John Wesley Ruttan
ID # 9401, (1832-)
| Birth | John Wesley Ruttan was born on 16 March 1832 at Loughborough Twp., Midland District, Upper Canada. |
| Marriage | He married Hannah Wismer, daughter of Moses Wismer and Eunice Noble, on 23 January 1903 at Little Britain, Mariposa Twp., Victoria Co.. Mrge reg.018395-03 Mariposa Twp., Victoria Co. John Wesley Ruttan, 72, bachelor, farmer, Methodist. Born Loughboro, residing Ryde. Parents Michel Ruttan and Betsy Chollard. Hannah Ahart, 71, widow, born Markham, residing Mariposa. Parents Moses Wismer and Unis Noble. Witnesses Daniel Noble and Annie Noble, both residing Mariposa. On 23 January, 1903, at Little Britain, Mariposa, by S. N. Ruttan. Loughboro Township is in Frontenac County; Ryde Township is in the Muskoka District. The 1881 census shows Wesley Ruttan to be present with his family in Muskoka. He was almost certainly a widower when he married Hannah Wismer. |
| Marriage | He married Emily Dorse. It may be that a marriage record exists for Wesley and Emily in a church record. They were, however, probably married in the old Midland District and a marriage register for this district has not survived. |
| Note | He The first wife of John Wesley Ruttan was Emily. A certain example of her maiden name has not been found. Emily died in 1902 and her death registration does not show her maiden name. We have no certainty as to Emily's maiden name, but two examples have been found. Unfortunately, the handwriting is uncertain. Emily's name may have been something like Dorse, or Doris. Since it appears rather more clearly on son Wallace's marriage registration as Dorse, it is so shown here. It may not been entirely accurate. Wesley and Hannah's marriage registration shows his place of birth to be Loughboro. This, it is safe to say, was Loughborough Township in the old Midland District of Upper Canada. This same marriage registration tells that his father was Michael Ruttan. A Michael Ruttan, age 30, served in the 2nd Regiment of the Frontenac Militia. He was with other servicemen that were all drawn from the townships of Kingston, Loughborough, and Portland. Recorded beside Michael is Abraham Collard. Wesley and Hannah's marriage registration shows Wesley's mother to be Betsey Chollard. (See page 49 of Men of Upper Canada, Militia Nominal Rolls, 1828-1829, Bruce Elliott, Dan Walker, and Fawne Stratford-Devai, Toronto, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1995. This is available in digital format.) Both Michael Ruttan and Abraham Collard are shown to be age 30 as of, apparently, 1821. We may not say with certainty, but Abraham Collard's sister was quite possibly Betsey Chollard, so recorded in the Ruttan-Wismer marriage registration as Wesley's mother. (For the following, see page 69 of The Loyalists in Ontario by William D. Reid, 1973, Hunterdon House, Lambertville, New Jersey. This does indeed show an Abraham Collard who received an Order in Council (land) in 1833, and he had a sister Elizabeth. She is said to have married James Hannah of Kingston. This does make it unlikely, though not impossible, that this Elizabeth was Michael Ruttan's wife.) District marriage register volumes have survived, but such a register for the Midland District has not been found and probably has not survived. The 1851 entry for Wesley and Emily shows them in Loughborough Township of Frontenac County. They have with them a son, age 1. At first glance, the reading of the son's name is quite illegible, but Automated Genealogy translates the name as Granville. This is entirely plausible. The census page also shows all three family members as being born in Loughboro. The family is shown as being Episcopal Methodist. The 1851 census was begun on 12 January, 1852. The age question was asked as: What is your age as of your next birthday. The question was the same for the 1861 census. The age of the person as of the enumeration was not asked until the 1871 census. Whether these were always accurately answered is another matter. The 1861 census has the family still in Loughborough Township of Frontenac County. Wesley is shown as age 29 and Emily as age 32. They are still shown as Episcopal Methodists. Their dwelling is said to be made of logs. With them are four children. (For these ages, bear in mind the 1861 census was begun on 4 January, 1861. The childrens' names and ages are: Nathaniel, age 11 Elizabeth, age 6 Filanda (Philander), age 3 Diantha, age 1 In the above list, the sons are listed first and the daughters listed second. And a bit of a guess, but Nathaniel is at least possibly son shown as Granville in the 1851 census. The 1871 census shows Wesley and Emily in Dummer Township of Peterborough County. Wesley is a farmer, age 40, and Emily's age is given as 46. With them are children: Elizabeth, age 16 Philander, age 14 Diana (ill-written), age 12 Christy, a male, age 1 The family is still Episcopal Methodist. The 1881 census has Wesley and Emily in the Muskoka District on a page covering the townships of Draper, Ryde, and Oakley. Later information suggests that the family was in Ryde. They are still shown as Episcopal Methodists, and Wesley is shown as a farmer. With them are children: Philander, age 22 John Wesley, age 20 Christy, age 12 Jessie (female), age 12 Wallace, age 6 The 1891 census shows John W. Ruttan and his wife Emily in Ryde Township. With them is son Wallace, age 15. At this time, they are shown as Methodists. Emily's father's place of birth is shown as N.S. (Nova Scotia). The 1901 census in Ryde Township of the Muskoka District has both Wesley and Emily in the township, but Wesley is shown on his own and farming. His date of birth is given on this census as March 16, 1832. As mentioned in notes for Emily, she is with son Wallace and his wife Louisa. She may have been in failing health, for she died the following year. A death registration for Wesley has not been found. He married Hannah Wismer Earhart in 1903 in Mariposa Township of Victoria County. They probably returned to Ryde Township in Muskoka, but, by the time of the 1911 census, Hannah is to be found with a nephew in Mariposa. A date of death or place of burial for Wesley has not been found. |
| Last Edited | 18 Jan 2023 |