Joseph Blount Ruffin enlisted at Weldon, NC on 10 May 1864 with the 68th Regiment, Company E. He was reported AWOL 30 June 1864. He may have received word by that time that his brother had been captured, even though Thomas was captured in 1863.
T.J.P. Smallwood sells land "known as Joshua Outlaw land" to Joseph Blount Ruffin Jan 1, 1857. Land borders Isaac Freeman, Silas Hobbs, William J. Pritchard. (This same land was sold by Whitmell B. Ruffin to West Mizell June 13, 1843)...approximately 300 acres.
Will and Dissent
North Carolina Bertie County To W.L. Lyon Clerk of Superior Court of Bertie County I hereby enter my dissent to the will of my husband the late Jos. B. Ruffin and demand that my dower and rights of third be allotted to me in all of the real estate owned by my late husband Jos. B. Ruffin. This dissent is filed in accordance with Section 2108 of the Code of North Carolina. This April 16, 1895. Mary E. Ruffin Witness Francis D. Winston North Carolina In the Superior Court Bertie County Before the Clerk The execution of the foregoing dissent was this day proven before me by the oath and examination of Francis D. Winston subscribing witness thereto. In execution of the said foregoing dissent was also this day acknowledged before me by Mary E., Ruffin. Let the same be recorded in the Book of Wills and filed with the Will of Jos. B. Ruffin, as a record of this Court. Witness my hand this 16th day of April 1895. W. L. Lyon Clerk Superior Court. Deed BK I pg 425 Will of Joseph B. Ruffin North Carolina Bertie County I Joseph B. Ruffin of the aforesaid County and State being of Sound mind but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence, do make and declare this my last Will and Testament. First, It is my will that my land except that in and near Powellsville shall be divided, beginning as follows at a pine stump on the road known as the the Freeman Corner, and about three hundred and thirty five yards from Starky S. Cowards field, thence a strait line to J. H. Brown’s line that part lying South of said line shall be divided into two equal parts one part, his choice, I loan to my wife Mary E. Ruffin during her natural life then to be equally divided between my two sons Charles S ? Ruffin and Joseph B. Ruffin, the other part I give and bequeath to my Son Charles S. Ruffin, that part of my land lying North of said line. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Racheal ? Cowand during her natural life then to her lawful heirs. I give and bequeath to my Son Joseph B. Ruffin my lot in Powellsville, containing two and one forth acres, also one tract of land near Powellsville containing forty acres more or less and known as part of the Hunter land, for further description of said land and deed from George B. Askew to J. B. Ruffin. It is also my will and desire that my friend J. W. Mitchell be and is hereby constituted Guardian for my son Joseph B. Ruffin who is a minor, to have and to hold the custody of his estate herein given untill the said Joseph B. Ruffin shall arrive at the full age of twenty one years. In witness whereof I the said Joseph B. Ruffin do hereunto set my hand and sea, this the twenty first day of November, 1894. Joseph B. his mark Ruffin Winess J. H. Bowen JP Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Joseph B. Ruffin to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto. JH Bowen JW Mitchell ……… Let the said Will, together with the probate, be recorded and filed. This 12 day of March 1895. WL Lyon Clerk Superior CourtDr. Thomas Ruffin Letter from Johnson's Island
Johnson's Island near Sanducky City, Ohio August 14th/64 My dear Cousins*, In my last I promised to write again in a few days. When I made that promise I was confident that I should have the gatification of conveying to you the intelligence of the complete restoration of my health. I am still an invlaid, but a very hopeful one. Yes, I feel very hopeful and am confident that I sahll soon be restored to my wanted vigor and health. Do not give yourself any concern about the condition of my health. I have been very ill it is true, but my recovery is now beyond any doubt. Words are powerless to convey to you how grateful I feel for the kind assurance of your love and friendship. Do not imagine for a moment, I beseech you, that I have or can ever be unmindful of the deep interest you have ever manifestd in my welfare. I shall ever feel grateful for your love. It will ever remain as a green spot in the midst? of memory. Yes, I prise [prize] it too highly and feel the need of it too often to be indifferent to its precious value. You know not how often the remembrance of your dearly remembered face has been my monitor. When tempted to do wrong or about to fall in easy victim to those vices which have been the destruction of so many, your praying and the consciousness that nothing base or evil would meet with your apporval have ever restrained me. A man in my opinion must be peculiarly constituted-- indeed there must be something wrong in his organization if he does not entertain a decided partiality for his female cousins. I have had no letter from Cousin Ann for several months. Why does she not write? Is Willie Julie at school? How much I would like to see her. (corner missing) Please write often. In my next we ----(corner missing) falling in love with every pretty (corner missing) Where is Buck and will not "caus (corner missing) relent. Poor fellow he certainly (corner missing) NOTES:
Buck probably is the Buck Ruffin who appears in the Snakebite Township of Bertie County in the 1880 federal census with his wife, Rose (both 44 years old), his mother, Bettie Ruffin (age 65) and one daughter-in-law and one son-in-law. This same Buck appears with his wife, Rose, in the 1870 enumeration in Snakebite Township.Thomas would have been born circa 1838 and Buck would have been born circa 1836. It was not uncommon for children, both black and white, to play with one another, even when the black child was considered a slave at the time that they knew one another.
Willie, probably is a female child of Joseph Blount Ruffin and Mary Elizabeth Powell. Joseph Blount Ruffin was brother to Thomas which would make the Willi(am) mentioned, niece to Thomas.
Obituary
DAILY RICHMOND EXAMINER
27 October 1864
DIED.
Among the valiant patriots of North Carolina who have fallen in the cause of Southern Independence, it becomes our painful duty to record the sad and untimely death of Lieutenant THOMAS RUFFIN, Company D, Fourth regiment North Carolina cavalry, who died on the 23d day of September at Johnson’s Island, Ohio. Seldom have our hearts been saddened by the fall of a more worthy and promising young man. Entering the service at the commencement of the war, he well sustained the character of a noble soldier; and his amiability and gallantry endearing him in bonds of love to his company and all with whom he associated, won for him the bright exemplification of a good and true officer. Lieutenant Ruffin was captured in Pennsylvania on the 4th day of July, 1863, and was held prisoner up to the time of his death. He died far from his home and relatives in an inhospitable clime, yet friends were present who performed the burial rites and marked the grave of the patriot hero. His eminent character and exalted virtues deserve to be long remembered and cherished, and his kind generosity and in-swerving magnanimity to be respected and imitated. While we mourn his fall, sympathize with his numerous friends and relatives upon the blight of their hopes, and deeply commiserate his family upon the extinguishment of a light which once gladdened and brightened their home, yet we hope the event which has shaded us in sorrow has awakened him in a brighter land, where his noble virtues shine forth with a more refulgent luster. AMICUS”02 March 2008 transcription by Lynn McCarthy of microfilmed copy as found in GenealogyBank.com.
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