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.
