Biography

05/29/1838 - 06/18/1892

First Lieutenant James Smith “Ruti” Rutan (R26) Beaver and Washington Counties, 1870-1871 (R26) Beaver, Butler and Washington Counties 1872-1874 (R46) Beaver and Washington Counties 1875 (R42) Allegheny (Part) County 1887-1890 

Early Life:

First Lieutenant James Smith “Ruti” Rutan, born May 29, 1838, Perry Township, Harrison (Carroll) County, Ohio, son of Alexander and Sarah Rutan; attended public schools, Richmond (Ohio) College, Beaver Academy; teacher; attorney, Beaver County bar, 1861; publisher, Beaver Argus; enlisted, First Lieutenant, Company F, 101st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 1861-1862; elected, district attorney of Beaver County, 1862-1868; chairman, Beaver County Republican Committee, 1866-1869; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1870-1875; elected, Speaker of the Senate, 1872; president, delegate, Republican State Convention, 1872; delegate, Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, 1873; president, delegate, Republican State Convention, 1874; delegate, Republican National Convention, 1876; appointed, Collector of Port of Pittsburgh, 1876-1881; appointed, United States Marshal of Western Pittsburgh, 1882-1885; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1887- 1890; married, Eliza M. Cox Rutan; died Allegheny City, June 18, 1892, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, interment Beaver Cemetery and Mausoleum, Beaver, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career:

Enlisted, November 9, 1861, First Lieutenant, Company F, 101st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, discharged July 18, 1862. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, district attorney of Beaver County, 1862-1868.  

Chairman, Beaver County Republican Committee, 1866-1869. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 26th district, Beaver and Washington Counties 1870-1871, committee assignments, Constitutional Reform, Finance.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 26th district, Beaver, Butler and Washington Counties, 1872-1874; elected, Speaker of the Senate, 1872. 

President, delegate, Republican State Convention, 1874.

Delegate, Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, 1873.

President, delegate, Republican State Convention, 1874.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 46th district, Beaver and Washington Counties, 1875.

Delegate, Republican National Convention, Exposition Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio, June 14–16, 1876.

Appointed, United States Marshall, Consul to Cardiff, Consul to Florence, declined both, 1876.

Appointed, Collector of Port of Pittsburgh, 1876-1881.

Appointed, United States Marshal of Western Pittsburgh, 1882-1885.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 42nd district, Allegheny (Part) County, 1887- 1890, committee assignments, Banks, Congressional Apportionment, Legislative Apportionment.  

Legacy:

Delivered, U.S. Grant’s presidential electoral count, Congress, 1868

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "R"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. 

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1875). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 602, 606-609.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1888). Cochran, T.B., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 671, 676-678, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 645.

James Smith Rutan (1838-1892) - Find a Grave Memorial