Ellis County Texas Archives Photo Place.....H J Ruffin House ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Virginia Crilley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000642 July 20, 2022, 8:27 pm Source: Family Collection Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/ellis/photos/hjruffin18485gph.jpg Image file size: 28.2 Kb Henry Ruffin House Alma Butts Addition (1895) Description and drawing of floor plan from Mattie Bell Sands Elliot who lived in the house as a young girl. When the house was sold to H.J. Ruffin it was described as a 3 room house, so extra rooms were added. H.J.'s son, E.C. was a carpenter (born in 1871) so would have been 24 when his Dad purchased this home, so he probably did the carpentry work, adding both the Ell at the front, and the porch and back bedroom. House facing East located on corner of Porter Bluff Road crossing the Railroad and the Electric Railway. Porch supported by 4 pillars. Several family pictures taken of this front porch. Front door opened into the Living Room which had a central wood burning stove. Front Window onto front porch. Ell section of House opened via a door North side of Living Room. Mattie Bell said her family (Vert and Lloyd Smith) lived in this part. It was a large room and divided so that boys slept on one end. A doorway to the front porch was probably cut at that time. Opening from the Living Room to the South, was a large bedroom which was Mattie Sands bedroom...where she died in 1931. Window looked out to front porch, and one to South. Doorway from Living room led into Kitchen extending across the back, with a fireplace. The stairs to the Attic opened just to the left of that doorway. Kitchen had a coal oil stove for cooking, and one window looking South. From kitchen a doorway opened to the back porch where the Cistern was. Mattie Bell remembered it was like an extended kitchen as that is where they sat to shell beans or clean the vegetables from the garden. In later years, Vert enclosed that porch making a room. A barrel on the porch had a jug of coal oil, used for Lamps. One of Mattie Bell's jobs was filling these lamps and keeping them clean. Across the back was a large room (opening from the Kitchen). In 1930 Art Dudley lived with them and stayed in that room. E.C. "Bud" also lived there after his wife died . After sudden death of Mother, Winnie Virginia 18 OCT 1915, Mattie Sands moved from the Hotel she and her husband kept, to care for her father, H.J. who died 10 JUL 1916. Family remembered that their mother was laid out under the large mesquite tree in front yard. In 1908, H.J. extended his property by buying surrounding acreage (95 4/5 acres) from B.J. Fowler heirs. Over the years, many of the Ruffin nieces and nephews lived with Mattie, attending school. A grandson, Theodore Collard, remembered it was a popular place to stop in after school for peach pie! Another favorite dish was Chicken 'n Dumplings. Mattie also kept boarders, and often teachers probably in the front Ell rooms, with door opening onto front porch. Mattie's daughter, Vert moved with her Smith family (including Mattie Bell) in 1930 to care for her mother who died 9 Aug 1932. The Smith family lived there, farming the land until the Estate was sold in 1943 when it was sold to Abe and Josie Whitfill. Several individual land sales occurred by H.J. before his death. ================================ Deed Bk 70/275 6/24/1891 S.A. & C.L. Mitchell to Thos Eagen $400 Bl 3 LL 1 & 2 W.W. Butts Addition 2 December 1895 Deed Book 89 pg 264 Thos Eagan & wife to Henry J. Ruffin "In Alma, Ellis County, Texas, a part of the Simon Womack 640 acre survey. Lots number 1 and 2 in Block Number 3 in W.W. Butt addition to Alma, on the West side of the R.R. on which a 3 room residence stands." $400 but also included Lot 7 of block 2 on East side of RR. Also the blacksmith shop on lot Number 7, the first lots of Butt addition bought from S.A. Mitchell and wife 24 June 1891, and lot 6 & 7 on East side R.R. bought from C. C. Hemming 16 May 1893 and 16 July 1893." Deed Book 179 pg 346 Fowler, B. J. (heirs) to Henry J. Ruffin Nov 23, 1908($5147.35) Containing 95 4/5 acres Accepted two lots fully described in a deed from W.W. Butts et ux to H.A. Brown Vol 40 pg 409 [April 15, 1885] [Lots 1 & 10 in Block 3 of Butts addition. Accepted 1 1/2 acres from W.W. Butts described in a deed from W.W. Butts and wife L.L. to D.J. Mitchell Vol 43 pg 54 dated 13 Mar 1885. [Land ajoins Mitchell's yard lot and fence] Accepted 15 acres sold by B.J. Fowler et al to J.D. Treadaway Vol 150 pg 485 Dec 1904. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/ellis/photos/hjruffin18485gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/txfiles/ File size: 1.2 Kb