The distinguished Moultries

Update, July 18, 2019--I placed Ruth Moultrie (my ancestor) in this family because this is claimed in the book Notable Men of Alabama.  A friend and genealogical expert has told me that that book is "riddled with errors".   I do not have any DNA links in Ancestry's ThruLines with the rest of this family, although I have many through Ruth.  So at this point I consider this connection doubtful.  Still, I will leave the information as it may be interesting and useful to others.  

Dr. John Moultrie (1702-1771) was born in Fife Scotland, and came to America in 1733.  He was said to be at the head of his profession for 40 years in Charleston, with a talent for finding out the hidden causes of disease.  According to one biographical sketch, "The year following his death an unusual number of females perished in childbed, apparently from despondency."

His children:
a son who graduated at Edinburgh at 1749, a distinguished scholar and eminent practicioner of medicine in Charleston.  (I am not sure if this matches one of the sons named below or not.)

Dr. John Moultrie (Jr.) (1729-1798).  Graduated at Edinburgh at 1749, a distinguished scholar and eminent practicioner of medicine in Charleston.  Moved to East Florida (now just called regular Florida) in 1767 and became a planter, then became deputy governor before the Revolution.  Acting governor from 1771-1774.   He was an English loyalist who returned to Britain in 1784 when they ceded Florida to Spain.

Dr. John Moultrie (Jr.)

General William Moultrie (1730-1805).  Prevented the British from taking Charleston.  He designed a flag with the word "Liberty" on a crescent moon on a blue field.  This flag was shot down in the defense of the fort, and held aloft by Sgt. William Jasper, rallying the troops.  The fort was named in his honor.  This flag became the basis for the South Carolina state flag.  Moultrie, Georgia is named for him, as is Moultrie County, Illinois.

General William Moultrie, portrait by Charles Wilson Peale.

Moultrie flag.

James Moultrie (1734-1765), chief justice of British East Florida.

Capt. Thomas Moultrie (1740-1780), killed in action in the Revolutionary War fighting for the Americans.

Alexander Moultrie (1742-1743) died in infancy.

Col. Alexander Moultrie (1750-1807) [apparently they reused the name after the death of his brother].  An American Revolutionary soldier.  State attorney general in SC, impeached 1792 for embezzlement.  (I report the good and bad both!)  There is a letter from him to Thomas Jefferson here and if you click on his name at the link you can see his correspondence with four of the first five presidents.

Hon. Alexander Moultrie of SC, b. abt. 1750, son of immigrant Dr. John Moultrie. First Attorney General of South Carolina, US Representative. From The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Oct., 1904), pp. 229-260 Published by: South Carolina Historical Society

Ruth Moultrie (1769-1830) , who married Daniel Cook and died in Trigg County, Kentucky.  Her daughter Margaret Cook married Holden Barrett and came to Franklin County, Alabama with her daughter after his death.  (Margaret and Holden are my ancestors through the Kimbroughs and Narmores.)  [See note in first paragraph, it is doubtful that she is one of the siblings of this family.]