**James D. Ruffin and John M. Ruffin became members of Ebenezar Lodge #76 (Masonic Lodge) in Desoto Co MS (now Tate Co) in 1847.
Ruffin, J.D.--Was guardian to Rowena R. and Agnes C. Ruffin in the state of Mississippi, 2 March 1863. The former guardian, Eliza A. Pettus, [possibly their mother remarried] resigned. (Fayette TN, Co Ct Minutes, H/66) Source:Tennessee Tidbits, 1778-1914, Volume I, compiled by Marjorie Hood Fischer and published by Southern Historical Press, 1980.
Rowena and husband, Erasmus Graves Turner are in 1870 census Lauderdale Co. TN. She is 26 born in MS (will of father, shows she is dead and names children Thomas C. and Mattie Graves)
Fayette County Will Book A, 1836-1854, transcribed by Naomi Van Tol:
July Term 1845
Fayette County, Tennessee
Will of Mary M. Dugar
Being aware that soon I must depart this life, I hereby make and publish this as my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and declaring all other wills made by me previous void.
First it is my Will that my executor James F. Ruffin shall pay my funeral expenses and all of my debts so soon as he can after my death out of any money I may have or he may collect for me.
Secondly - I give and bequeath to my Grandson James D. Ruffin in fee simple the following named negroes to wit, Phil, Uney [?], Henry, Phil Jr., Martha, Phillis, Parthena, Nancey, Sam, Grace, Amanda, Matilda, Major, Phebee, Malinda, Sarah, Virginia, Anna, Rachael, William, Betsey, Henry [Henny?], Jim, Francis, Peter, Sally, Becca, Amy, Spotswood, Coleman, Patrick and Tom.
Thirdly - I give and bequeath to Wm. Ruffin and James R. Ruffin in Trust for my Grand Daughter Mary E. Tucker the following property and the increases of all the negroes hereinafter mentioned and bequeathed in trust for said Mary E. Tucker (to-wit) Sally & her two children, Polly & Tony; Betty and her two children, Virginia & Peter; Rose, Claiborne, Caroline, Lucey, Dick, Nan, Bob, Alfred, Diana, Peggy, Horatio, Becca and her children, Ned & Russell, Day and Ann Eliza. One House and Lot in LaGrange, One carriage and 2 horses, and what Stock and furniture I may have on said Lot at my death. It is my will that my Grand Daughter Mary E. Tucker have the use and benefit of the property bequeathed and have the right to dispose of any and convey any of it at any time with the consent of the Trustees above named. It is my will further that at the death of my said Grand Daughter that she may dispose of said property by Gift or otherwise as she wishes without the consent of the trustees above named, that during her life she is to make no conveyance or Transfer of any of it without the consent of said Trustees expressed in writing.
Fourthly - It is my will that should there by any money notes or any other evidences of Debt in the hands of my Executors after paying my debts that it be equally divided between James D. Ruffin and Mary E. Tucker. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal at LaGrange, Tenn. this 12th day of February 1845 in presence of Witnesses Wm. G. Turner and H.Y. Taylor.
Mary M. Dugar
The significance of the above will is that it establishes the relationship between MARY M. DUGAR and her stated grandchildren, JAMES D. RUFFIN (1817-1886) and MARY E. (RUFFIN) TUCKER (1818-1846), the only two children born to WILLIAM RUFFIN (1797-1857) and MARGARET BOSWELL DUGAR. My conclusion, therefore is that this MARY M. DUGAR is definitely MARGARET’S MOTHER.
For a long time I wondered which of the several DUGAR families could be the “right one” to be the line of MARGARET … and especially who MARY M. DUGAR had been married to in Virginia, as she was obviously a widow by the time she and the Ruffins moved to Tennessee in 1832.
The answer came from a Virginia genealogical researcher, June Banks Evans. One of the books she has written (compiled) is entitled, The Blackwells of Blackwell’s Neck: An Inferential Genealogy Based on Material Available. (Rev. ed., 2004, Bryn Ffyliad Publications).
June sent me a scanned portion of part of p. 47 of her Blackwell book which identified Mary M. Dugar as having the maiden name “Blackwell” (a daughter of Thomas Blackwell of King Wm County, VA), and also stated that she had been married two times before she married FLEMING DUGAR in 1810 in King William County, VA. By her FIRST MARRIAGE, to a Mr. WINFREY, she had a daughter, “PEGGY BOSWELL WINFREY” (noted in King William records … middle name confirmed as “Boswell” when, by a deed in 1807, Mary M. Winphrey of St. John’s Parish, gave to her daughter Peggy Boswell Winfrey a Negro girl – [KWR5:99]). A second marriage, to SAMUEL J. CATLETT, gave her another daughter, Eliza Ann Catlett. Samuel Catlett died before 1810 and left Mary a very wealthy woman. She negotiated a marriage contract with FLEMING DUGAR in 1810 which concerned personal property, household furniture, livestock, etc. that was her dower in the estate of her deceased husband Samuel J. Catlett. The agreement also concerned profits arising from the guardianship of her daughter Eliza Ann Catlett and stipulated that Mary’s daughter, PEGGY B. WINPHREY might reside with her mother without paying board until marriage. It is my firm belief that PEGGY and MARGARET are one and the same person (since “Peggy” is a known and popular nickname for “Margaret”).
By deduction and given the known birth year of Wm Ruffin and Margaret/Peggy’s first son, James D. Ruffin in 1817 … I believe Margaret/Peggy’s birth date to be similar to William Ruffin’s, about 1797. If that is the case, then there is NO WAY that Margaret/Peggy is the natural daughter of FLEMING DUGAR, and is … at best … a step-daughter. She may have simply taken his name since she was living in his home from around 1810-1816, when she most probably married William Ruffin.
Even though the identity of Margaret’s WINFREY/WINPHREY father is still unknown, a whole world has opened up regarding Margaret/Peggy’s mother’s side of the family, the BLACKWELLS.
Her name become “MARGARET BOSWELL WINFREY DUGAR”, but FLEMING DUGAR cannot be her birth father.
The death date for Margaret/Peggy is unknown, but surely HAS to be AFTER 1832 because that is when William Ruffin moved to Somerville, Fayette County, TN. He wouldn’t have brought his mother-in-law with him if his wife were not still alive, I wouldn’t think. I have a short biography written about William Ruffin which gives the year that he moved to Tennessee from King William County, VA as being 1832.
Researcher: Pat Iverson indygrandma@hotmail.com
Mary Elizabeth Ruffin Generation No. 1
1. MARY ELIZABETH8 RUFFIN (WILLIAM7, JAMES B.6, ROBERT5, JOHN4, ROBERT3, ROBERT2, WILLIAM1)
She married FENTON TUCKER.
Notes for FENTON TUCKER:
Kinsman of John Randolph of Roanoke and George Randolph Tucker, member of Congress.
Children of MARY RUFFIN and FENTON TUCKER are:
i. WILLIAM9 TUCKER, m. EMMA CARROLL.
Notes for EMMA CARROLL:
Daughter of Governor Carrol of Tennessee.
ii. MARGARET TUCKER, m. DR. HOMER L. ANTHONY.
More About DR. HOMER L. ANTHONY:
Occupation: Dr.
2. iii. SALLIE TUCKER.
3. iv. MARY ELIZA TUCKER.
v. A. FENTON TUCKER.
vi. AGNES TUCKER.
Generation No. 2
2. SALLIE9 TUCKER
(MARY ELIZABETH8 RUFFIN, WILLIAM7, JAMES B.6, ROBERT5, JOHN4, ROBERT3, ROBERT2,
WILLIAM1)
She married (1) JOHN D. COFFEE. She married (2) JACOB S. GALLOWAY.
Children of SALLIE TUCKER and JOHN COFFEE are:
i. AGNES10 COFFEE.
Notes for AGNES COFFEE:
Died in infancy.
ii. MARY PERCY COFFEE, m. FREDERICK HARRY LONG.
3. MARY ELIZA9 TUCKER
(MARY ELIZABETH8 RUFFIN, WILLIAM7, JAMES B.6, ROBERT5, JOHN4, ROBERT3, ROBERT2,
WILLIAM1)
She married JACOB S. GALLOWAY.
Children of MARY TUCKER and JACOB GALLOWAY are:
i. JOHN COFFEE10 GALLOWAY, m. CORA BURCHEON.
ii. SALLIE RUFFIN GALLOWAY, m. GEORGE ADRIANCE STORM.
We had a Ruffin in early Panola Co. from VA by way of Christian Co, KY and Hardeman Co. TN, before arriving in MS. James married Margaret Ann Oliver, widow of Zimery Tait early settler from Elbert Co, GA) in the arly 1840's. James Ruffin was Probate Judge of Panola Co. as early as June, 1839 continuing until shortly before his death in Oct 1847.. He purchased the plantation adjacent to the Satterwhite Plantation and in the 1850 census was shown as family #674 and the Fleming Littlefield family (with GWL, age 9),Satterwhite Plantation,was #675...JDR was shown as being 33 years old (b.1817).
From 1839 through 1845 he was listed as Probate Judge or appointed Commissioner in settlement of many probate cases in the northern part of the county. He had apparently moved from the county by 1860 since he does not appear in that census. So I do not have evidence that JDR was in the county when the Braswells were there.
He must have moved just north of the Panola Co. line into what was at that time the southern part of Desoto Co. (now Tate Co.) because my g.grandfather, Will E. Terry, mustered into the reorganized Invincibles (Co.D, 4th Regiment MS Cavalry) in May 1862, with Capt. James D. Ruffin as the commander.
References to JDR after the War show him as "General"...I do not know if he actually attained that rank, or if it was bestowed upon him by local citizenry who knew that he had commanded a CSA unit.
JDR's obituary from the Sardis Southern Reporter lists him as
"General James D. Ruffin, Mayor of Como, died at that place Tuesday (April 27)
after a brief attack of paralysis in his 69th year of age. He was a prominent
citizen--one of the landmarkds of Panola Co.--with many relatives and friends
to mourn the death of one whom they loved and esteemed. A marker for him or
his wife have never been found,although several of their children, who were
prominent citizens in north Panola Co., are buried in the Como and Sardis
cemeteries.
The only other Ruffin in Panola Co. as early as 1850, was
William D. who was 23, born in TN, and in the same household as Mary Price, 32, who I think was his sister...they might have been siblings of James.
One of Mary's daughters married Shelton McGehee and many of their descendants live in the Como area now.
By 1860 WDR had married, three children had died and
were buried in Fredonia Cemetery (seven miles east of Como), and his 28
year old wife would die in Dec. of 1860. Some people think that he is also
buried with his wife and infant children at Fredonia and that his tombstone
was in the cemetery at one time but is now missing. However, there is a
CSA marker with no dates on it for W.D. Ruffin in Salem Cemetery (in Tate
Co. just a mile and a half north of the Panola Co. line in the western part of
the county).
Local family members have been told that their Ruffin ancestors
were the same Ruffins associated with the Dandridges (through marriages) from
whom Martha Washington descends...I have not tried to verify that,
however.
So that is about all that I know of the Panola Co. Ruffins
except that my g.grandfather named one of his sons (my grandfather) Crenshaw Ruffin
Terry out of respect for his former CSA commander.
Contributed by: Morris Brooks
David Alexander Ruffin reports this also: "... if you want a pretty complete rundown on all the research (on the family) that was done from the beginning ... you will find it in Tyler's Geneaological Quarterly. This man Tyler (Dr. Lyon Gardiner Tyler, son of tenth President John Tyler) married Susan Ruffin (daughter of John Augustine Ruffin) who lived at Evelynton. I think it rather natural that Tyler would have included her family records in his Quarterly -- the Ruffins were quite notable in Virginia. After Dr. Tyler's death, his widow Susan Ruffin Tyler (10th generation Ruffin) edited the Quarterly for a while. The issues which contain the material which I have referred to are:
Volume 23, No.1, July, 1941, pages 133-136
Volume 24,
No.3, January, 1943, page 232
Volume 25, No.1, July,
1943, pages 64-69
Volume 26, No.2, October, 1944, pages
121-128
"Our Grandfather Ruffin [David White Ruffin - 1858-1946] corresponded with Tyler and was solely responsible for sending the information about the Mississippi and Tennessee Ruffins. I have been unable to verify his report that his grandfather William (who married Margaret Dugar -- and later Eleanor Shelton) was on the staff of General Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. I have also been unable to verify Grandfather's report that this man was an early mayor of Memphis. There is no such record on file. He was indeed a Major, did bring gas illumination to Memphis and is buried there, though his precise grave site has been 'lost' and there is no grave stone -- nothing except an ugly metal marker stuck in the ground, indication that he was buried somewhere around there and was a veteran of the war of 1812."
In a final piece of "family gossip", David Alexander Ruffin reports the following in the same letter to my mother (Olie Low Garrett):
"You will note that in the seventh generation brothers William and James had respectively a son James and daughter Rosa (first cousins) who married. This was not at all unusual -- happened most frequently to keep property and money in the family -- but also when kin folks would go on long journeys to family weddings -- and since they had come from so far away, they might stay for several weeks; so that would be the occasion for some romantic hankey-pankey. After all, if you married a first cousin you could at least be sure that you were marrying the right kind of people! The aforementioned cousins James and Rosa were the grandparents of Grandfather [David White Ruffin] and his sister Rosa who according to family stories, which you have probably heard, was 'a bit teched in the haid' (no doubt the result of her heritage of in-breeding!). Supposedly, she went nuts over prophesies in the book of Revelation -- decided that the final judgement was coming on a certain day and that everyone was supposed to report in just as they were when born -- NUDE! End result was that she and her poor husband (a man named Leigh) were found parading around their house, unconventionally in the buff. They were rather old as I recall ..."
I hope I have been helpful. I am actually just getting
started with my own geneaological search since my
mother's passing on August 19, 2002, and am finding it
fascinating.
Pat Iverson indygrandma@hotmail.com Roundup, MT 59072
NOTES:
"Virginia Genealogies #3, 1600's-1800's "Genealogies of Virginia Families, Volume III, Ruffin Chart" by Dr. Reginald B. Henry." Dr. David Alexander Ruffin from Statesboro, GA, believed that his grandfather , David White Ruffin had originally submitted the Mississippi and Tennessee Ruffin information to Dr. Henry and to Tyler's QUarterly for publication.
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