Born January 1806, Rutledge was the eldest son of James Rutledge, of Ballymagirl (near Bawnboy),
County Cavan, and Martha (née Forster), of Longford. In December 1829, he departed for
Sydney,
New South Wales aboard the
Harriet. Rutledge visited
Port Fairy in 1843 and soon bought a mercantile firm. He was sworn-in November 1851 and held the seat until March 1854. Rutledge was elected to the first Victorian Legislative Assembly for the
Electoral district of Villiers and Heytesbury in November 1856, a seat he held until August 1859. He died on 1 June 1876, aged 70. ==References==