Brigadier-General Timothy Dwight Ruggles

Notes:

Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1762–1764
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for Hardwick[1] In office 1754, 1757, 1761 – 1755, 1759, 1770
Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas[2] of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. In office January 21,[3] 1762[2] – 1774[3]
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas[2] of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
In office April 19, 1757[2][3] – 1774[3]
Personal details
Born October 20, 1711
Rochester, Massachusetts[4]
Died August 4, 1795
Resting place Wilmot, Nova Scotia[5]
Spouse(s) Bathsheba Newcomb née Bourne
Children Martha Ruggles (b. August 10, 1736),[6]
Timthy Ruggles (b. January 7, 1738-39),[6]
Bathsheba Ruggles,[6]
John Ruggles,[5]
Timothy Ruggles,[5]
Richard Ruggles.[5]
Residence Wilmot, Nova Scotia[7]
Alma mater Harvard
Occupation Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance Province of Massachusetts Bay
Service/branch Massachusetts militia
Timothy Dwight Ruggles[8] (October 20, 1711 – August 4, 1795) was an American military leader, jurist and politician. He was a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress of 1765. Ruggles was born on October 20, 1711 to Rev. Timothy Ruggles.[2] He was grandson of Capt. Samuel Ruggles of Roxbury and Martha Woodbridge, who was a granddaughter of Governor Thomas Dudley.

He was graduated from Harvard in 1732; studied law, and established himself in practice in Rochester.[2] In 1735 he married Mrs. Bathsheba Newcomb, widow of William Newcomb and the daughter of the Hon. Melatiah Bourne of Sandwich, Massachusetts. He was a military officer during the French and Indian War. After serving as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1763, he was selected as a delegate to the first colonial (or Stamp Act) congress of 1765 meeting in New York on October 7, Ruggles was elected its president. After he refused to sanction the addresses sent by that body to Great Britain he was publicly censured by the General Court of Massachusetts.

He became one of the leading Tories of New England. He commanded the Loyal American Association and was a Mandamus Councillor appointed by General Gage in Boston. The Loyal American Association vowed to: - Not submit to rebellious assembly. - Enforce obedience to the King. - Defend each other if imperiled by unlawful assembly. - Repel force with force. - Use retaliation if any member or their property were injured.

Timothy married Bathsheba Bourne on 18 sept 1736 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. Bathsheba (daughter of Judge Colonel Melatiah Bourne and Desire Chipman) was born on 11 Nov 1703 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America; died on 4 Mar 1781 in Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mary Ruggles was born on 10 Feb 1741 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA; died on 16 Jun 1814 in Brookfield, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.