Ruffin Stuart (c1813) and Elizabeth Bibby and Mary --- of Orange, Person and Macon Co, NC
(African American Family)
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I (Marty Grant) do not know how (or if) I'm related to Ruffin Stuart.
This family used both the "Stewart" and "Stuart" spellings. I don't know which is "correct".
This family was listed with as "Black" on the 1850 census. This would suggest that Ruffin could have been born a slave and later freed, or that he was born a "Free Black", or possibly that he wasn't black at all (as in African American), but of some other dark skinned origin that the census taker interpreted as "Black". There is no way to know from the scant evidence that I have so far.
Ruffin Stuart was born ca 1812/13 (per 1850 census) in Orange County, North Carolina (per 1850 census). (Note: in 1813, Orange County also contained present day Alamance and Durham Counties within its borders). I don't know what section of Orange County he was from, as I've done no Stewart/Stuart research in that county.
I don't know who Ruffin's parents were. The answer may be found in Orange or Person County records, but I've done no research there on the Stewart family. In "Free African Americans", Paul Heinegg, the author, briefly discusses Stewarts in Person County, NC, but does not mention Ruffin. However, the article may be of interest. Click on the link above to read what he wrote about "Free Colored" Stewarts in Person County.
Presumably, Ruffin would have been home with his parents for the 1820 census, aged about 7, so should be listed as "under 10" (born ca 1810/20) if in the "White" column, or "Under 14" (born ca 1806/20) if in the "Free Colored" columns. I checked in both Orange and Person County and found several Stewarts. A widow Sarah Stewart (white) had 2 boys under 10 in Orange County. She was the only one in the county with an apparent son in that age group, she and some other Stewarts in Orange County did have slaves in 1820. In neighboring Person County, a Mrs. Sally Stewart (white) had 3 boys under 10. Nathaniel Stewart (free colored) had two boys under 14. Based only on this, I'd suggest that Nathaniel Stewart is the best suspect to be Ruffin's father, however, this is far from conclusive. Paul Heinegg mentioned Nathaniel in his book, but did not list his children.
For the 1830 census, Ruffin would have been approximately 17 years old, so he should be enumerated in the age 15-19 category (c1810/15), if in the white column, or age 10-24 (born ca 1805/20) if in the Free Colored column. In Orange County, there were some white and some free colored Stewarts listed. Of those, Francis Stewart and Neverson Stewart (listed side by side), both Free Colored, had apparent sons 10-24. Widow (or single mother) Sally Stewart (white) had one son 15-19. Samuel Stewart (white) had 2 boys 15-19 (one of them being Samuel himself, apparently). In 1830, there was only one Stewart in Person County: James Stewart (white) but he had no apparent sons Ruffin's age.
There is a marriage bond in Orange County for Ruffin Stewart and Elizabeth Bibby dated 30 Aug 1838, with Robert Mitchell as bondsman. I suspect this is the same Ruffin, but if so, then Elizabeth must have died between their marriage and 1840.
Ruffin was listed as head of household on the 1840 census in Person County. He was just a few households from Caldwell Stewart (also "Free Colored"), possibly a brother or close relation. Ruffin was apparently living alone.
1840 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)
1840 Person County, NC pg 299 Ruffin Stewart 0000000000000-0000000000000 - FPC-001000-000000 Analysis: 1 FPC Male(s) 24-35 (1803-1815) Ruffin STUART (1812/13)
Ruffin Stuart married Mary --- by ca 1841 in Person County, North Carolina. Mary was born ca 1823/24 (per 1850 census) in Halifax County, NC (per 1850 census). I don't know her maiden name. She was listed as "Mulatto" on the 1850 census.
They lived in Person County a few years, but between ca 1845 and ca 1847, they moved west to Macon County, North Carolina in the extreme south west portion of North Carolina, settling somewhere very close to the town of Franklin on the west side of Tennessee River (based on some of their neighbors, for the Stewarts didn't own land).
They were listed on the 1850 census in Macon County. There were other Stewarts in Macon County, but none nearby, and there is no known relationship, for they all originated in Western NC. None of the others were from central NC like Ruffin's family. (I noticed there were several Stewarts still in Person in 1850, including a younger "Ruffin" perhaps named for this one).
- 1850 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)
- (Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)
1850 MACON CO, NC Page 321 House/Family # 89/ 91 - TENNESSEE VALLEY Twp STUART RUFFIN 37 M B FARMER ORANGE CO, NC 1812/1813 STUART MARY 26 F M HALIFAX CO, NC 1823/1824 STUART MARTHA 9 F B PERSON CO, NC 1840/1841 STUART MANLEY 6 M B PERSON CO, NC 1843/1844 STUART EMILY 5 F B PERSON CO, NC 1844/1845 STUART SARAH E 3 F B MACON CO, NC 1846/1847 STUART RUFUS 1 M B MACON CO, NC 1848/1849
Apparently both Ruffin and Mary (---) Stuart died in the 1850's probably between 1855 and 1860. Their children were spread out through various households in 1860, though perhaps tellingly, two sets were both with Howard families, though I don't know if that is significant or if there is a relationship of some sort. Here are their various listings in 1860 Macon County:
- 1860 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)
- (Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)
1860 MACON CO, NC Page 254 House/Family # 358/ 369 -- TENNESSEE VALLEY Twp FRANKLIN P.O. HOWARD PULASKI 33 M W FARMER 6000 2000 MACON 1826/1827 HOWARD NANCY E 25 F W GA 1834/1835 HOWARD JOHN 3 M W MACON 1856/1857 HOWARD GEORGE 2 M W MACON 1857/1858 HOWARD VIRGIL 0 M W 6/12 MACON 1859/1860 STEWARD EMILY J 15 F M ORANGE 1844/1845 STEWARD RUFUS B 11 M M MACON 1848/1849 STEWARD DAVID 9 M M MACON 1850/1851 Page 260 House/Family # 444/ 456 -- TENNESSEE VALLEY Twp FRANKLIN P.O. NORTON WILLIAM P 27 M W FARMER 3500 1200 MACON 1832/1833 NORTON SULAN R 21 F W MACON 1838/1839 NORTON WILLIAM A 0 M W 9/12 MACON 1859/1860 HOWARD SARAH 64 F W BUNCOMBE 1795/1796 STEWARD MANLY P 16 M M LABORER MACON 1843/1844 STEWARD ALBERT J 7 M M MACON 1852/1853 STEWARD SOPHRONIA 7 F M MACON 1852/1853 STEWARD RUFFIN D 5 M M MACON 1854/1855 Page 294B House/Family # 932/ 950 -- FRANKLIN Twp FRANKLIN P.O. SMITH CANARO D 47 M W METH CLERGYMAN 1800 2060 BUNCOMBE 1812/1813 SMITH MARGARET R 36 F W TN 1823/1824 SMITH MACRUS B 12 M W TN 1847/1848 SMITH CHARLES C 7 M W TN 1852/1853 SMITH ELLA D 5 F W MACON 1854/1855 SMITH EMMA D 5 F W MACON 1854/1855 SMITH FRANK T 2 M W MACON 1857/1858 McBEARDEN HUGH 18 M W STUDENT AT SCHOO TN 1841/1842 STEWARD MARTHA 18 F M PERSON 1841/1842
By 1870, most of the Stewarts were listed in Smiths Bridge Township and were still living with the Howard families. They had the distinction of being the only Stewarts left in Macon County by this time. Here are the various listings:
- 1870 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)
- (Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)
1870 MACON CO, NC Page 328B House/Family # 10/ 10--SMITHS BRIDGE Twp WIKLES STORE P.O. HOWARD L 45 M W FARMER 3500 1200 NC 1824/1825 HOWARD MARY L 44 F W NC 1825/1826 HOWARD ADA F 16 F W NC 1853/1854 HOWARD MARY M 14 F W NC 1855/1856 HOWARD ANA E 12 F W NC 1857/1858 HOWARD ALBERT H 7 M W NC 1862/1863 HOWARD EDWIN G 5 M W NC 1864/1865 STEWART R W 15 M B LABORER NC 1854/1855 Page 329B House/Family # 23/ 23--SMITHS BRIDGE Twp WIKLES STORE P.O. HOWARD S W 74 F W KEEPING HOUSE 2000 800 NC 1795/1796 NORTON SUSAN 32 F W NC 1837/1838 STEWART J A 17 M B LABORER NC 1852/1853 NORTON WILLIAM 10 M W NC 1859/1860 NORTON SAMUEL H 8 M W NC 1861/1862 STEWART SAPHRONIA 17 F B NC 1852/1853 Page 330 House/Family # 34/ 34--SMITHS BRIDGE Twp WIKLES STORE P.O. --- MISSING PAGE --- 0 M W NC 1869/1870 HOWARD WILLIAM 7 M W NC 1862/1863 HOWARD SARAH R 5 F W NC 1864/1865 HOWARD NICHOLAS 3 M W NC 1866/1867 HOWARD PULASKI 2 M W NC 1867/1868 HOWARD SAMUEL 0 M W 8/12 Oct NC 1869/1870 STEWART EMILY J 24 F B LABORER NC 1845/1846 STEWART RUFUS B 21 M B LABORER NC 1848/1849 STEWART DAVID F 19 M B LABORER NC 1850/1851 Page 336B House/Family # 120/ 124--SMITHS BRIDGE Twp WIKLES STORE P.O. THOMAS J 66 M B FARMER SC 1803/1804 STEWART MANLY 27 M B FARMER NC 1842/1843 STEWART RHODA 24 F B NC 1845/1846 STEWART JANE Y 4 F B NC 1865/1866 STEWART JAMES R 2 M B NC 1867/1868 STEWART CHARLES L 0 M B 10/12 Sep NC 1869/1870
I found Manly Stewart still in Macon in 1880, but not the rest.
Children
Ruffin and Mary had nine children per the 1850 and 1860 census. I've found some data on them on the Macon County census and marriage records.
Researcher List
Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list):
- Norma Gaidoo = (Ruffin-Rufus-William Rufus Stewart-Lucy m. Richard Beacham)
Register Report
1. Ruffin1 Stuart, born 1812/13 in Orange Co, NC; died 1855/60 in Macon Co, NC. He married (1) on 30 Aug 1838 in Orange Co, NC Elizabeth Bibby, died 1838/40 in Person Co, NC; (2) in 1840/41 in Person Co, NC Mary (---), born 1823/24 in Halifax Co, NC; died 1855/60 in Macon Co, NC.
Children of Ruffin Stuart and Mary (---) were as follows:
2 i Martha2 Stuart, born 1840/41 in Person Co, NC; died aft 1860 in Macon Co, NC.
+ 3 ii Manley P2 Stuart, born 1843/44 in Person Co, NC; died aft 1880 in Macon Co, NC. He married Rhoda A Thomas.
4 iii Emily Jane2 Stuart, born 1844/45 in Person Co, NC. She married on 7 Nov 1871 in Macon Co, NC Alfred Carrington.
5 iv Sarah E2 Stuart, born 1846/47 in Macon Co, NC; died aft 1850 in Macon Co, NC.
6 v Rufus B2 Stuart, born 1848/49 in Macon Co, NC; died aft 1870 in Macon Co, NC.
7 vi David F2 Stuart, born 1850/51 in Macon Co, NC; died aft 1870 in Macon Co, NC.
8 vii Albert J2 Stuart, born 1852/53 in Macon Co, NC; died aft 1870 in Macon Co, NC.
+ 9 viii Sophronia A2 Stuart, born 1852/53 in Macon Co, NC; died aft 1880 in Macon Co, NC. She married J Shaw Coward.
10 ix Ruffin D2 Stuart, born 1854/55 in Macon Co, NC. He married on 16 Feb 1882 in Macon Co, NC Sarah A Guy.
Generation 2
3. Manley P2 Stuart (Ruffin1), born 1843/44 in Person Co, NC; died aft 1880 in Macon Co, NC. He married on 29 Apr 1866 in Macon Co, NC Rhoda A Thomas, born 1845/46 in NC.
Children of Manley P Stuart and Rhoda A Thomas were as follows:
11 i Jane3 Stuart, born 1865/66 in Macon Co, NC; died aft 1870 in Macon Co, NC.
12 ii James R3 Stuart, born 1867/68 in Macon Co, NC.
13 iii Charles L3 Stuart, born Sep 1869 in Macon Co, NC.
14 iv John A3 Stuart, born 1871/72 in Macon Co, NC.
15 v Joseph A3 Stuart, born 1873/74 in Macon Co, NC.
16 vi Anna E3 Stuart, born 1876/77 in Macon Co, NC.
17 vii William A3 Stuart, born 1878/79 in Macon Co, NC.
9. Sophronia A2 Stuart (Ruffin1), born 1852/53 in Macon Co, NC; died aft 1880 in Macon Co, NC. She married on 8 Sep 1878 in Macon Co, NC J Shaw Coward.
Children of Sophronia A Stuart and J Shaw Coward were as follows:
18 i Ore3 Coward, born 1878/79 in Macon Co, NC.
Last Updated October 13, 2006
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