<hi rend="bold"> Letter from Thomas Ruffin, Jr. to his father, Thomas Ruffin, March 1841:</hi> Electronic Edition. Ruffin, Thomas, Jr. Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Brian Dietz Text encoded by Elizabeth McAulay First Edition, 2006 ca. 16K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2006

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 Thomas Ruffin Papers (#641), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from Thomas Ruffin, Jr. to his father, Thomas Ruffin, March 1841 Thomas Ruffin 4 pages, 4 page images 1841 Call number 641 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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 </bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2006-09-15,</date> <respStmt> <name>Elizabeth McAulay</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc06-105"> <body> <div1 type="personal letter"> <pb id="unc06-105-p01" n="[1]"/> <head>Letter from <name key="pn0001463" reg="Ruffin, Thomas, Jr." type="person">Thomas Ruffin, Jr.</name> to his father, <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Thomas Ruffin</name>, March 1841</head> <opener> <dateline> <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Chapel Hill</name> <date>March</date> </dateline> <salute>Dear <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person" rend="yes">Father</name></salute> </opener> <p>I was reading a very valuable book, and came to passage. write to your parents frequently, and I got up immediately to write to you. I will not make any excuses for not writeing sooner for I have none, which would be considered valid by the book which I have been reading. but I have written home oftener than to you, and I wrote to you last week but did not send it, for <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Mr Polk</name>, by whom I intended sending it, went off before I knew it, and I had put by his care, on the back, and could not send it by stage I will now begin with the news. in the first place I have changed my room and am now with <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">John Brodman</name>, and in an excelant room. Next, we had a very good oration delivered on the 22<hi rend="sup">nd</hi> of Feb. by Mr <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Viser</name> one of the students, it pleased both faculty and students as for my own part I thought it was the best thing I ever heard, and we had a snap, on that day. lastly, for there is but very little news here, Judge <name key="pn0000119" reg="Battle, William H." type="person" rend="yes">Battle</name> passed through here day before yesterday, and spent last night at your house But I forgot to tell you that <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">John Brodman</name> <pb id="unc06-105-p02" n="[2]"/> received a letter from home stateing that his mother would accompany his father as far as as your house if no farther, at commencement I will now tell you how much I have spent and received from D<hi rend="sup">r</hi> <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha" type="person" rend="yes">Mitchel</name>. I received at one time the amount of $4.00. I spent $1.00 for wood, 10<hi rend="sup">cts</hi> for a letter, ditto 10<hi rend="sup">cts</hi>, ditto 12<hi rend="sup">cts</hi>, $1.70 for a cicero. and 1.00 for my stage fare there not enough of that, <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Mama</name> gave me for she gave me $22. $20 of which I put in my trunk and $2 in my pocket thinking that it was sufficient to defray my expeses. and I had left my trunk behind for I could not get it on the stage therefore I sent him the three dollars as soon as I got here. and I did not eat any dinner besides that accounts for the four, at another time I spent $5.00 1.00 of which I spent for wood, 20<hi rend="sup">cts</hi> for two other letters and deposited 75<hi rend="sup">cts</hi> in the post office, $1.50 for a bird supper, 1.00 for shoe blacking and $1.00 to an old beggar who came through here. thus I spent the other $5 having drawn by the 1<hi rend="sup">st</hi> of March $9.00 in all. </p> <p> I have now returned from dinner, and have commenced again haveing prepared my lesson for evening in play time, and you must not expect as much from me as before. I have subscribed to the ball at commencment and I would not have done it but when I was at home I asked if I must do it and <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Sister Anne</name> told me to subscribe if<pb id="unc06-105-p03" n="[3]"/>the others did it. </p> <p><name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place">Chapel Hill</name> has increased very much lately both as to number of inhabitants and respectability and there is very good society and Gov. <name key="pn0001638" reg="Swain, David Lowry" type="person" rend="yes">Swain</name> is mayor of the place and he is endeavouring to clear the place of all bad characters, there are four very pretty girls here. I have received four letters from <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">James M<hi rend="sup">c</hi>Neill</name> and he is going to return to college.</p> <p>The Faculty say that they never knew the students to be so well behaved before. and they have rewarded them for it, they have given four days to us this session and there has not been a single boy before the faculty this session a thing which has not happened before in ages. </p> <p> I suppose you have heard of the death of Judge <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Barban</name>, and gov. <name key="pn0001638" reg="Swain, David Lowry" type="person" rend="yes">S.</name> is in hopes that Judge <name key="pn0000574" reg="Gaston, William Joseph" type="person" rend="yes">Gaston</name> will be his successor in order that he may be appointed Judge of <name key="name0000745" reg="North Carolina" type="place" rend="yes">N Carolina</name> but I think it is a very strange wish to deprive us of so much talants as Judge <name key="pn0000574" reg="Gaston, William Joseph" type="person">Gaston</name> possesses. </p> <p> I will write to you the first week in every month and will give you my account in evry other one, and also how many times I have been absent from prayers church and recitations. I have been absent from prayers once sick, but by mistake they have twice from church none recitations none, I have told <pb id="unc06-105-p04" n="[4]"/> you this so you might know that it is a mistake and because I thought you would like to know how many times I have been absent. I have written to Mr <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Smith</name> as you requested that I sould do I have also written to Cousin <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Nancy Brodman</name>. Neither I or <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">John</name> have heard from the boys a <gap reason="[unrecovered]"/>. Dear Father I have taken more pains with this letter than I ever did before, and I hope that you will correct all mistakes in it as to spelling style and writing and length you will excuse for I fear that I have been too testing on your patience a long time. and I also hope that you will write to me before long and give me advice. there is nothing else now. </p> <closer> <salute> I remain your affectionate Son</salute> <signed> <name key="pn0001463" reg="Ruffin, Thomas, Jr." type="person"> Thomas Ruffin </name> </signed> </closer> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>