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Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Ruffner Family Papers, A&M 1744, West Virginia and Regional History Center,
West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Letters and copies of eight letters, 1813-1841; pages 5-10 from Kanawha Salines general merchandise account book, 6-9 March
1827; three manuscript volumes by Henry Ruffner: "Notes on a Tour to the West" and "An Expedition to the North," 1815, and
"An Account of Amounts Paid to Rev. Nath'l W. Calhoon," 1826-1834; and "Subscription for Church, 1836-1842," by David Ruffner.
There is also a printed brief involving Ruffner-Donnally estates, 1875, and information on the Shackelford family.
Forms: Correspondence -- autographed letter signed; Persons: Joseph Ruffner to "Brother" [David Ruffner] (Mentioned: Samuel
Shrewsbury, Mr. Anthoney, John Randolph, Mr. Summers); Places: Cincinnati, OH to Kenhawa [Kanawha], VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Cincinnati (business conditions, woolen factory company forming, construction of "Meeting House," description), Philadelphia
market conditions, family affairs (health, finances, moving to Cincinnati)
1813 September 11
Forms: Correspondence -- autographed letter signed; Persons: Henry Ruffner to "Father" [David Ruffner] (mentioned: Mr. Wilson,
Mr. Embry (brewery owner) Rev. Joshua L. Wilson, Mr. Kemper, Mr. Steel, Mr. Lewis, Dr. Allison); Places: Cincinnati, OH to
Kanawha Salt Works, VA [now WV]
1815 February 17
Scope and Contents
Subjects: Itinerary of proposed travel in Kentucky and Tennessee [see History Room "Notes on a Tour to the West" Vol. 3];
churches (Presbyterian [session in Rockbridge, VA], preaching and ministers in Cincinnati, Methodist [number and description
of ministers in Cincinnati, OH]); Cincinnati (comparison of moral conduct of citizens to those of Kanawha area, brewery fire,
description [number of dwellings inhabited and building, population and expected increase], real estate sale and profit, woolen
factory, glue factory); family affairs (health, finances, etc.)
Forms: Correspondence -- autographed letter signed; Persons: David Ruffner to "Son" [Rev. Henry Ruffner], and Ann Ruffner
to "Daughter" [Henry's wife] (Mentioned: Lewis Ruffner, Miss Nichols, T. Ruffner, Ann Putney, Rev. Page, "old father" Plumer,
Mr. Graham, deaths of Miss Holt, Levi Whitteker and John Huff); Places: Kanawha, VA [now WV] to Lexington, VA
1823 October 09-1823 October 10
Scope and Contents
Subjects: Health (family and community, mentions also deaths in Marietta, OH, Parkersburg, VA [now WV], and Wheeling, VA [now
WV], 3/4 of inhabitants in Kanawha area "have been or are ill," health conditions in Louisville, KY, yellow fever in Cincinnati,
OH); family affairs (Lewis Ruffner in Cincinnati, Ann Putney [sister of H.R.'s wife], finances); churches (need of Presbyterian
minister, feeling of people regarding Episcopalian mode of worship); the salt industry (market prices, health of workers)
Forms: Correspondence -- autographed letter signed; Persons: Henry Ruffner to "Father" [David Ruffner] (mentioned: Lewis Ruffner,
Mr. Taylor, Mr. Brown, Nat. Calhoon); Places: Lexington, VA to Kanawha Salines, VA [now WV]
1840 December 31
Scope and Contents
Subjects: The salt industry (H.R.'s opinion on the plan submitted to him by Lewis R. for the proposed "Trust" by the owners);
coal (property of members of the "Trust" designed to be "common stock," H.R.'s lack of share in profits in coal, use of at
salt furnace); proposed resignation from the faculty and presidency of college in Lexington, VA [Washington College]; land
purchase for retirement residence in Kanawha County; churches (new [Presbyterian] church, use of old building, decision not
to accept regular charge on return to Kanawha County); health of wife
Forms: Correspondence -- autographed letter signed; Persons: David Ruffner to "Son" [Henry Ruffner] (mentioned: Franklin Reynolds
and Richard Putney [inspectors], Mr. Dearing [inventor], William Tompkins, John D. Lewis and Lewis Ruffner [assisting in installing
new manufacturing process], Mr. Brown, school teacher [church?], Moses M. Fuqua [Hannibal, MO], Clavin C. Fuqua [Athens, MO],
Mr. and Mrs. William and Alfred Whitteker, William Cunningham, Mr. Honeyman, Mr. Robinson, James Putney, Ann Brombach, Magdalene
Reid); Places: Kanawha Salines, VA [now WV] to Lexington, VA
1841 May 17
Scope and Contents
Subjects: Family affairs (health, comment and advice regarding disagreement between Henry and Lewis Ruffner); navigation of
the Kanawha River (water level, steamboats); health in the Kanawha area (deaths from scarlet fever); the salt industry (shipping,
market, quality of salt, inspectors, new furnaces, "white salt," invention of "L"[?], or "C"[?] machine, new manufacturing
process described); churches (new members of Presbyterian church, attendance, minister)
Forms: Manuscript -- account book (6 pp.); Persons: Names of customers; Places: Kanawha Salines, VA [now WV]; Subjects: General
merchandise
1827 March 06-1827 March 10
Forms: Manuscript, Vol. 1 -- account book; Persons: "David Ruffner," Rev. H [Henry] Ruffner, Rev. John McIlhaney [sic] [McElhenney];
Places: Nicholas Court House, Kanawha Salines, VA [now WV] -- D. Ruffner's Meeting House; Subjects: (Presbyterian) church
account of subscriptions, names of subscribers to fund for the support of Rev. Calhoon, also for the missionary fund and Sunday
school books
1826–1834
Forms: Manuscript -- memo; Persons: R.E Putney, Jr., Rev. N.W. Calhoon; Places: No place listed; Subjects: Putney noted that
his grandfather, his brother, father and he accompanied Rev. J.C. [sic] Calhoon on a trip to Cincinnati, OH in 1829 (refers
to p. 9 of book, this entry is for Rev. N.W. Calhoon) on steamboat Paul Pry
1886
Forms: Manuscript, Vol. 2 -- account book; Persons: David Ruffner; Places: Saltborough, VA [now Malden, WV], Kanawha Salines,
Charleston, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Record of subscriptions for new Presbyterian church with subscribers' names listed, dimensions
of Charleston Church, ground for Kanawha Salines church donated by D. Ruffner
1836–1841
Forms: Manuscript, Vol. 2 -- account book; Persons: No persons listed; Places: No place listed; Subjects: Sacrament collection
memo
1842
Forms: Manuscript, Vol. 2 -- account book; Persons: David Ruffner; Places: No place listed; Subjects: David Ruffner's account
in Bank of VA
1833
Forms: Manuscript, Vol. 2 -- account book; Persons: David Ruffner; Places: Saltborough, VA [now Malden, WV]; Subject: (Presbyterian)
church account of subscriptions, including names of subscribers to fund for the support of Rev. Calhoon, also for the missionary
fund and Sunday school books
1840-1841
Forms: Manuscript, Vol. 3 -- journal; Persons: Henry Ruffner - "Notes on a Tour to the West" (February 21 - April); Places:
Lexington, KY, Bethel, Versailles, KY, Frankfort, KY, Louisville, KY, Shippingport, KY, Jeffersonville, IN, Charlestown, IN,
Madison, IN, N. Albany, IN; Subjects: travel itinerary and preaching schedule, description and statistics on towns visited,
number of commercial, public buildings, and dwellings, type of construction, churches, schools, type and production of manufactories,
births and deaths
1815 February 21 - August 09
Forms: Manuscript, Vol. 3 -- journal (cont.)
1815 February 21 - August 09
Scope and Contents
Persons: Henry Ruffner (Comments on: John Pope [law lecturer at Transylvania University and former U.S. Senator], Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Bates, Mr. McElwaine, Mr. Vance, Squire McCampbell, Mr. Noland [?], Judge Scott, Major Taylor, Major Hamilton, Mr. Still
or Stull, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. McTaggart, Dl[?]. Graham, Mr. Ross, Mr. Drake, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Cooper, General Harris, Mr. Wilson,
Mr. McMurrough, Mr. Kemper, Mr. Wycoff, Mr. Rusk, Mr. VanHorn, Mr. Beaty, Mr. Sutherland, Mary Ludlow, Mr. Wallace, Judge
Nesbe[i]tt, Mr. Winter, Mr. McCollum, Mr. Argenbroad, [partial transcription is available, 8 pp.])
Subjects: Transylvania University (description and statistics, comment on faculty); churches (comment on churches and clergy,
Lexington, Pisgah, Bethel); war (comment on celebration in Lexington, KY of defeat of British at New Orleans, small celebration
of news of peace); John Pope (description, comment on political views); taverns and inns (Postlethwaite's Inn [Lexington,
KY], Sign of the Spread Eagle [Louisville, KY], Vaughn's Tavern [Jeffersonville, IN], Armstrong's Tavern [Shippingport, KY]);
comment on the religious practices of the Shakers; comment on new lights; descriptions and statistics of various cities (Lexington,
KY, Versailles, KY, Louisville, KY, New Albany, IN, and Cincinnati, OH); descriptions of various cities (Clarksville, IN,
Jeffersonville, IN, Hamilton, OH, New Lexington, OH, Dayton, OH, Troy, OH, and Staunton, OH); comments on Charlestown, IN
and Urbana, OH
Forms: Journal; Persons: Henry Ruffner -- "An Expedition to the North."
1815 June 23 - August 09
Scope and Contents
Persons visited or commented on: Mr. McElhenney, Mr. Noyes[?], Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Armentrout, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Baxter,
Captain Lyle, Dr. Ruddle [?], Mr. McMahon, Mr. and Mrs. Bowman, Mr. Erwin, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Scott, J. Ruffner, Mr. Blackford,
C. Forver[?], Mr. Ferrel, Mr. McDaniels, Mr. Duval, Mrs. Coyle, Mrs. Gibson, Orrel [?], Mr. Prater [?], Dr. J., Mr. Patton
Places: Lewisburg, VA [now WV]; Union, VA [now WV]; Massanutten, VA; Monmouth, VA; Staunton, VA; Harrisonburg, VA; New Market,
VA; Blackford's Furnace, VA; Thorn's Gap, VA; Washington, VA; Haymarket, VA; Centreville, VA; Fairfax Court House, VA; Bladensburg,
MD; Patapsco R., MD; Fell's Point, MD; Fort McHenry, MD; Washington, D.C.
Subjects: Travel (description of countryside, towns, houses, crops); preaching (places and number in congregation, subjects);
chattel slavery (proposed sermon on, "circumspection" necessary in remarks to slave holders); charges for toll road; taverns
and hotels (Meene's Hotel, Ward's Tavern, Foley's, Washington Tavern, Ross's Tavern, Davis' Tavern, Jones Tavern, Gadsby's
Hotel); industry and manufacturing (wool carding machine, coppersmith's shop, mill, banks, flour exports, powder mill); recreation
(preparation of grounds for a barbecue and dance); list of expenses at various stopping points; a description of Fort McHenry
(number of bastions and guns)
Forms: Printed brief; Persons: Andrew Donnaly's Administrator and others vs. David Ruffner's Administrator, Heirs, et al.
and Lewis Ruffner and Henry Ruffner's Administrators, Heirs, et al. vs. R.E. Putney's Administrator and Heirs; Otis Thayer,
sole applicant; Places: Supreme Court of Appeals of WV, Charleston, WV; Subjects: Estate of David Ruffner
1875
Forms: Broadside with writing on back; Persons: Shackleford family (ages, etc.); Places: No place listed; Subjects: "Prices
Current, Brown, Graves, & Co., General Commission Merchants, Baltimore"
1870 February 02
Forms: Typed letter (copy); Persons: Joseph Ruffner to brother David Ruffner; Places: Cincinnati, OH to Kenhawa [Kanawha],
VA [now WV]; Subjects: Encloses $150, urges David to come to Cincinnati, James Schrewsbury, Mr. Anthony anxious for David
Ruffner to join mercantile business, John Randolph, Mr. Lummary, woolen factory forming, sheep company, prices of goods in
Philadelphia
1813 September 11
Forms: Manuscript letter (copy); Persons: Rev. Henry Ruffner to his father, Colonel David Ruffner; Places: Cincinnati, OH
to Kanawha, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Travel plans, preaching in Cincinnati where a large Presbyterian congregation under charge
of Rev. Joshua L. Wilson, Mr. Kemper moral conduct of citizens exemplary, Mr. Embree's brewery caught fire, description of
Cincinnati (665 dwellings, 614 inhabited, about 6500 people and more to come in summer), Uncle sold for $1000 per acre land
he bought at $50, Dr. Allison, Methodists strong
1815 February 17
Forms: Typed letter (copy) incomplete; Persons: [?] to his son (possibly David Ruffner to Henry Ruffner); Places: Kanawha
Salines, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Mr. Calhoun, preacher, carrying on with Maria Whitaker, causing dissention in church, but
hangs on as a dead weight, "Could you come to preach in Kanawha?"
1835 January 24
Forms: Autographed letter signed; Persons: Richard Putney to Cousin David Putney; Places: Richmond, VA, Kenawha [Kanawha]
Salines, WV; Subjects: Working on father's farm [Dr. Richard E. Putney is son-in-law of David Ruffner]
1866 March 01
Forms: Receipt; Persons: Lewis Putney, Nathan Martin; Places: No place listed; Subjects: Lewis Putney paid Nathan Martin $8.00