COPIED- December 7, 1998

From:  The PLEASANTVIEW NEWS
          September 12, 1909, Pleasantview, Ohio

RUFFNER REUNION

Held on the Farm, Near West Rushville, Where Emanuel Ruffner Settled 104
Years Ago.

About 104 years ago there emigrated from the Shenandoah valley, in Virginia, a family who settled on a farm about one and one-half miles west of West Rushville now owned by Mary Ann Friend.

The family was a large one consisting of eleven children, five boys and six girls, namely John, Henry, Jacob, Emanuel and Joseph.  Barbara, Anna, Mary, Elizabeth, Magdalena and Susan.  The head of this great family was Emanuel Ruffner, who was born in Virginia in 1757 and dies on the farm where he settled, in 1848 at the advanced age of 91 years.

The descendants of this old man held their first annual reunion on the farm that he settled, and near the little cemetery where he lies buried, on September 11, 1909.

During the hour before noon an organization was perfected for the continuation of these reunions to be held annually at a stated time and place that we may reap the manifold advantages of knowing those of our clan or people in a social commingling together.

(This section is damaged and torn)
After the business so-----------ed a thirty minute ---------en by the New S----------------------vian is that culinary art -------pare it is at this special h----------- the social features of reunion -------their highest crest.  I don't ------- ever witnessed in any gathering ----fore a more universally cheerf--- happy and bright beaming faces than I witnessed when looking down that long table in the midst of the noonday repast.

The afternoon was spent in short addresses and excellent music which seemed to inspire all to that higher plain of thought.

Notably among the addresses was the one given by Uncle David Pence, who is now in his 87th year.  He spoke for a considerable length of time on the pioneer life he went through, a time we of this generation know nothing about.  One important lesson he taught in that talk was, that he had lived this long life and never quarreled with any of his fellow men.  Though he often differed in opinion with men but never allowed that difference to grow into a quarrel stage.

There were present at the reunion five persons, the average of whose age was more than 83 years, the five persons respectively, David Pence, Samuel Smutz, Edward Stevenson, Elizabeth Friend and Mary Ann Friend.  Others in the seventies were Dr. B.A. Thomas and wife and C.D. Smutz. while there were many who could not be present in person yet their deep interest prompted them to be there by letter and as they said in spirit. 

Appended will be found some of the families living in the Fairfield County, Ohio, and other states who are direct descendants of Emanuel Ruffner.  Through his sons come the families of David, John, Jonas, Isaac and Jacob, all heads of large families.  The sisters of the last three mentioned being Barbara Tussing, Magdalena Holliday, Mary Henthorn, Anna Crist, Rebecca Smutz, and Emily Rowles.  These also represent large families.

The daughters of Joseph, son of Emanuel Sr. are Mary Ann and Elizabeth Friend.  Through his daughter we have the Pences, T.P. Ashbrook family, Millers, Stakers, Falls, Spitlers, Weavers, Kraners, Warners, Taylors, Smiths, Rislers, Eymans, McNaghtens, there being three families of them, T.J., Owen, and Noah, Collins, Claytons, Bakers, Kellers, Shavers, Caldwells, Hites, Rigby and Medills.

The names given are those whose ages would average more than in years, whose children and children's children were they to meet together, would form a multitude of people.

Our next reunion will be held the same place it was held this year on the first Wednesday in August, 1910.

After singing "Blessed Be The Tie That Binds," the reunion became a thing of the past and will only remain in memory as one long and pleasing thought.  

The following poem was written about fifteen years ago and we do print the
same by request:

OCTOBER

Fading verdure! scarlet nimbus!
Earth has no detaining limbus
To preserve you till the soul is calm
------------------------
-------------sky's eternal ------
To the pensive student --------
Fretted with intenses -----------
With his tablet hoping to embalm
The living wall of gold.
See the glory swift retreating!
Courting distance -ever fleeting-
Melting far-off rocks and forests with
A Rhenish seeming, old
 
Oh, the dreamy, din recesses!
Softest shades and dyes impress us
With the low and trembling flute notes
of some plaintive melody.
Love and Fancy mingling marches
Through the forest aisles and arches,
Ushered through Autumnal halls by
Sad Aeolian minstrelsy,

Nature's artist unremitting
In the labor of refitting
Makes the earth seem more befitting
For some sylvan Houri's home.
And the furnace smoke ascending-
Dark folds lightly upward tending
Seems artistic pillars grand supporting
Heaven's azure dome.

While o'er hills and valleys mellow
Fancy flies through sunlight yellow,
The seclusion of the soul responsive
Hills and valleys hold.
And the spirits craving ceases
'mong the heart's dim hills peace is
Since the drowsy lines of this October
Poem; has been told.

T. J. Ruffner
End of article:

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