George Ruff Family

 

The earliest records of the families of George and Christian Ruff in Newberry District, SC, are land records dating back to 1765. In that year, George Ruff purchased the 300 acre survey of 1753 to Jacob Hauffman on Hellers Cr. (Memorials 9:167). It is on this tract that the Christian Ruff Cemetery is located. Other late Colonial Ruff grants in the immediate vicinity include those of Christian, Godsend, George, Christiana, and probably Catherine Ruff. The following description of the family is taken from "Ruff" by Carl W. Nichols (Old Newberry Dist. Quarterly, 7(3):2,1998).

A book has been published on this family entitled "The Roof(Rueff, Ruff) Family and Kinfolk of Central South Carolina: 17481999" (Lexington, Newberry and Richland counties, SC) by Michael Kitching Roof and Edith Roof Doane, copyright 1999 by Michael Kitching Roof and Kristina M. Roof, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 9971729, Third Printing: November 1999.

GEORGE RUFF

George Ruff, wife named Ann Barbara, d. 1826. George Ruff lived on Cannons Cr., was a Rev. War Patriot, and an early County Court Justice. George Ruff owned a number of tracts on Second and Hellers Crs., as well as waters of Cannons Cr., and is described in a deed of 1787 as a merchant (Nby Deeds B404). In 1791 George Ruff sold to Henry Gaines the 21 acre grant of 1774 to Barbara Joust (Nby Deeds G103). Barbara Yost was the daughter of Philip Yost and is said to have been the wife of Christian Ruff. With George Martin, George Ruff ran a store on the 100 acre survey of 1772 to John Lum on Reedy Cr. and which he gave to son, John Henry Ruff (Nby Deeds B419).

A. David Ruff, d. about 1799, m. Elizabeth Gray, b. 1760, d. 1835. David Ruff was a justice of the peace and an early statehood district surveyor. After the death of David Ruff, the widow remarried, about 1806, Rev. George Cromer, d. 1822, a Methodist minister, andmoved to Abbeville District.

   1. Sarah (Sally) Ruff, d. before 1837, m. George Penny.

   2. Christian Ruff, d. 1844 in Abbeville Dist., m. Lucretia Clark. Christian Ruff bought land on Reedy Cr. of Cannons Cr. in 1805 (Nby Deeds H266 and Q2, 97). He was living in Union Dist. in 1816 when he sold land to (Nby Deeds Q2, 97).

   3. John Henry Ruff, b. 14 Dec 1786, d. 7 June 1856, m. Maria Eve Summer. Moved to Noxubee Co., Miss.

   4. Elizabeth (Betsy) Ruff, b. about 1792, m. (1) William Cannon, m. (2) John Holt, and m.

     (3) Louis Watkins. She and second husband moved about 1839 to Shelby Co., Texas.

   5. ______ Ruff

   6. William David Ruff, m. Susannah Margaret Eichleberger.

   7. George Ruff, d. about 1820.

B. George Ruff, Jr., d. 18 Aug 1811, wife named Nelly. No children. Widow remarried Jesse Graham. George Ruff bought part of the 450 acre survey of 1749 to Henry Coleman on Cannons Cr. (Rosalyn Sease indenture collection) which he gave in 1806 to brother, Henry Ruff(Nby Deeds 147). This gift led to an equity suit of 1812 (Washington District) providing names of all of George Ruff Sr.'s children and George Ruff's grandchildren by David Ruff.

C. Sarah (Saloma) Ruff, d. 9 Sept 1861, age 92, m. (1) John Piester, Sr.; (2) John Eichleberger, Sr.; and (3) 21 Jan 1828, Christian H. Smith.

   Children by John Piester, Sr.

   1. Elizabeth Piester, d. about 1839, m. John A. Hipp.

   2. John Piester, Jr., m. Sarah Sligh.

   3. Sarah Piester, m. Jacob Riser.

   4. Jacob Middleton Piester, d. 21 Jan 1827.

   Children by John Eichleberger, Sr.

   5. Jacob Cannada Eichleberger, b. about 1823.

D. John Henry Ruff, b. 12 Aug 1773, d. 25 Dec 1835, m. 18 Sept 1792, Elizabeth Summer. In 1793 he and his wife were given the Felix Bousard grant on Cannons Cr. by fatherinlaw, John Adam Summer (Nby Deeds B420). This tract contained 2 mills and was shown as site

of Ruff's mill on Robert Mills' map. In the same year he bought from George Martin the 100 acre survey of 1772 to John Lum on Reedy Cr., and was given the store on this property by his father, George Ruff (Nby Deeds B419). Ruff's house was near the store and which tract was also a likely site of Ruff's Meeting House, a forerunner of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. John Henry Ruff had a large tract, surveyed 1811, which was on the LexingtonNewberry Co. line and contained Little Mountain, formerly know as Ruff's mountain.

   1. Mary Magdalena (Polly) Ruff, b. 11 Feb 1794, d. 30 Oct 1863, m. 24 Oct 1812 (1) Jacob Counts, Jr. and m. (2) Henry Gallman, Sr. Mary and second husband are buried in the RuffEiehlebergerCounts Cenetery.

   2. John Adam Ruff, b. 14 Jan 1797 d 1828, m Theresa (Tarsa) Hill.

   3. Sally Ruff, b. 3 June 1800, m. 30 Dec 1816, John Adam Counts. Buried in the Ruff EiehlebergerCounts Cemetery.

   4. Mary Elizabeth Ruff, b. 12 Oct 1802, d. 23 Sept 1849, m. (1) 7 Oct 1819, Col. John Eichleberger, and (2) Ephraim Suber. Mary and first husband are buried in the Ruff EiehlebergerCounts Cemetery.

   5. Katherine Ruff, b. 18 Aug 1805, d. 25 Mar 1806.

   6. Rebecca Ruff, b. 18 Apr 1807, d. 13 Apr 1879, m. May 1823 (1) William Counts, and  m. (2) Charles P. Howard. Rebecca and first husband buried in the CountsSummer Cem.

   7. Martha Ann Ruff, b. 18 Nov 1809, d. 9 Jan 1882, m. (1) Dr. Jacob King, and m. (2) Wm Welch. Buried Head Springs ARP Church.

   8. _____ Suber, buried in the Ruff-eichelberger-Counts Cemetery.

  9. Henry Langdon Ruff, b. 14 March 1815, d. 28 Jan 1887, m. 5 Feb 1835, Mary Magdalene (Polly) Sligh. Buried St. Philips Lutheran Church.

 10. George Oliver Ruff, b. 31 Dec 1817, d. 7 Dec 1855, m. Lavinia Elizabeth Catherine Sligh. Buried at RuffEichlebergerCounts Cemetery.

E. Elizabeth Ruff, b. about 1776, d. 26 July 1839, m. William Rutherford, b. about 7 Dec 1772, d. 21 July 1845. They are buried at Rutherford Cemetery.

   1. Dr. Thomas Brooks Rutherford, b. 5 Nov 1801, d. 19 May 1865, m. (1) Laura Adams; and (2) Elvira H. Henderson. Buried CrenshawFinch Cemetery.

   2. John G. Rutherford, b 8. Nov 1807, d. 8 Feb 1835, m. Mary Ann ____. Buried Rutherford Family Cemetery.

CHRISTIAN RUFF

Christian Ruff, Blacksmith, made will 20 Oct 1794, proven 28 Feb 1797. Christian Ruff is buried in Ruff Cemetery located on 300A survey of 1753 to Jacob Hauffman. This tract, purchased in 1765 by George Ruff, was sold by George Ruff to Christian Ruff in 1789 (Nby Deeds B421). According to LWT of Christian Ruff all land was left to son, Christian Ruff, Jr. Christian Ruff's first wife is said to have been Barbara Yost. At the time of Christian Ruff's death he had remarried Catherine Heller, d. 6 Dec 1822, widow of John Heller.

   A. John Ruff, b. about 1765, d. 28 Aug 1819, m. (1) Hannah Dawkins, and m. (2) 10 Jan 1797, Frances Haynie, d. 5 Sept 1843.

       1. George Ruff, m.  Nancy Rachel Strother,  d/o Richard Strother and second wife, Delilah Fort. In 1818, George Ruff bought 1/2 acre lot on Bank of Broad River at Ruff's Ferry (Nby Deeds M210). This ferry  had previously been run  by Richard Strother and the Newberry side was on land previously owned by George Dawkins.

       2. Mary (Polly) Ruff, b. 21 Oct 1789, d. 13 Mar 1874, m. John T. Gilliam. Buried Ruff Family Cemetery.

       3. Elizabeth Ruff.

     Children by John Ruff and Frances Haynie are as follows:

     4. Henry Ruff, b. 12 Jan 1799, d. 10 Feb 1875, m. Nov 1852, Caroline Loden.

     5. John Ruff, b. 1 Aug 1800, m. 9 Dec 1829, Harriet Graham.

     6. Dr. Presley Boler Ruff, b. 21 Dec 1801, d. 28 Dec 1890, m. (1) 11 July 1832, Esther A. Lorick; and (2) Harriet Catherine Thompson. Buried Old Nby Village Cemetery.

     7. William Haynie Ruff, b. 25 July 1803, d. 24 June 1885, m. 12 Dec 1833, Jeanette Amanda Sims. Buried Ruff Family Cemetery.

     8. Reuben Ruff, b. 18 Mar 1805, d. 19 Apr 1874, m. 2 Nov 1851, Rebecca Stanback. Moved to Noxubee Co, Miss.

       9. Anna Haynie Ruff, b. 29 July 1807, d. 11 June 1839, m. 12 July 1833, James Graham.

   10. Frederick Christian Ruff, b. 6 Aug 1809, d. 22 Aug 1844. Buried Ruff Cemetery.

     11. Nancy Rutherford Ruff, b. 31 Dec 1810, d. 20 July 1853, m. 25 Aug 1840, George M. Egner. Buried Egner Family Cemetery.

   12. Maximilian Haynie Ruff, b. 25 Dec 1812, d. 18 Aug 1867.  Buried Ruff Cemetery. They are buried in the SuberGlymph Graveyard located on 150 acre survey of 1771 to Michael Suber on east side of Hellers Cr.

         1. David Suber, b. 1788, d. 1853.

         2. Ephraim Suber, b. 1792, d. 1875.

         3. Elizabeth Suber, b. 1794, d. 1833, m. William Welch.

         4. Sarah Suber, b. 17??, d. 1840, m. David Boozer.

         5. John Suber, b. 1797, d. 1859, m. Lavenia Gallman.

         6. Christian Suber, b. 1799, d. 1871, m. Caroline Counts.

         7. Uriah Suber, b. 1801, d. 1827.

         8. Rebecca Suber, b. 1806, d. 1841.

         9. Mary Suber, b. 1808, d. 1855, m. Michael Buzhardt.

       10. Hannah Suber, m. John Glymph.

       11. Solomon Suber, d. 1850, m. Elizabeth Stockman.

       12. Lavinia Carolina Suber, b. 1812, d. 1847, m. Lemuel Boozer.

C. Christiana Ruff, d. before 1794, m. David Cromer, d. 19 Feb 1834, Madison Co., Al.

D. Elizabeth Ruff. Married George Gallman.

E. Christian Ruff, Jr., b. before 1775, d. 1811.

F. Mary Ann Ruff, b. 1784, d. 1819, m. Rev. Phillip Cromer, b. about 1774, d. 13 Aug 1840.

G. Hannah Ruff. Married Ned Hampton.

H. Rebecca Ruff. Married Henry dark.

GODSEND RUFF

Godsend Ruff, d. 1824, Giles Co., TN. In 1783 Godsend Ruff& wife, Elizabeth, sold land on Hellers Cr. (Nby Deeds E52 1). In 1793 Godsend Ruff& wife, Elizabeth, sold the 100A survey of 1773 on north side Hellers Cr. (Nby Deeds B-493). After 1793 Godsend Ruff moved to TN.

Updated 2000