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:

• Baby RUTTAN, died young
• Peter William Ruttan, born 1787
• Daniel Ruttan
• Abraham Ruttan
• Henry Ruttan, born 1792
• Matthew Ruttan
• Jacob Ruttan
• Charles Ruttan
• Elizabeth Ruttan

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:

• Mary Ruttan, born 1808
• Nancy Mathilda Ruttan, born 1809
• Phoebe Ruttan, born 1811
• Henry Peter Ruttan, born 1814
• Ruth Ruttan, born 1815
• David W Ruttan, born 1817
• Phillip Ruttan, born 1821
• Elizabeth Ruttan 1823
• Allan Ruttan, born 1825
• Walter Ruttan, born 1833

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.

• Peter’s first wife, Fannie Roblin , died in 1841.  Bachelorhood was not a desirable state so he married the widow, Mary Spalding Blanchard, in1842.

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.