James H. Ruffin was born 1850 in Edgecombe County, NC, the 5th of 9 known surviving children (7 boys/2 girls) born to farmers Thomas "Tom" Ruffin (1821-1872) and his wife, Lizandy "Lizzy" Wilson Long. Jim was 22 when his father died of gangrene, having split his knee open with a hatchet while working on his house.
About a year later, on February 23, 1872, 23-year old Jim married 20-year old Joanna "Jo" Braswell of Edgecombe, daughter of Robert "Bob" Braswell and Martha "Pattie" Lancaster. The couple set up housekeeping in Swift Creek and would become parents to 13 known children, 3 of whom died in infancy:
* Charles Daniel Ruffin (1873-1927)
* Mack Thomas Ruffin (1875-1937)
* Annie Ruffin (1878-1882)
* James Ruffin (1879-1879)
* Joseph Clifton Ruffin (1882-1936)
* Ida Ruffin (1884-1970)
* Callie Ruffin (1885-1886)
* Thomas Edmondson Ruffin (1886-1939)
* Mamie Ruffin (1887-1953)
* Dale Ruffin (1888-1888)
* Dred Mark Ruffin (1889)
* Mattie Ruffin (1892-1918)
* Andrew Lee Ruffin (1894)
Jim was widowed in 1904 when his wife of 31 years died at age 51. She was buried at the Ruffin farm cemetery with her three infant children. Not long after her death, he married (2nd) to Minnie Fly, the widow Edmondson, who was 30 years his junior.
Jim Ruffin died in 1915 at age 65. His second wife, Minnie, survived him 15 years passing in 1930 at age 50. He is buried here with his 2nd wife.
Ida Ruffin, who never married, who lived until age 86, provided the family history on her immediate family. She noted: "My father and his brothers never had a middle name, but when they started to school, they all took the letter "H" as a middle initial, and always signed their names that way."
About a year later, on February 23, 1872, 23-year old Jim married 20-year old Joanna "Jo" Braswell of Edgecombe, daughter of Robert "Bob" Braswell and Martha "Pattie" Lancaster. The couple set up housekeeping in Swift Creek and would become parents to 13 known children, 3 of whom died in infancy:
* Charles Daniel Ruffin (1873-1927)
* Mack Thomas Ruffin (1875-1937)
* Annie Ruffin (1878-1882)
* James Ruffin (1879-1879)
* Joseph Clifton Ruffin (1882-1936)
* Ida Ruffin (1884-1970)
* Callie Ruffin (1885-1886)
* Thomas Edmondson Ruffin (1886-1939)
* Mamie Ruffin (1887-1953)
* Dale Ruffin (1888-1888)
* Dred Mark Ruffin (1889)
* Mattie Ruffin (1892-1918)
* Andrew Lee Ruffin (1894)
Jim was widowed in 1904 when his wife of 31 years died at age 51. She was buried at the Ruffin farm cemetery with her three infant children. Not long after her death, he married (2nd) to Minnie Fly, the widow Edmondson, who was 30 years his junior.
Jim Ruffin died in 1915 at age 65. His second wife, Minnie, survived him 15 years passing in 1930 at age 50. He is buried here with his 2nd wife.
Ida Ruffin, who never married, who lived until age 86, provided the family history on her immediate family. She noted: "My father and his brothers never had a middle name, but when they started to school, they all took the letter "H" as a middle initial, and always signed their names that way."
James H. Ruffin was born 1850 in Edgecombe County, NC, the 5th of 9 known surviving children (7 boys/2 girls) born to farmers Thomas "Tom" Ruffin (1821-1872) and his wife, Lizandy "Lizzy" Wilson Long. Jim was 22 when his father died of gangrene, having split his knee open with a hatchet while working on his house.
About a year later, on February 23, 1872, 23-year old Jim married 20-year old Joanna "Jo" Braswell of Edgecombe, daughter of Robert "Bob" Braswell and Martha "Pattie" Lancaster. The couple set up housekeeping in Swift Creek and would become parents to 13 known children, 3 of whom died in infancy:
* Charles Daniel Ruffin (1873-1927)
* Mack Thomas Ruffin (1875-1937)
* Annie Ruffin (1878-1882)
* James Ruffin (1879-1879)
* Joseph Clifton Ruffin (1882-1936)
* Ida Ruffin (1884-1970)
* Callie Ruffin (1885-1886)
* Thomas Edmondson Ruffin (1886-1939)
* Mamie Ruffin (1887-1953)
* Dale Ruffin (1888-1888)
* Dred Mark Ruffin (1889)
* Mattie Ruffin (1892-1918)
* Andrew Lee Ruffin (1894)
Jim was widowed in 1904 when his wife of 31 years died at age 51. She was buried at the Ruffin farm cemetery with her three infant children. Not long after her death, he married (2nd) to Minnie Fly, the widow Edmondson, who was 30 years his junior.
Jim Ruffin died in 1915 at age 65. His second wife, Minnie, survived him 15 years passing in 1930 at age 50. He is buried here with his 2nd wife.
Ida Ruffin, who never married, who lived until age 86, provided the family history on her immediate family. She noted: "My father and his brothers never had a middle name, but when they started to school, they all took the letter "H" as a middle initial, and always signed their names that way."
About a year later, on February 23, 1872, 23-year old Jim married 20-year old Joanna "Jo" Braswell of Edgecombe, daughter of Robert "Bob" Braswell and Martha "Pattie" Lancaster. The couple set up housekeeping in Swift Creek and would become parents to 13 known children, 3 of whom died in infancy:
* Charles Daniel Ruffin (1873-1927)
* Mack Thomas Ruffin (1875-1937)
* Annie Ruffin (1878-1882)
* James Ruffin (1879-1879)
* Joseph Clifton Ruffin (1882-1936)
* Ida Ruffin (1884-1970)
* Callie Ruffin (1885-1886)
* Thomas Edmondson Ruffin (1886-1939)
* Mamie Ruffin (1887-1953)
* Dale Ruffin (1888-1888)
* Dred Mark Ruffin (1889)
* Mattie Ruffin (1892-1918)
* Andrew Lee Ruffin (1894)
Jim was widowed in 1904 when his wife of 31 years died at age 51. She was buried at the Ruffin farm cemetery with her three infant children. Not long after her death, he married (2nd) to Minnie Fly, the widow Edmondson, who was 30 years his junior.
Jim Ruffin died in 1915 at age 65. His second wife, Minnie, survived him 15 years passing in 1930 at age 50. He is buried here with his 2nd wife.
Ida Ruffin, who never married, who lived until age 86, provided the family history on her immediate family. She noted: "My father and his brothers never had a middle name, but when they started to school, they all took the letter "H" as a middle initial, and always signed their names that way."
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