West Virginia Statewide Files  WV-Footsteps Mailing List
WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest				Volume 99 : Issue 26

Today's Topics:
  #1 BIO: Captain Snelling C. FARLEY, K   [SSpradling@aol.com]
  #2 BIO: James Alexander LEWIS, Kanawh   [SSpradling@aol.com]
  #3 BIO: Judge Matthew DUNBAR, Kanawha   [SSpradling@aol.com]
  #4 BIO: Hon. John D. LEWIS, Kanawha C   [SSpradling@aol.com]
  #5 BIO: Abia REECE, Kanawha County      [SSpradling@aol.com]
  #6 BIO: Andrew H. Beach, Kanawha Coun   [SSpradling@aol.com]
  #7 BIO: John McCONIHAY, Kanawha Count   [SSpradling@aol.com]
  #8 BIO: General Lewis RUFFNER, Kanawh   [SSpradling@aol.com]

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______________________________X-Message: #1
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 18:19:07 EDT
From: SSpradling@aol.com
To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com
Message-ID: <ae9d162b.2516bb5b@aol.com>
Subject: BIO:  Captain Snelling C. FARLEY, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 294-296

CAPTAIN SNELLING C. FARLEY.

Captain Farley was born four miles from Paris, in Bourbon county, Kentucky,
February 3, 1806. His father lived upon a farm, and when the subject of this
sketch was seven years of age, he moved to Kanawha county, Virginia, where
his fatherin~law, Mr. Forquerian, formerly of Bedford county, Virginia, had
located in the spring of 1813.  After his arrival in Kanawha, Mr. Farley
continued in agricultural pursuits for a few years, when he located in
Charleston, that he might be better en-abled to educate his children.

In Charleston young Farley attended the Mercer Academy, under the
instructions of Mr. Jacob Rand, who was a leading educator in the Ka-nawha
Valley at that time.  At the age of fifteen years, he entered the tailor shop
of Mr. James Truslow, in Charleston, and continued in that business until
1826, when he had learned thoroughly every department of the business.

After he had completed his apprenticeship at the tailor's bench, Mr. Farley
engaged as a deputy Sheriff under Col. Andrew Donnally, who was at that time
Sheriff of the county.  He continued in that business for nearly four years,
and gave satisfaction both to his employer and the people.

In 1844 Captain Farley purchased an interest in the side wheel steamer
Cumberland Valley, which ran between Charleston and Nashville, Tennessee, and
took charge of her as Captain.  This was the beginning of
"a life on the river," which seemed to be his natural business, and which he
kept up for twenty-seven years.  Ever since the writer can remember, Captain
Farley has been regarded as the leading steamboatman of the Great Kanawha
river.  He was neat in his dress and appearance, and was courteous and
accommodating-just the make-up of a gentleman who would be popular as a river
Captain.  He was known by nearly every business man along the Kanawha, lower
Ohio, and Cumberland valleys, having had more or less business transactions
with them during his twenty-seven years "on the water."

>From 1844 to 1876, Captain Farley was Master of the following named
steamers-in fact, he never filled any other position on a steamboat except
the office of commander: The Cumberland Valley, which plied be-tween
Charleston and Nashville; A. W Quarrier, running from Charleston to
Cincinnati; Allen Collier, in the same trade; Aurilla Wood, which ran between
Charleston and Wheeling; Hermon, in the trade from Paducah, Kentucky, to St.
Louis, Missouri.  The Hermon also ran two years on the Wabash river, under
command of Captain Farley.  The Ellen Gray was a neat little stern wheel
steamer, which he ran for sometime in the Charleston and Cincinnati trade.
He made fifty-one trips in one year with this steamer, a round trip requiring
one week; Kanawha Valley, Nos. I and 2, in the Cincinnati and Kanawha river
trade.  He was in command of the No.2, when she was destroyed by General H.
A. Wise, of the Confederate army, in 1861.  He built the T.J. Pickett, for
the Cannelton Coal and Oil Company, and commanded her in the trade from
Cannelton to Louisville, for about twelve months.  The next steamer that he
commanded was the Mollie Norton, a large side-wheel steamer, which he ran in
the Cincinnati trade.  The next one was the Collage No.2, which he ran a
portion of the time in the Charleston and Gallipolis trade, and a
considerable time also in the Cincinnati trade. The last vessel that he had
charge of was the R. W Skillinger, which he ran in the Charleston and
Cincinnati trade up to 1871, when he disposed of her, abandoned the river,
and has kept on land ever since.

River men, as a class, break down in health in early life.  Captain Farley,
however, seems to be an exception to the rule, for he is now in the
seventy-first year of his age, and his health is tolerably good; his
appearance indicates an age not exceeding fifty-five or sixty.

______________________________X-Message: #2
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 18:27:16 EDT
From: SSpradling@aol.com
To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com
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Subject: BIO: James Alexander LEWIS, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 296-298

JAMES ALEXANDER LEWIS.

James A. Lewis was born near Sweet Springs, Virginla, in the year 1794.  He
was the only son of Alexander Lewis, who died during the infancy of James.
Alexander's father-James A's grand father-was William Lewis, a brother of
General Andrew and Colonel Charles Lewis, and an Qificer in the Revolutionary
war.  James. A. Lewis was educated principally at the then famous school of
Mr. Crutchfield, in Virginia. About the year 1811 or 1812 he went into the
office of his uncle, Dr. Charles Lewis, and commenced the study of medicine.
After prosecuting his studies for a year or two, he was seized with the war
spirit which then pervaded the land.  He entered the army as Ensign in the 2
nd Regiment, United States Infantry, and was aftenvards promoted to a
Lieutenancy in the same regiment, which rank and position he held at the
disbanding of the forces.  His land warrant, issued under act of Congress,
1850, for services in the war of 1812, is still in the hands of his children,
ilever having been sold or located.

Returning home after the war, he resumed the study of medicine, and continued
in his uncle's office up to 1816.  When he was about twenty-two years of age,
he married Prudentia Wilson, of Bath county, Virginia, a lady of estimable
character, and great moral worth. In 1817 the young couple started on horse
back for the then distant West-Kentucky.  Henry Clay was a favorite pupil of
old Father Crutchfield, and wheu Mr. Lewis started to Kentucky, the old
gentleman gave him a very elaborate letter of introduction and recommendation
to Mr. Clay who had previously gone to Kentucky and had already begun to make
his mark there.  As Mr. Lewis never got beyond Kanawha, he never delivered
the letter, but kept it during his lifetime, and left it at his death in the
possession of his family.  Reaching Kanawba, they were much pleas-ed with the
country, the people, and the prospects of its future growth and development.
They concluded to rest here for a while. At that time there was an apparent
need of a good school in Charleston, and the peole induced Mr. Lewis to
abandon, for that year, his intention of going to Kentucky, and to open a
school here.  His school was large and suc-cessful. His young wife, who was
also well educated, assisted him in teaching. There are yet living in Kanawba
a few persons who were his pupils, nearly sixty years ago; among whom are
Colonel Joel Ruffner, Mrs. Caroline W. Quarrier, Mrs. Roxalana Smith and
others.  The old house, with the riven oak weather-boards, standing on the
river bank near Truslow street, which has been alluded to in another chapter,
was built by James A. Lewis under peculiar circumstances.  He was teaching
school in Charleston and in those days a schoolday consisted of more hours
than in these times.  Schools took up early and held in late, with an hour
for dinner.  Some one had built the foundation, and had partly put up the
frame, at which stage Mr. Lewis purchased it, and with his own hands, working
during the hours he was not teaching, completed his dwelling plastering and
all-although he had never done a day's work at any mechanical trade before.
The old house stands there today a monument to his skill, industry and
perseverance.

After teaching for some two years, in Charleston, he purchased a stock of
goods of Colonel Joseph Lovell, and launched out into the business of
merchandising, which he continued uninterruptedly, and with moderate success,
for more than forty years.  In fact, he continued in the same busine~s until
the time of his death, which occurred November 2, 1860.

He was appointed postmaster of Kanawha Court-house about 1820, and held that
position for about thirty-two years, when he was forced, by declining health,
to resign it, in October, 1852.  He was so kind and ac-commodating that he
pleased everybody, and although it was considered a political office, no one
could get it from him.

In politics he was always a staunch Whig, but was never much of a politician.
 lie was for many years a leading member of the Presbyte-rian church, and
died in the triumphs of a living faith.  His wife survived him nearly seven
years,  She died at the house of her daughter, Mrs, Wm. Frazier, at the Alum
Springs, in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in the summer of 1867.

Mr. Lewis and wife had twelve children, only four of whom  are now
living, viz: William A., who resides on the Kanawha, near St. Albans;
Susan M., wife of William Frazier, who resides at the Alum Springs,
Rockbridge county, Virginia; Captain James F. Lewis, who resides in
Charleston, and Edward Lewis, who resides on the Long Ridge, in
Roane county.

______________________________X-Message: #3
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 18:46:17 EDT
From: SSpradling@aol.com
To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com
Message-ID: <20cd892f.2516c1b9@aol.com>
Subject: BIO: Judge Matthew DUNBAR, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 298-299

JUDGE MATTHEW DUNBAR.

One of the most distinguished, as well as most honorable lawyers of the
Kanawha bar, of the last generation, was Matthew Dunbar.  He was amiable,
honorable and exemplary, and did all of his work in open daylight.  He
disdained anything like trickery in the practice of his profession; and as a
general thing, he refused to have anything to do with the defense of cases,
which, in his judgment, were violations of law.  He came as near living up to
the Golden Rule as any other member of his profession, in this or any other
age.  He was honest in politics and the practice of his profession, as well
as in the transaction of private business.  It was his opinion that if a man
could be honest in the one case, he could be so in the other; and his life
was an exemplification of the truthfulness of the proposition.  Although an
ardent Whig, Judge Dunbar had but little to do with politics. He refused,
under all circum-stances, to accept political offices  and devoted his entire
time to the practice of his profession.

Judge Dunbar was born in Monroe county, Virginia, April 3, 1791, and was
educated under the tutorage of the late John McElhenny, D. D., of Lewisburg,
Greenbrier county.  He caine to Kanawha about 1815, and commenced the study
of the law in the office of James Wilson, Esq., the Prosecuting Attorney of
the county.  After a thorough preparation, he was admitted as an attorney of
the Kanawha bar in i8i8, and by close application to his books, and a
thorough examination of his cases before he went into Court, he took a
leading rank in a short time after his admission to the bar.

The first and only office which he ever held, except that of a Circuit
Judgeship, was Prosecuting Attorney for Kanawha county.  He was re-elected to
that important position for many years without intermission, and was allowed
only to give it up when he was elected by the Legislature as Judge of this
judicial circuit, in 1848.  He held the position of Circuit Judge for a
number of years, until he was forced to resign it, on account of failing
health, and the advance of age.

He united with the Presbyterian church, in 1830, and continued an earnest and
consistent member until the time of his death, which. took place in 1859. His
funeral was attended by almost the entire town, while his remains were laid
to rest in the presence of many hundreds of his fellowcitizens, who deeply
mourned his death.  His wife still survives, and spends her time at the homes
of her daughters., Mrs. Ebenezer Baines, in Charleston, and Mrs. James L.
McLean, at Winfield, in Putnam county.  She is a lady well-beloved by all
those who have the pleasure of her acquaintance.

______________________________X-Message: #4
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 18:53:49 EDT
From: SSpradling@aol.com
To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com
Message-ID: <7665e5b1.2516c37d@aol.com>
Subject: BIO: Hon. John D. LEWIS, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 299-301

HON. JOHN D. LEWIS.

John D. Lewis was born on the Cow Pasture river, in Bath county, Virginia,
twelve miles southeast of the Warm Springs, June 6, 1800. His father, Charles
Cameron Lewis, a son of Colonel Charles Lewis, who was killed in 1774, in the
battle at Point Pleasant between the whites and Indians, removed from Bath
county, in 1802, to a point on the Ohio river four miles above the mouth of
the Kanawha.  His farm at that place was beautiful level land, bordering on
the Ohio river, and was quite productive.  Shortly after his removal to the
Ohio Valley, his health failed, and he died in the Spring of 1803.  In 1807
Mrs. Lewis was united in marriage with Captain James Wilson, and in i8io they
removed to the Kanawha Valley, locating where General Lewis Ruffner now
resides, six miles above Charleston.  After remaining there for a few yeaTs,
they made an exchange of property with Colonel David Ruffner, and removed to
Charleston, to the Brooks property, better known as the Clendennin
blockhouse, or fort.

The subject of this sketch resided with his step-father the greater portion
of time, until he grew to manhood, although he spent several months each year
with his brother, on the farm oil the Ohio river, which had been jointly left
to them at their father's death. While he was grow-ing up, he attended the
Mercer Academy, in Charleston, which was pre-sided over by Dr. Henry Ruffner,
the first year; the second year the school was taught by General Lewis
Ruffner.  He also went to school to Francis Crutchfield, one year in Bath
county, and one year in Charles-ton.  Mr. Crutchfield was a noted educator of
Bath county, and was preva,iled upon to spend one year in Kanawha to teach a
private class of advanced young men, Mr. Lewis being one of the number.

Mr. Lewis began a business life on the Kanawha by clerking for Messrs.
Dickinson & Shrewsbury, salt-makers, in Tinkersville, five miles above
Charleston.  He remained with them three years, from 1826 to 1829, when he
engaged as salesman in the store of Hewitt, Ruffner & Co., who were also
salt-makers, in the same vicinity, remaining with them about one year.  He
was engaged in business a short time for Dickinson, Ruffner & Co.; and in
1831, he bought property, where the landing of the Campbell's Creek Coal
Company now is, and, after putting it in order, commenced the manufacture of
salt on his own account.  From the outset his business proved lucrative, and
in a few years thereafter he occupied a leading position among the business
men of the Kanawha Valley.
In 1838 he married a daughter of Joel Shrewsbury, Sr.  She died in 1843,
since which time Mr. Lewis has been twice married, the last time in 1874.

During the spring of 1834, Mr. Lewis purchased the property where he now
resides, immediately above the mouth of Catnpbell's creek, constructed a
furnace, and began the manufacture of salt, which business he continued, in a
successful manner, until a few years ago.

Mr. Lewis was an ardent Whig until the dissolution of that party, oc-casioned
by the war in 1861, when he united with the Democratic party, with which he
still co-operates.  He never sought political offices.  His great object in
life was to make his business successful, and the immense estate which he now
represents is proof of his capacity as a business man.  He, however, held the
position of a Justice of the Peace for a number of years, acquitting himself,
in all cases tried before him, honorably and satisfactorily.  In 1871 he was
elected to the House of Delegates from Kanawha county, and served his
fellow-citizens with credit and distinction.

Mr. Lewis is now past seventy-six years of age, and is apparently in good
health.  He has been a man of unusual physical strength, but his stalwart
frame, a few years since, was forced to yield under the pressure of a
rheumatic disease; and instead of carrying himself erect, as was his manner
in younger years, his body is now considerably stooped.  He spends his time
principally superintending his large landed estate, lying in most every
portion of the county, which is principally under lease to tenants.  He is,
however, frequently seen upon the streets of Charleston, and his step is as
quick and elastic as it was a decade or more ago.

______________________________X-Message: #5
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 18:56:52 EDT
From: SSpradling@aol.com
To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com
Message-ID: <42d8931.2516c434@aol.com>
Subject: BIO: Abia REECE, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 301

ABIA REECE

Abia Reece who resides at Mud Bridge, in Cabell county, is the oldest man in
the Kanawba Valley, except Israel Rue, who resides on Davis creek, seven
miles from Charleston.  He was born in Bedford county, Virginia, February 15,
1784, and removed to Kanawha in 1~9I. He was, therefore, one of the first
settlers of the Kanawha Valley perhaps has been a resident of the Valley
longer than any other person now living. Upon his first arrival in the
county, he located at the Mouth of Kelly's creek, twenty miles above
Charleston, where he resided for seven years. During his stay at that place,
he had several encounters with the Indians, but always managed to escape
unharmed.  He removed to Teays' Valley in 1798, and has resided upon alarge
and beautiful farm, in a bend of Mud river, till the present time.  He is in
good health, and, with the exception of a lameness in one of his hips,
occasioned by an ox running over him a few years since, is unusually vigorous
and active for a man of his advanced age.

______________________________X-Message: #6
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 18:59:59 EDT
From: SSpradling@aol.com
To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com
Message-ID: <9c12f230.2516c4ef@aol.com>
Subject: BIO: Andrew H. Beach, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 301-302

ANDREW H. BEACH

Samuel Beach came from Rockbridge county to Kanawha in i8oo, and located near
the Upper Falls of Coal river.  He entered as a volunteer, in the war of 1812
with Great Britain.  After his discharge at Norfolk, he started home.  While
visiting friepds in Prince Edward county, he took sick, and died in the fall
of 1813.

Andrew H. Beach, son of Samuel Beach, was born in Kanawba county, February
II, 1803.  He was brought up on a farm near the Upper Falls of Coal river,
where he remained until he was twenty.one years of age. During his minority,
he attended schools taught at different times by Joseph J. Strawn, E. G.
Simmons, John M. Jordan, Isaac Ashworth, John Campbell, Daniel Pauley and
others, all of whom were pioneer school teachers in this, at that time,
western country.

Mr. Beach learned the trade of a shoe-maker, and opened a shop in MaIden, in
1825, where he remained in business for four years. He then removed to
Charleston, and carried on the business of shoe and boot making for upwards
of twenty-five years.

For ten years he was a "peace officer" of the town of Charleston, in the
capacity of Constable, deputy Sheriff, and Marshal of the corporation.

For many years past he has been engaged as the proprietor of a hotel, and at
present is the owner of the Kanawha House, on Kanawha street.
Mr. Beach is about five feet seven inches tall, and his average weight for
the last half century has been about one hundred and forty pounds. He has
been a cripple for the past eight years, occasioned by a fall into a cellar,
resulting in the crushing of one of his feet and ankles.  He walks about with
the assistance of a cane, but will never recover from the injuries received
from the fall.

______________________________X-Message: #7
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 19:04:15 EDT
From: SSpradling@aol.com
To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com
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Subject: BIO: John McCONIHAY, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 302

JOHN MCCONIHAY.

John McConihay was one of the earliest settlers of the county.  He purchased
a large boundary of land on the Kanawha river, from ten to fifteen miles
above Charleston, which was valuable for its mineral contents, as well as for
farming purpose.  He was a good business man, and by industry and frugality
managed to accumulate a handsome estate. He is now eighty-four years of age,
and is remarkably active for a man of his years.  He resides upon his farm at
Lewiston, fifteen miles above Charleston, and attends to his husiness as
regularly and constantly as if he were in the prime of life.

______________________________X-Message: #8
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 19:14:18 EDT
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Subject: BIO: General Lewis RUFFNER, Kanawha County
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 303-305

GENERAL LEWIS RUFFNER.

Among all of the noted men born and raised in the Kanawha Valley, none of
them possessed a better intellect than did Lewis Ruffner. He is a man of
unusual breadth of intellect and cultivation of mind, and has been a leading
citizen of Kanawha for over fifty years.  He was born October 1, 1793, in a
large log mansion immediately in the rear of the Clendennin fort, in
Charleston.  His grandfather, Joseph Ruffner, bought the bottom land from the
mouth of Elk to Wilson's hollow, in 1795, and moved upon it in the fall of
1796. Joseph Ruffner had six sons and one daughter, as follows : David,
Daniel, Tobias, Joseph, Samuel Abram and Eve, who married Nehemiah Woods,
referred to in a former chapter. David Ruffner was the father of the subject
of this sketch; and also of Rev. Henry Ruffner, D. D., LL. D., a
distinguished Presbyterian clergyman, and at one time President of Washington
College, Lexington, Virginia; Mrs. Ann Putney, the wife of the late Dr. R. E.
Putney, and Mrs. Susan Fuqua, wife of Moses Fuqua, late of Hannibal,
Missouri. Daniel Ruffner was the father of Charies, Joel, James, Augustus,
Andrew, the wife of David Ruffner and the wife of N. V. Wilson.  Tobias
Ruffner was the father of John, Isaac, Silas, Benjamin F., Jonas, and two
daughters.

The subject of this sketch first attended school in Charleston, taught by
Herbert P. Gaines, and afterwards by Levi Welch and others.  In 1808 he
attended a select school, one year, taught by Professor Duvall, on the farm
of Robert Johnson, father of Hon. Richard M. Johnson-at the crossing of Elk
Horn Creek, Scott county, Kentucky.  In 1812 he went to Lewisburg, and
entered the high school taught by Rev. John McElhenny, where he remained
until February, 1815, when peace was declared with Great Britain.  He then
went to Cincinnati, and entered an academy, where he remained one year,
pursuing his studies.  From Cincinnati, in the latter part of 1816, he went
to Lexington, Virginia, and entered Washington College, where lie remained
two years. In 1818 he returned to Charleston, and taught school for one year.
 In 1820 he commenced business as a salt manufacturer in a small wood furnace
in the Salines, which business he has kept up, with occasional intermissions,
until the present time.

In 1821, realizing the incompleteness of a kettle furnace, with wood fuel,
Mr. Ruffner built a new one, on the site of his present furnaces and used
coal as a fuel.  This was a great improvement, in the saving of time and
expense, and was an important step in the line of improvements which led to
others and still others that proved a blessing to all those engaged in the
manufacture of salt in the Great Kanawba Valley.

In 1823 Mr. Ruffner took charge of his father's property and settled up his
business. In 1825 he was elected to the Legislature of Virginia, and was
returned in 1826 and 1828.  November 2, 1826, he was united in marriage with
a daughter of the late Joel Shrewsbury. In 1828 he was appointed a Magistrate
for Kanawha county, which position he held without intermission, until 1845,
when he removed to Louisville, Kentucky, and on leaving the State, tendered
his resignation as a Justice. He remained in Kentucky until 1857, acting as
agent for the sale of Kanawha salt, when he returned to his old home, near
MaIden, and resumed the manufacture of salt.

After serving three terms in the Legislature, Mr. Ruffner, from 1828 to 186o,
ceased to mingle in politics, and gave his time and attention ex-clusively to
business, although solicited to become a candidate for important official
positions.  In May, 186o, he was again elected to the Legislature of
Virginia. About that time the war broke out, and Mr. Ruffner, contrary to the
wishes of nearly all of his relafives and friends, took the side of the
Union, and exhibited unusual courage in standing up and boldly defending his
country, and the flag of our nationality. In June of that year he was invited
by leading citizens, from other portions of the State, to meet them at the
city of Wheeling, to take action preliminary to the restoring of Virginia to
the Union, she having passed the ordinance of secession in April preceding.
lie went to Wheeling, and his courage, education and ability enabled him to
take a leading position in that Convention of noble Virginians which restored
the government of Virginia to the Union. In the fall of 186o he was elected
to the Legislature by his loyal fellow-citizens of Kanawlia county, and was
reelected each year consecutively until i865, when he declined to serve
longer. In i863 he was elected as one of the delegates from Kanawha county to
the Convention which framed the Constitution for the new State of West
Virginia, and, as in the Convention of 1860, he took a prominent and leading
rank. In the same year he was appointed by the Legislature to the high
position of Major General of militia, for the State of West Virginia. He was,
about that time, tendered the position of Colonel of a regiment in the
Federal army, if he desired to enter the serviceas a volunteer, but he
declined to accept it, on account of the large business interests which he
represented in the Kanawha Valley.

Too much praise cannot be given to General Ruffner for his devotion to the
Union when the dark storm-cloud of war hung low in our political horizon.
His conduct at that time not only exhibited patriotism and love of country in
a very large degree, but it showed that he posessed an unusual amount of
courage,daring, in the face of an over-whelming armed opposition, to urge his
fellow-citizens, less informed, to stand firmly by their country and their
flag.  Scores and hundreds of our citizens heeded the advice given them by
General Ruffner, in that great emergency, and stood by the ship that had
borne them up safely, as a nation and a people, for nearly one hundred years.

Ruffner connected himself with the Presbyterian church in Charleston, in
December, 1844, under the ministry of Rev. Dr. Stuart Robinson, of Kentucky,
and has remained a devoted and consistent member until the present time. His
health is moderately good, and the encroachments of age. do not seem to make
very decided impressions upon him.

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