JAMES JOHNSON RUFFIN

James J. Ruffin was born November 14, 1814, in Bertie Co., NC, the son of James and Margaret Veale Ruffin. He came with his parents and three brothers to Jones Co, GA around 1818. In Bertie Co. the family had been tobacco planters (as the Ruffins before them). Moving to Georgia meant engaging in growing cotton. Unfortunately, 1819 found the United States in a financial banking crisis, and James Ruffin (like many of his neighbors) had their land seized and sold by the Sheriff to pay debts. Soon after this, James died.

The orphans, (James J and his brother, Whitmel) partipated in the Georgia Land Lottery and received some land. The family then moved to Talbot Co.

In 1836 James J. participated in the military against the Creek Indians and his pension application at age 78, describes him as being 5 ft 6" tall, dark complexion, dark eyes and hair, weight 150 lbs, occupation farming.

Taylor County Because of my interest in finding out more about my g-grandparents, I have adopted Taylor County on the USGenWeb. I hope you'll take the time to visit, and find out even more about the area.

After the War, James J. began a successful merchandising business in Butler. His wife, Sarah, died in 1888, and the following year he married a widow, Carrie Shines Lucas. At the time of his death at age 90, James J. was survived by two sons, George T. who had remained in Reynolds, GA; Henry J. who had moved to Ellis Co, TX; two daughters, Mrs. Sarah Parker, in Navarro Co, TX, and Mrs. Margaret Layfield, who had moved to Hart, Oklahoma (Indian Territory).

JAMES JOHNSON RUFFIN
b: 14 Nov 1814	Bertie Co, NC
d: 21 Feb 1905	Reynolds, Taylor Co, GA
bur: New Hope Primitive Baptist Cemetery,  Reynolds, Taylor Co. GA
marr: Sarah AVERETT    1 Oct 1837   Talbot Co, GA
marr: Carrie Shines Lucas 1 Aug 1889
FATHER:JAMES RUFFIN
MOTHER: MARGARET VEALE RUFFIN

SARAH AVERETT
b: 16 Jun 1816	Hancock Co, GA More on her family
d: 1 Feb 1888	Taylor Co, GA
bur: New Hope Primitive Baptist Cemetery, Reynolds, Taylor Co, GA
FATHER:  Drury AVERETT
MOTHER: Elizabeth SMITH


CHILDREN:  (Recorded in Family Bible)
1. MARY ANN
b. 21 Sept 1838
d: 20 Jun 1841  (2 yrs 7 months, 17 days)

2. LUCINDA M
b. 30 Dec 1839
d: 12 Sep 1871
bur: Simon Salter Cem, Sumpter, GA
marr: Jesse SALTER  28 Aug 1859   Sumpter, GA

3. JAMES MONROE
b. 17 Mar 1841
d: 14 oct 1849 (7 yrs 7 months 3 days) Killed by a falling tree   Marion, GA

4. WILLIAM ANN
b. 26 May 1843  Talbot Co
d: 30 Dec 1852  Marion Co.  (8 yrs 7 months 4 days)

5. HENRY JAMES
b. 23 Apr 1845  Talbot Co, GA
d. 10 Jul 1916  Alma, Ellis Co, TX
bur: Rice Cemetery, Ellis Co, TX
spouse: Winnie Virginia JINKS
marr: 31 Dec 1868    Taylor Co, GA

6. MARGARET ELIZABETH
b. 20 Sept 1847  Talbot Co, GA
d: 7 Dec 1935   Houston, TX   (living with daughter, Sally Griffin)
bur:Hollywood Cemetery, Houston, TX
marr: 12 Dec 1869   John T. LAYFIELD    Taylor Co
(John died 1 Oct 1926, also buried in Hollywood Cemetery)

7. SARAH JANE
b: 30 Oct 1849  Talbot Co, GA
d. 27 May 1918  Roane, Navarro Co, TX
bur: Oakwood Cem,   Corsicana, Navarro Co, TX
marr: 27 Dec 1868  John F. PARKER    Taylor Co, GA

8. GEORGE T.
b: 3 Dec 1851   Marion Co, GA
d: 25 Dec 1913   Reynolds, Taylor Co, GA
bur: Reynolds, Taylor Co, GA
marr: 4 Dec 1879 MaryElla Whittington McDANIEL   Taylor Co, GA

9. EMMA R
b:23 Sep 1854
d: 8 Jul 1856  (1 yr 9mon 15 days)

10. SUSAN FANNIE
b: 31 Mar 1858  Sumpter Co, GA
d:    May 1890
marr: 1) 2 Jan 1876 Dubose HUMPHRIES  (divorced)
marr: 2) 20 Feb 1889  Alex N. COOPER  (to live in Cordele-Crisp Co)



Drury Averett (?1790- (?Washington Co. GA) ??1869 - Taylor Co GA )

Married ? 1808 in Hancock Co to Elizabeth Smith.

Tax Digest - Taylor Co. 11 slaves = $16,849 no acres

Census 1830 Talbot County
Averett, Drury 
2 males 5-10 
1 male 40-50 0 0 0 0 0 0 
1 female under 5 0 
2 females 10-15 0 0 0 
1 female 40-50 0 0 0 0 0

(Daughter Mary already married to Thomas Dupree)

Census 1840 ?

Census 1850 Talbot County


AVERET, Drewry   60   SC
Drury   18   laborer
Henry   16   laborer
Allen   24   laborer
       MORRIS, Nancy   30
John   8
James   7
William   5 (1055)

Children:

Mary Averett (1816-1862) married  29 Aug 1829 Talbot County -Rev. Thomas A. Dupree


Rev Thomas Dupree was a Baptist Minister. He was born 27 May 1807- died 1889. Buried in Silver Run Creek Baptist Cemetery - Taylor County.

 http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/taylor/cemeteries/silverrun.txt





Sarah Averett married James J. Ruffin(see above)



Nancy married ? Robert Wilson

Living with father, Drury, as widow in 1860 census with 1 yr old daughter, Lavinia

John  married Emily K Adams  (1860 Talbot Co Census)
Averitt, John married Emily R. Adams   18 Apr 1847 W. Barry, MG pg B210 (Talbot County)

W. Allen  (surveyor for Taylor Co 1864-1868)


Drury W. (?1831 - 1862 CSA casualty) married Mary A. Jinks (d/o Willis & Nicey Jinks)

 This line connects to me through the Jinks family

Louraney (7-15-1826 - 7-28-1874) married William D. Grace 9-12-1844 Talbot Co. (1860 Talbot)

Henry James Averett (10-14-1840 - Jan 18, 1882 m. Permelia Ann Layfield (d/o George Layfield)

William D. Grace listed as the son of Silas Grace from Talbot County.  Silas' family was from Hancock County.

Copied from the family Bible of J.S. Parker 11-17-55 (I assume 1855) by Vera Lee (Parker) Neale:
 
James J. Ruffin - born 14 November 1814.
Sarah Averett, his wife was born 16 June 1816.
Mary An Ruffin - born 21 September 1838.  Died 30 June 1841.
Lucindy M. Ruffin - born 30 December 1839.
James M. Ruffin - born 17 March 1841.  Died 14 Oct. 1849.
William A. Ruffin - born 26 May 1843.  Died 30 Dec. 1852.
Henry J. Ruffin - born 23 April 1845.
Margrett E. Ruffin - born 20 Sept. 1847.
Sarah Jane Ruffin - born 30 Oct. 1849.
George T. Ruffin - born 8 Dec. 1851.
Emer. R. Ruffin - born 23 Sept. 1854.  Died 8 July 1856.
Susan F. Ruffin - born 31 March 1858.
 
 
James J. Ruffin and Sarah Averett were married 1 Oct. 1837.
Jessie Salters and Loucindy were married 28 August, 1859.
John Parker and Sarah Jane Ruffin were married 27 Dec. 1868.
H.J. Ruffin and Winna Jinks were married 31 Dec 1868.

(Children John Parker & Sarah Ruffin)

William A. Parker - born 10 Oct. 1869. 
[Note: female - married Thomas Isaac Gowan 5 Sept 1889- Navarro Co TX]
 
James Solomon - born 7 Sept 1871.
[Note: married Mary Ella Stephenson 12 Nov 1893 - Navarro Co TX]

John Henry Parker - born 9 July 1873.
[Note: married Margaret Welch]

Lokey Parker - born 29 April 1876.
[NOTE: married C. Eugene Douglas 23 Oct 1892, Ellis Co TX]

Fannie Delona Parker - born 1 Aug. 1878.
(Note: married Edward D. Holmes, 20 Jun 1896 Navarro Co TX]

(There were other children not listed in this Bible)
 
John Clinton Stephenson - born 22 Nov. 1847.  Died 8 Aug 1905.

Tymox Sena (Dyer) his wife was born 20 Oct. 1852.  Died 1939.

Children:
Marthay Ellis Stephenson - born 19 April 1872.
Mary Ella Stephenson - born 4 April 1874.
John Scott Stephenson - born 6 Jan 1876.  Died 1938.
Ida Bertha Stephenson - born 23 Nov 1879.
Esteller Stephenson - born 13 April 1883.  Died 18 July 1900.
Arthur Stephenson - born 23 Nov 1886.
Vera Lee Stephenson - born 22 Sept. 1888.  *Died Oct 1977.
Leona Stephenson - born 24 July 1892.  *Died 3 Nov 1981.
 
Infant son of Z.L. Dyer - born 6 Oct. 1824.  Age 6 days.
Joel Dyer - born 7 Nov 1824.  Died 23 Oct. 1852.

Martha Louise Cobb McCormick - born 8 Feb 1828.
(wife of Joel Dyer)

Zacariah L. Dyer - born 9 Oct. 1846.
Jeroame Dyer - born 5 Feb. 1849.
Thomas Benton Phelps - born 7 Sept 1837.
G.L. Wells - born 11 May 1861.
Mary E. Phelps died 7 Sept. 1888.

Note: James S. Parker (son of John and Sarah Ruffin Parker) married Mary Ella Stephenson 12 Nov 1893 in Navarro Co TX.  I do not know how the Dyer family came to be in this Bible, but it must have been connected to the Parker side in some manner.  (Maybe John Parker's mother??)