William Henry Ruffner Papers, 1848-1907

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

William Henry Ruffner Papers, 1848-1907. Accession 24814, Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

William Henry Ruffner Papers, 1848-1907. Accession 24814, Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Papers, 1848-1907 (bulk 1866-1907), of William Henry Ruffner (1824-1908) of Lexington, Virginia, consisting of abstracts, articles, clippings, legislative bills, biographies, circular letters, diaries, letters, lists, minutes, notes, receipts, and testimonials regarding education in Virginia. Of interest are testimonials for William Henry Ruffner to be Virginia's first superintendent of public instruction, correspondence concerning his plans for education in Virginia, and exchange of ideas with other educators. Also contains notes on the history of education in Virginia. There is a list of teachers in antebellum Virginia. Collection also contains information on John Chavis (ca. 1775-1838), a free black Presbyterian minister in the early 1800s and an article on Jack Neal, a slave. Two letters of interest are: a) 23 February 1853 from Anne S. Rice to Henry Ruffner (1790-1861) about her slaves and the American Colonization Society; and b) 9 May 1900, from Laura A. Holland to William Henry Ruffner about Booker T. Washington. Collection also contains a description of a trip to the Northern Neck of Virginia, and William Henry Ruffner's diary, 1870-1907, describing his travels around the state of Virginia. Also of interest are letters from Stonewall Jackson's (1824-1863) sister-in-law Margaret Junkin Preston (1820-1897) and from Jackson's second wife Mary Anna Morrison Jackson (1831-1915).

Biographical / historical:

William Henry Ruffner was born 11 February 1824 in Lexington, Virginia, to Henry Ruffner (1790-1861) and Sarah Montgomery Lyle Ruffner (1787-1849). He graduated from Washington College in Lexington in 1842 and returned to receive his MA in 1845. Ruffner attended Union Theological Seminary in Hampden-Sidney, Virginia from 1845 to 1846 and attended Princeton Theological Seminary from 1846 to 1847. He was ordained a Presbyterian minister 14 January 1852 and became minister of Seventh Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsvylania. After resigning for health reasons in 1853, Ruffner returned to Virginia and became a successful farmer. An antislavery advocate and Unionist before the Civil War, Ruffner adhered to the Southern cause after Abraham Lincoln called for troops in response to the firing upon Fort Sumter. After the Civil War, Ruffner became an advocate of public education and was elected the first superintendent for public instruction 2 March 1870. He served until 1882, when turned out of office by the Readjuster party. Ruffner served as a trustee of Washington College and Washington and Lee University from 1865 to 1876. After leaving the superintendent post, Ruffner served as president of the Normal School in Farmville, Virginia, from 1884 to 1887. He then became a surveyor and geologist for the next several years. Ruffner wrote on education and theology. He married Harriet Ann Gray 3 September 1850 and they had four children. Ruffner died in Asheville, North Carolina, 24 November 1908.

Acquisition information:
Lent for copying by Robert F. Campbell, through Charles W. Dabney, Winter Park, Florida, 26 January 1932.
Physical location:
Personal papers collection. Acc. 24814.
Physical description:
0.45 cubic feet (102 items and 1 volume); negative photostats.