3rd Prince Edward Militia. He served as well in the civil domain as he was appointed magistrate for the municipality of North Port, Prince Edward County c. 1840.
Mary died in 1854 and Peter passed away in 1861.
All three of their headstones were eventually relocated from the defunct Ruttan Cemetery at Lot 23, Concession 1, West of Green Point to the Sophiasburgh Cemetery, Prince Edward County where today they stand as living monuments for this notable pioneer family.
Israel Tripp’s 5th great grandfather emigrated from England to Boston, approximately 1635, indentured as a carpenter. He became an inhabitant of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1638 and served in various capacities in the local governments. His signature is on the 1657 purchase of Conanicut and Dutch Island, Rhode Island. He continued to be of service to his community until his death in 1678.
Samuel Taylor, Private, 11th Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles, was born 1791, the eldest son of loyalists Nathaniel Taylor and Anna (Osborn) Taylor. The family settled on a grant of land in Prince Edward County ON.
Continue reading Samuel Taylor
Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles
