RUTTAN, PTE. JACK Reg. # 3056546
Jack Ruttan was born February 25, 1891 in Lennox and Addington, At the tie of his enlistment in Parry Sound November 6, 1917, John Alexander ‘Jack’ Ruttan was identified as living in Whitestone.
Damages of War’ – pictures taken in France brough home by John Ruttan
On October 4, 1918, Jack received a gunshot wound to his right shoulder.
In his Discharge Certificate, Jack was identified as having joined the 1st Depot Battalion in Kingston on February 2nd, 1918.
He is identified as having been with the 2nd C.F.W. in France.
Her was discharged July 15, 1919.
Jack arrived in England on March 3, 1918 0n the S.S. Melita. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Overseas.
He was wounded September 28, 1918.
The matriarch of the Ruttan family in Ardbeg was Alice ‘Almira’ (Peters/Ruttan) Ainslie. Almira Peters’ first marriage was to James Ruttan on December 25, 1875 in Camden Township, Lennox and Addington. James and Almira lived in Lennox and Addington at the time of the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses. At the time of the 1901 census, the family was identified as comprising: James, age 50; Alice A., age 49; William, age 22; Mina A., age 17; David J. age 13; Alice A. age 11; John A. age 9 and Arch age 5.
Somewhere between 1901 and 1921 at least part of the family moved to the Whitestone area.
John Ruttan and Iva C. Black were married April 8, 1920 in Dunchurch. (Of note, an Archie and Alice (Ruttan) Albertson lived in Ardbeg.)
John Ruttan was briefly the post master in Whitestone from September 30, 1920 until November 27 of that year – between Mrs. Hanson and Mrs. Wainright. This suggests that the Ruttan’s may have run the store formerly operated by Hansons. At the time of the 1921 census, a John Ruttan (age 27) and Iva Ruttan (age 17) were identified as renting a home next to Sam Wainright in McKenzie Township.
John Ruttan’s obituary (died February 18, 1963 in his 71st year) identified that he was born in Wagersville, Ontario. It identified that for 5 ½ years he resided in Oshawa where he worked for General motors. He subsequently moved to the Ardbeg area.
At the beginning of the Second World War John Ruttan went to Nobel where he helped build the first buildings, and later, after the war helped dismantle them. He also served as a guard at Nobel. Later he moved to Parry Sound where he operated a wrecking yard for Lou Dennis. John and Ivy (Black) Ruttan’s daughter married Lou Dennis. Daughter Nora married Vern McConnell.
