Son of Captain (Rev. War) James B. and Mary Roane Ruffin of "Sweeet Hall", King William County, Virginia, William Ruffin served as a Major on the Staff of General Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans in 1814. He was only sixteen at the time of his appointment. On October 4, 1816 he married Margaret Boswell "Peggy" Winfrey who was only fifteen years of age, in King William County, Virginia. The marriage announcement stated that he was eighteen years of age, so his birth month must have been either November or December, 1797. Two children were born to this couple in King William County: James Drury (1817) and Mary Eliza Ruffin (1818) who would later marry Adolphus Fenton Tucker. Peggy died about 1820 or 1821 in King William County, but her exact burial location is unknown. In 1822 he married Eleanor Shelton, daughter of Walter Shelton. The family moved to Hardeman County, Tennessee in 1831. Around 1848 he married another daughter of Walter Shelton, Mary, who is buried in his family plot at Elmwood Cemetery. No children were born to either of his Shelton wives.
In the book "Elmwood 2002: In the Shadows of the Elms" by Perre Magness (copyright 2001, Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, TN) p. 65, the following short biography of William Ruffin is offered:
"WILLIAM RUFFIN was born in Virginia in 1797 and served in the War of 1812, promoted to Major. He came to Somerville in 1832, where he was a director of the Branch Bank of Tennessee. He moved to Memphis in 1848, and established the original gas-works company, of which he was president until his death in 1857. He was one of the original shareholders of Elmwood. The 1874 Elmwood book said, 'He was deemed a man of stainless integrity, of great energy, and excellent practical good sense.'" (p. 65)
In the book "Elmwood 2002: In the Shadows of the Elms" by Perre Magness (copyright 2001, Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, TN) p. 65, the following short biography of William Ruffin is offered:
"WILLIAM RUFFIN was born in Virginia in 1797 and served in the War of 1812, promoted to Major. He came to Somerville in 1832, where he was a director of the Branch Bank of Tennessee. He moved to Memphis in 1848, and established the original gas-works company, of which he was president until his death in 1857. He was one of the original shareholders of Elmwood. The 1874 Elmwood book said, 'He was deemed a man of stainless integrity, of great energy, and excellent practical good sense.'" (p. 65)
Son of Captain (Rev. War) James B. and Mary Roane Ruffin of "Sweeet Hall", King William County, Virginia, William Ruffin served as a Major on the Staff of General Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans in 1814. He was only sixteen at the time of his appointment. On October 4, 1816 he married Margaret Boswell "Peggy" Winfrey who was only fifteen years of age, in King William County, Virginia. The marriage announcement stated that he was eighteen years of age, so his birth month must have been either November or December, 1797. Two children were born to this couple in King William County: James Drury (1817) and Mary Eliza Ruffin (1818) who would later marry Adolphus Fenton Tucker. Peggy died about 1820 or 1821 in King William County, but her exact burial location is unknown. In 1822 he married Eleanor Shelton, daughter of Walter Shelton. The family moved to Hardeman County, Tennessee in 1831. Around 1848 he married another daughter of Walter Shelton, Mary, who is buried in his family plot at Elmwood Cemetery. No children were born to either of his Shelton wives.
In the book "Elmwood 2002: In the Shadows of the Elms" by Perre Magness (copyright 2001, Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, TN) p. 65, the following short biography of William Ruffin is offered:
"WILLIAM RUFFIN was born in Virginia in 1797 and served in the War of 1812, promoted to Major. He came to Somerville in 1832, where he was a director of the Branch Bank of Tennessee. He moved to Memphis in 1848, and established the original gas-works company, of which he was president until his death in 1857. He was one of the original shareholders of Elmwood. The 1874 Elmwood book said, 'He was deemed a man of stainless integrity, of great energy, and excellent practical good sense.'" (p. 65)
In the book "Elmwood 2002: In the Shadows of the Elms" by Perre Magness (copyright 2001, Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, TN) p. 65, the following short biography of William Ruffin is offered:
"WILLIAM RUFFIN was born in Virginia in 1797 and served in the War of 1812, promoted to Major. He came to Somerville in 1832, where he was a director of the Branch Bank of Tennessee. He moved to Memphis in 1848, and established the original gas-works company, of which he was president until his death in 1857. He was one of the original shareholders of Elmwood. The 1874 Elmwood book said, 'He was deemed a man of stainless integrity, of great energy, and excellent practical good sense.'" (p. 65)
Gravesite Details
There is no gravestone, but the original plot book for Elmwood, Fowler Section 23 clearly shows that Major Wm. Ruffin is buried in the first grave.
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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