What was the main attraction to Marshall County in the mid 1840's. Could it have been the land grants or maybe the beautiful contryside? Just wondering. MWT

Benjamin Ruff Family of Cornersville, Marshall County, MS. (My GGG Grandfather) lived in Marshall County . Cornersville Cornersville was the site of an ancient CHICKASAW village and mound culture. it's first white settler was BENJAMIN RUFF of HOLLOW ROCK, TENNESSEE. RUFF was a trader and came to the Chickasaw village before the Ponotoc Creek treaty of 1830-32. Ruff stated that when he came to this part of the Chickasaw Nation, the only other white was a trapper who worked along the Tallahatchie River. RUFF was perhaps the first permenant white settler in what is now Marshall Co., Mississippi. NOTES: Marshall County in the Mid 1800's was larger than today. Cornersville was in Tippah County in 1860. Cornersville was so named because it was situated at the junction of 4 counties, MARSHALL, TIPPAH, PONOTOC, and LAFFYETTE, later reduced to3, UNION, MARSHALL, BENTON. BENJAMIN may have owned a store in Holly Springs,Marshall Co., MS in1840& 1850 census in Marshall Co., Mississippi p53 family Store in Holly Springs, Benjamin F. 1836 Tax list Carroll Co., Tennessee, District 11. 1 white poll Ansearching News, vol 39, No 2 Summer 1992, page 70 1840 MARSHALL CO, MISSISSIPPI CENSUS, Southern Division B F Ruff Males; 1 under 5 and 1 20-30 years: females 1 20-30 FHL 014,842, page 53 Potts Camp MuseumINFO 1850 MARSHALL CO CENSUS, MISSISSIPPI, Southern Division 14 Nov 1850 age 37 Merchant, born North Carolina real estate $2400, 8 slaves FHL 443,589 page 262 1860 CENSUS CORNERSVILLE, TIPPAH CO, MISSISSIPPI, Southern Division, 23 August 1860 age 48 born North Carolina, Farmer, real Estate $6980, personal $26,060 18 Slaves FHL 803,592, page 163 PROBATE MARSHALL CO, MISSISSIPPI. EXECUTOR'S BOND Benjamin R Long, Executor of last will and testament, 15 April 1861 FHL 895,811, page 270, probate records refer to a Julia Ruff Rogers( could this be Sis) RUFF, B. F. (dec. PR 1870) Petitioners: Thomas L. Ruff, John F. Ruff, Julia Ruff, William and Martha Ruff (all of Marshall County, Miss. and Lehman Ruff of Tippah. RUFF, BENJAMIN F. dec. (PR 380) 1. Citation Aug. 24, 1869 for John Ruff and B.R. Long, executors of the estate of B.F. Ruff dec., adults, and William Ruff and Martha Ruff, minors, all of Marshall Co., Miss. 2. Citation to Lemon Ruff of Tippah, Aug. 24, 1869. 3. Citation to B.R. Long, Alex Cook (assignee of Newton Ruff, Thomas Ruff, John Ruff, James R. Ruff), Julia Roger and husband John Rogers, Lemuel Ruff (minor), William Ruff (minor), Benella Ruff (minor), and Martha Kirk (widow of B.F. Ruff and now wife of Henry Kirk), all of Marshall Co., May 3, 1868. His oldest son, Newton Ruff (GG grandfather)served in the 17th Mississippi Infantry. Newton was30 years old at the time of the 1870 DECATUR COUNTY TENNESSEE He was living at Britts Landing with his family# 34, Joseph M Rice was listed near by as family #37 He had a military record Company D, 17th Mississippi Infantry Enlisted age 22 at Cornith, Mississippi on June 4,1861. Wounded at battle of Gettysburg, PA on July 2,1863. He was moved to hospital at Baltimore, MD and then to Richmond, VA. Retired at Pontotoc Co.,Mississippi on August 2,1864 Military service Civil War Confederacy 17th Mississippi Infantry Company D. Index FHL 821,872. Record FHL 1,488,284. 1870 DECATUR CO TENNESSEE CENSUS 20 June 1870 Nuton Ruff age 30, Farm laborer,born Mississippi Bitt's Landing, 9th District page6, line 23 FHL 553,023 (FHL 024,571) Moved to Decatur County, TN before 1869, because Elbert was born in Tennessee. 1860 TIPPAH CO., MISSISSIPPI NOT LIVING WITH FAMILY (Cornersville, Southern Division, FHL 803,592,page 163) 1850 MARSHALL CO, MISSISSIPPI, SOUTHERN DIVISION Nov 14, 1850 Newton age 10, born Mississippi Student FHL 443,589, page262 1840 MARSHALL CO MISSISSIPPI I Male child under 5, B F Ruff head of family FHL 014,842,page 53 I would very much like to learn more about this family. What happened to them after the Civil War?? Any cousins left? Newton and his wife died between 1870 and 1880 Decatur County, TN census. Family history states that both died of an illnes in a very short time. They were living near Joseph Rice and asked that family to raise their 2 sons. Their Son Oscar Allen Ruff married Joseph Rice's daughter, Lucy Eter Rice. I would appreciate any help with these families. Thanks, Marie Barnes Morris Turner wrote: > What was the main attraction to Marshall County in the mid 1840's. > Could it have been the land grants or maybe the beautiful contryside? > Just wondering. MWT > > ==== MSMARSHA Mailing List ==== > If you have any of these records to share, please send them to [email protected]: birth, marriage, death, obits, civil war, wills, church, cemetery listings, newspaper articles, photos, and/or historical info. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237