1993 Ruffner Family Reunion
Prescott, Arizona

Following up on the successful 1991 gathering in Mason, Illinois our Ruffner Cousins held a reunion in Prescott, Arizona, August 7 & 8, 1993.  The descendants of Harrison and Kate Ruffner, pioneers of Mason, Illinois were welcomed to Arizona by Budge Ruffner and his family who planned two full days of meals and tours through beautiful and historic Prescott.  Our Headquarters was the Hassyampa Hotel in the center of the city.  As people arrived they could see some of the local art and history museums.  Following lunch on Saturday the 7th, we were taken on a guided tour of the city with Budge and his daughter Melissa as our expert tour guides.  We saw the historic Courthouse Plaza, the Ruffner Funeral Home, famous Whiskey Row and Palace Bar.  We saw the homes of our Ruffner Cousins and some other early historic homes of famous pioneers.  While the adults were on the trail, the children were treated to a swimming and play party at the home of Toby & Rebecca Ruffner Tyler.

That evening we gathered at the Hassyampa Hotel for our Reunion Banquet which began with all the oldest cousins in attendance getting stuck in the hotel elevator and having to be rescued by climbing up a ladder to the lobby.  The Ruffner spirit and frivolity was off to a good start.  Like the Ruffner pioneers who first came to Arizona, they found a way to survive by helping each other.  Our Master of Ceremonies was the engaging and great storyteller, Budge Ruffner.  After everyone introduced themselves, he gave a delightful review of the Ruffner History in Prescott.  It was Morris Andrew Ruffner, Harrison's brother who first left Mason, Illinois and went to the Arizona Territory to try his luck in mining.  He was followed in 1882 by George Ruffner, oldest son of Harrison and Kate.  George became famous as sheriff of Yavapai County and had won a funeral home in a poker game which caused his younger brother Lester Ruffner to leave Illinois to start the Ruffner Funeral Business. 

The evening closed with a wild romp through a Western Review of song and dance hosted by our cousin Melissa Ruffner Moore in the Elks Theater.  This is an annual review that plays every summer in the Elks and Melissa's part in its popularity is well understood.  She is an author, lecturer and performer of local history; owning her own business, Prescott Historical Tours. 
 
Lester's son was our host, Lester "Budge" Ruffner who, with his wife Elisabeth, hosted a  Reunion Brunch at their beautiful mountain top home the next morning.  Following another family historic and genealogical presentation by Melissa we held a meeting to discuss holding future reunions.  It was unanimous that we get together every two years.  It was suggested we go to Denver where Sheriff George Ruffner's sister Alma Ruffner Rigg had settled.  The Denver cousins opted though for a reunion in Charleston, West Virginia where the impact of the Ruffner Family on their history is well documented.  It was voted we go to Charleston in 1995 and Shirley Ann Sheets agreed to chair the planning.  We departed Arizona full of the success in knowing our cousins better and having a new appreciation of our common heritage.  We look forward to meeting new cousins in West Virginia.

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