An original member of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Rutling was born into slavery. His father was sold away before his birth, and while still young, his mother and several siblings were also sold away. With emancipation following the Civil War, Rutling moved into Nashville to live with a sister, ultimately becoming a pupil at Fisk where he was an original member of the Jubilee Singers. He completed all three of the company's tours between 1872 and 1877, but decided against returning to the U.S. following a tour of Europe. He spent the remainder of his life in Great Britain where he performed as a soloist and taught.
He suffered a stroke in 1909 while in Morecambe, England, and died in a Harrogate nursing home after a short illness in 1915 at the age of 60.
Funeral notice in the Harrogate Herald 28 April 1915:
On April 26th at Harrogate, Thomas Rutling (Jubilee Singer of Fisk University), Funeral at Grove Road Cemetery on Thursday at 1 noon.
He suffered a stroke in 1909 while in Morecambe, England, and died in a Harrogate nursing home after a short illness in 1915 at the age of 60.
Funeral notice in the Harrogate Herald 28 April 1915:
On April 26th at Harrogate, Thomas Rutling (Jubilee Singer of Fisk University), Funeral at Grove Road Cemetery on Thursday at 1 noon.
An original member of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Rutling was born into slavery. His father was sold away before his birth, and while still young, his mother and several siblings were also sold away. With emancipation following the Civil War, Rutling moved into Nashville to live with a sister, ultimately becoming a pupil at Fisk where he was an original member of the Jubilee Singers. He completed all three of the company's tours between 1872 and 1877, but decided against returning to the U.S. following a tour of Europe. He spent the remainder of his life in Great Britain where he performed as a soloist and taught.
He suffered a stroke in 1909 while in Morecambe, England, and died in a Harrogate nursing home after a short illness in 1915 at the age of 60.
Funeral notice in the Harrogate Herald 28 April 1915:
On April 26th at Harrogate, Thomas Rutling (Jubilee Singer of Fisk University), Funeral at Grove Road Cemetery on Thursday at 1 noon.
He suffered a stroke in 1909 while in Morecambe, England, and died in a Harrogate nursing home after a short illness in 1915 at the age of 60.
Funeral notice in the Harrogate Herald 28 April 1915:
On April 26th at Harrogate, Thomas Rutling (Jubilee Singer of Fisk University), Funeral at Grove Road Cemetery on Thursday at 1 noon.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
