Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1889-06-22
From the Raleigh News and Observer.
June 10th, lsS9.(
In Honor of the Memory
OF Judge Rumn.


bar held 10 the Supreme Court DON
on Saturday the 18th of June, 1889,
Mr.. J. B. Bachelor was called to the
chair, and Mr.. R.fI. Battle tor she
committee, appointed to prepare a
memorial sketch of the life and char
acter o; the late Hon. Thos. Ruffin,
formerly an Associate Justice Of the
Supreme Court, submitted the fol-
loving report:
The committee appointed by The
bar at a meeting held on ,he24th OF
May, 1889, in the Sopreme Court
room, to prepare resolutions IN rela-
ton to the life and character III
Thomas Ruffin, late an Associate JUS
lice of the Supreme Court, respect
fully report
Thomas Ruffin, the great lawyer,
wise counsellor, successful advocate,
just judge: good citizen ard de>ou,
Christian. whose loss We are me, to
deplore. died at I%iillsboro, the place
of his nth. on the mor,ing OF Thurs
day the 23rI II May, 1889.
11C wbS VIC Ioultu cIi vi 4 ittiltd>
Ruttin. so long the distinguished.
Chief Justice of our Supreme Court,
and Anne Kirkland, his wlie. and IN
herited from them many OF the quail
ties Of head and heart which dls,;n-
yuished him. He was born Sep,em
Der Dist, 1924. HIS preparations for
college was obtained at the Academy
of Samuel Smith, one Of the hest
teachers OF bis day in Rockingham
county. There he was a >chrolma,e
of Hon. John IL. billiard, afterwards
his law-par,ncr and bis lite long
friend. He entered the Freshman
} elias. at Chapel Hill in 1910 aud
graduated in 1914. He studied law
! with his father and older brother,
VIM. w. Rufin. Esq, at their home
} on Haw River. in Alanance, and DO
i tanned his license to practice in the
8 county courts IN l845. To learn
something Of the practice Of thee law
I while he was preparing for superior
Court license, be then spent a yea,
t in Morganlon, where a summer tern
e of the Supreme Court was held ant
where there was a good local bar
. Obtaining Superior Court license il
1876, he made Yanceyville his HON,
tor a shot time, but in 1913 b,
4 moved TO Wentworth and formed
partnership with Judge billiard wht
e had a short tine before been admit
ted to the bar. There, was bis hou,,
for ten years and until his marriag'
y with Miss Mary Cain Of Orange II
\ 1858, be moved to Graham. il
n 1850 he represented Rockingham i,
e the House of Commons, and in lS3-
v he was elected solicitor tor his Gil
cult, and continued to exercise tn
e duties of the office until his resigna
n ton at the March term of 1860. A
e solicitor he earned much distinction
st tor his accurate legal knowledge, hi
IS force as ar advocate and the jud;ciou
er exercise of the discretion vested i
him by law. At the call to arms i
April 1864 he entered the army a
a private, but in a few days thereaf,e
or was elected captain OF a company i
10 the 18th regiment of North Carolin
is troops. Appointed a Judge OF tb
Or Superior Courts by Gov. Clark in tn
re summer of 1861 he rode the :a!l Gil
cult of that year aud then resigne
es and returned to the army, and wa
" promoted to the Lieutenant olnne
). cy of his regiment in March 1856
i In the desperate battle of Sout
Mountain, in Maryland, in Septembe
re of that year he was wounded an
I'd some time thereafter be resigned b
Is. commission. During the latter pa,
Of the war he served as a member
l. a corps court in the Western arm
a tribunal established tor the tri
ok of grave military offenses. The W;
b. having ended and our Civil -Cour
Ife being re-established be resumed tt
ia. practice of his profession at Garhat
lie bnt in January 1865 made Green
~ bvro his home and formed a la
Ike partnership with his old friend Nj
Id Billiard and Jno. A. Gilmer. TIL
the ability ofthe members of this fir
was generally recognized appea
from the fact that Col. Gilmer ";
'er afterwards made a Superior Cou
ay Judge aud the other two beca,,
co. succesNvely Justices Of the Supren
is Court. From overwork his hea!
became SO impaired TIA, 10 Decor
Der, 1870, he abandoned for a tin
the practice of Law, and vent,
Hillsboro TO live. Then he tri.
for q lime The business Of an inst
ahce agent.
His health being partially restore
ha be resumed the practice OF his pr
49, tcssion and in 1875 formed a. pa
nershlp with Major John w. Gr
ia ham. OF I1illsboro, which continue
except during the interval of bis Sc
vice on the Supreme Court benc
%-yuntl! his death. Judge DsIlari ha
.ne lug resigned his seat as Judge 0: (,
'en Supreme Court, Judge Ruthn y
les auuo,n,ad hv Gov faryis ~ =,