Rutledge, John, 1739-1800

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John Rutledge (September 17, 1739 – June 21, 1800) was an American Founding Father, politician, and jurist who served as one of the original associate justices of the Supreme Court and the second chief justice of the United States. Additionally, he served as the first President of South Carolina and later as its first governor after the Declaration of Independence.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Rutledge established a legal career after studying at Middle Temple in the City of London. He was the elder brother of Edward Rutledge, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Rutledge served as a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, which protested taxes imposed on the Thirteen Colonies by the Parliament of Great Britain. He also served as a delegate to the Continental Congress before being elected as Governor of South Carolina. He served as governor during much of the American Revolutionary War.

After briefly returning to Congress, Rutledge was appointed to the South Carolina Court of Chancery. He was a delegate to the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, which wrote the United States Constitution. During the convention, he served as Chairman of the Committee of Detail, which produced the first full draft of the Constitution. The following year he also participated in the South Carolina convention to ratify the Constitution.

In 1789, President George Washington appointed Rutledge as one of the inaugural Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. Rutledge left the Supreme Court in 1791 to become Chief Justice of the South Carolina Court of Common Pleas and Sessions. He returned to the Supreme Court, this time as Chief Justice, following the resignation of John Jay in June 1795. As the vacancy came during a long Senate recess, Washington named Rutledge as the new chief justice by a recess appointment. When the Senate reconvened in December 1795, it rejected Rutledge's nomination by a 10–14 vote. Rutledge resigned his commission shortly thereafter and withdrew from public life until his death in Charleston. He was interred at St. Michael's Episcopal Church there.

Rutledge holds the record for the shortest tenure of any Chief Justice. His was the first Supreme Court nomination to be rejected by the Senate, and he remains the only "recess appointed" justice not to be subsequently confirmed by the Senate.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Pringle, Ernest Henry, 1881-1955. Pringle family papers, 1721-1876. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Heriot family. Heriot family papers, 1756-1853 and undated. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Singleton, Matthew, 1730-1787. Matthew Singleton Papers, 1773-1783. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
creatorOf Johnstone Family. Papers, 1753-1989. Francis Marion University, James A Rogers Library, James A. Rogers Library
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
referencedIn Davie, Preston, b. 1881. Preston Davie collection, 1560-1903. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Autograph letter in third person : [Charleston?], to William Drayton, 1788 Aug. 4. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Gilpin family. Papers, 1727-1872. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Sumter, Thomas, 1734-1832. Papers of Thomas Sumter, 1761-1838 (bulk 1780-1832) Library of Congress
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Papers, 1762-1776. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf Saunders, William, fl. 1763,. Plea in the case of Hamilton v. Saunders, 1763. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Letter to John Kean, 8 December 1787. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Butler, Pierce, 1744-1822. Pierce Butler papers, 1779-1787. Library of Congress
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Collection of documents concerning the American Revolution, 1740-1866 Houghton Library
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Letter : to South Carolina delegates, 1779 March 17. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Washburne, E. B. (Elihu Benjamin), 1816-1887. Autograph collection, 1766-1888. Houghton Library
referencedIn Morris, Robert, 1734-1806. Autograph letter signed : New York, to James Wilson, 1789 Sept. 27. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Washington, George, 1732-1799. George Washington papers, 1592-1937 (bulk 1748-1799). Library of Congress
referencedIn William Short Papers, 1778-1853 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Draper, Lyman Copeland, 1815-1891,. Draper manuscripts : Thomas Sumter papers, 1763-1885. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794. Letters of Richard Henry Lee [manuscript] 1777-1791. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Rutledge, Edward, 1749-1800. Letter : to [George Washington], [1789]. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786. Nathanael Greene letters, 1781-1782. Georgia Historical Society
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. John Rutledge account book, 1761-1779. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn John Holker Papers, 1777-1822 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Papers of John Rutledge, 1761-1786. Library of Congress
creatorOf Rutledge, John, Governor, 1739-1800. Autograph letter signed : to Gen. Greene, 1781 Nov. 11. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rutledge, Edward, 1749-1800. ALS, 1787 March 27 : (Charlestown), to unknown in New York. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn George Washington papers, 1592-1943 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Gregorie, Anne King. Anne King Gregorie papers relating to Thomas Sumter, ca. 1930. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn South Carolina. General Assembly. Resolution and notice concerning the election of John Rutledge, 1779 Feb. 7. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Adams, John, 1735-1826. Letter : to Christopher Gadsden, Charleston, S.C., 1801 April 16. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 8 -- Letters to Franklin, 1783 December-1786 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Alston family. Collection of miscellaneous manuscripts, 1733-1895. College of Charleston, Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Autograph letter signed : to Gen. Greene, 1781 Jan. 23. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Autograph letter signed : to Gov. Patrick Henry, 1776 Sept. 3. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. ALS, 1781 September 21 : Capt. Richardsons, to General Nathanael Greene. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn Letters and documents of signers of the Declaration of Independence, 1750-1933. Houghton Library
referencedIn George Washington papers, 1592-1943 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Vaughan, John, 1755-1841. Papers, 1768 - ca. 1936 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786. Autograph letter signed : "Head Quarters," to Governor Rutledge, 1781 Oct. 15. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. [Document] 1794 Aug. 1 / J. Rutledge. Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Anglo-Dutch War collection : journal, 1780-1783. Library of Congress
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Papers, 1760-1862; (bulk 1788-1798). Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810. Papers, 1778-1804. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Nathanael Greene Papers, 1775-1785 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Volume X, miscellany, 1764-1805 Cornell University Library
referencedIn Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. Letter, 1788 May 08, Paris, [France], to Dr. [William] Shippen, n.p. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Volume XII, Miscellany, 1769-1838 Cornell University Library
referencedIn Lee, Charles, 1731-1782. Charles Lee letterbook, 1776 July 2 - Aug. [27?]. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Iredell, James, 1751-1799. Papers of the elder Iredell, his wife Hannah, and their son James [microform] 1767-1856 (bulk 1771-1830). University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf South Carolina. Court of Chancery. Chancery decree, 27 June 1786. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Rutledge, John, 1739-1800. Autograph letter signed : to Gov. Caswell, 1780 Feb. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams, John, 1735-1826. person
associatedWith Butler, Pierce, 1744-1822. person
associatedWith Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789, person
associatedWith Davie, Preston, b. 1881. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Drayton, William, 1732-1790, person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Gilpin family. family
associatedWith Great Britain. Parliament. corporateBody
associatedWith Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786, person
correspondedWith Gregorie, Anne King. person
associatedWith Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799, person
correspondedWith Heriot family. person
associatedWith Holker, John, 1745-1822. person
associatedWith Hubbard, John, collector. person
associatedWith Iredell, James, 1751-1799. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Johnstone Family. family
associatedWith Kean, John, 1756-1795, person
associatedWith Laurens, Henry, 1724-1792. person
correspondedWith Lee, Charles, 1731-1782. person
associatedWith Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810. person
associatedWith Miralles Trailhon, Juan de, d. 1780. person
associatedWith Morris, Robert, 1734-1806. person
associatedWith Pringle, Ernest Henry, 1881-1955. person
sibling of Rutledge, Edward, 1749-1800. person
memberOf Rutledge family. family
parentOf Rutledge, John, 1766-1819 person
associatedWith Saunders, William, fl. 1763, person
correspondedWith Short, William, 1759-1849. person
correspondedWith Singleton, Matthew, 1730-1787. person
associatedWith South Carolina. Court of Chancery. corporateBody
memberOf South Carolina. Court of Common Pleas. corporateBody
associatedWith South Carolina. General Assembly. corporateBody
associatedWith South Carolina. Governor (1779-1782 : Rutledge) corporateBody
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Sumter, Thomas, 1734-1832. person
associatedWith United States. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
memberOf United States. Supreme Court corporateBody
associatedWith Vaughan, John, 1756-1841 person
associatedWith Washburne, E. B. (Elihu Benjamin), 1816-1887 person
correspondedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Charleston SC US
London ENG GB
Charleston SC US
Subject
Account books
Bills of exchange
Visitors, Foreign
Lawyers
Legislators
Real estate investment
Voyages and travels
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Governors
Jurists
Lawyers
Activity

Person

Birth 1739-09-17

Death 1800-06-21

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

Information

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