Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. As a delegate from South Carolina, Edward was born in 1749 in Charleston, South Carolina to Dr. John Rutledge and Sarah Hext. The fifth son and youngest child of an Irish immigrant and physician, Rutledge was born in 1749 in Charleston, South Carolina. Like Middleton, Lynch, and Heyward, the other South Carolina signers of the Declaration of Independence, as a young man he studied law in England. In 1773, during his first year of practice on his return to Charleston, he won Whig acclaim by obtaining the release of This entry was posted in American History, British history, Declaration of Independence, Georgian England, history, real life tales and tagged American history, British history, Edward Rutledge, Georgian England, signer of the Declaration of Independence, slavery, South Carolina. Bookmark the permalink. Edward Rutledge was an American lawyer, a South Carolina governor, South Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and above all; a patriot. It took news of the Declaration of Independence about five weeks to reach England, with the first newspaper printings of the text published in mid-August. Previous petitions of the Continental Congress had been addressed to the King — specifically, "Most Gracious Sovereign". Introduction Edward Rutledge was born on November 23, 1749, in Charleston, South Carolina, the youngest signer at age 26. Son of Dr. John Rutledge, an Irish immigrant physician, and Sarah Hext, a wealthy South Carolinian, he studied law in England and was admitted to the English Bar in 1772. In 1774, he married the sister of fellow signer Arthur Middleton. Events, particularly the beginning of the war, moved him to support independence in principle by February 1776. In June, however, he opposed a formal declaration of independence because he believed that the colonies should first agree on a confederation and secure foreign aid. Discover life events, stories and photos about Edward Rutledge (1749–1800) of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, British Colonial America. Edward Rutledge, the first of the South Carolina delegation who affixed his name to the Declaration of Independence, was born in the city of Charles Town, in November of 1749. He was the youngest, son of Doctor John Rutledge, who emigrated from Ireland to South Carolina, about the year 1735. His mother was Sarah Hert, a lady of respectable family, and large fortune. At the age of twenty-seven Rutledge was first elected to the First Continental Congress in July 1774. In August that same year, at age 26, he became the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Edward Rutledge (November 23, 1749 – January 23, 1800), South Carolina statesman, was one of four signers of the Declaration of Independence from South Carolina and, at the age of 26, the youngest of all the signers. A delegate at both the First Continental Congress and the Second Continental Congress, along with his older brother John Rutledge, he was later appointed a member of the first Essay 81: Edward Rutledge of South Carolina: Lawyer, Captain of Artillery in the Revolutionary War, Governor, and Declaration of Independence Signer – Guest Essayist: Edward Lee 2021 Declaration of Independence 90 Day Study Essay Schedule Short but detail-rich biographies of all the signers of the Declaration of Independence: Edward Rutledge Like his oldest brother John, Rutledge was a trusted and gifted public official. Most notably, at 26 years of age he was the youngest delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence. He proved himself a persuasive force within the South Carolina delegation. The Governor's House Inn Born in Charleston in 1749, Edward Rutledge was the youngest of seven children of Dr. John Rutledge and, at age 27, one of the youngest people to sign the Declaration of Independence. He was captured in 1780 along with his brother-in-law, Arthur Middleton, and others and spent a year imprisoned in St. Augustine, Fla. Edward Rutledge (November 23, 1749 – January 23, 1800) was an American politician and youngest signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He later served as the 39th Governor of South Carolina. Edward Rutledge (November 23, 1749 – January 23, 1800) was an American politician and one of the youngest signers of the United States Declaration of Independence. He served alongside fellow South Carolina colony delegates Thomas Heyward, Thomas Lynch Jr., and Arthur Middleton. Edward Rutledge (November 23, 1749 – January 23, 1800) was an American Founding Father and politician who signed the Continental Association and was the youngest signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He later served as the 39th governor of South Carolina. On June 7, 1776, when Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed national independence, Rutledge led the moderates in securing a delay in the voting. He knew that independence was inevitable. In March his colony, preceded only by New Hampshire, had adopted a constitution. Rutledge signed the Declaration in August, at age 26 the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. In the stage play and then movie “1776”, the character of Edward Rutledge is portrayed as the leader in the opposition to the slavery reference in Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |