His sponsors for baptism in 1658 were Abraham Boudat and Paul Cluin, godfathers, and Marie Bancelin and Susan Pilon, godmothers. About 1670 he went to Germany, as did many Huguenots and settled near Manneheim in the (Rhine) Palatinate. It is believed that he joined the Hasbrouck party and journeyed with them via Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and England to America. He landed in Boston in early 1675, sailed on to New York, and settled in the Esopus area in July, 1675. In 1677 New Paltz was founded there. He married Marie Petilion and 5 of his 12 children were born there and baptized in the French Church established in 1683. On Sept 1, 1689 he took the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown. From New Paltz he moved to Hackensack (Bergenfield), N.J. in 1694. On Oct. 26, 1699 he bought a parcel and some meadow in New Barbadoes from Thomas Noell and his wife, Hannah. He lived there with his wife and some of the children until his death.
In 5 records of baptism his name is spelled RUTTAN 3 times, and spelled "Rutan" and "Rutempt" in the other 2. When he took the oath of allegiance to Great Britian it was spelled "Ruttan". In his will his name was spelled "Rutan", "Ruttan", and "Retan". In the Compendium of American Genealogy it also shows "Rutemps". Lillian Ruttan, who did the research and wrote the family history believed the original spelling was RUTAN.