It has often been reported that he was a direct descendant of Edward Rutledge (1749-1800), who was the youngest person to sign the Declaration of Independence, in 1776. However, genealogical research has shown that Edward Rutledge was not an ancestor of Rut Hawn. Rather, Rut's "Rutledge" line traces back to a man named Joseph Rutledge (1744-1814).