<hi rend="bold">Letter from Thomas Ruffin, Jr. to his father, Thomas Ruffin, April 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 Caitlin R. Donnelly Text encoded by Mike Millner First Edition, 2007 ca. 12K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2007

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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, April 1841 Thomas Ruffin 3 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>2007-03-14,</date> <respStmt> <name>Mike Millner</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc11-04"> <body> <div1 type="personal letter"> <pb id="unc11-04-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>, April 1841</head> <opener> <dateline> <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Chapel Hill</name> <date>April</date> </dateline> <salute>Dear <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Father</name></salute> </opener> <p>I now commence a letter to you, in no pleasent mode, for I have been wronged, yes, and treatead meanly by D<hi rend="sup">r</hi> <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha" type="person" rend="yes"> Mitchel</name> for he gave a party to night and asked all his borders except one, by the name of <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Bryan</name> and myself and said he had no room for us, it could not be because we were Fres, for he asked the Fresh, and <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Papa</name> I insist on quiting his house as a boarder, I suppose he thought we were not good enough for to his company to see, and that we were children and would not notice it, but he was mistaken, and I hope to receive your permission to quit his house and never to enter it a gain, for <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Pa</name>, just think how you would feel if you were slighted so. and this is not the first time that I have whished to quit there, for if you could hear his family talk about the other faculty<hi rend="sup">s</hi> family you would want to quit there too, and they are continually making fun of Mr <pb id="unc11-04-p02" n="[2]"/>Mr <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend=""> Owen</name> (a Tutor) calling him Judge Owen (a name the boys gave him) and talking about how poor, ugly, and how little sense he had, tho this is none of my buisiness, yet it is not such a palace as you whish me to board at, or as I want to board at, And I have heard them talk about Mr <name key="pn0000622" reg="Green, William Mercer" type="person" rend="yes">Green</name>, which first prejudiced me against him, and of all the rest of the faculty.</p> <p>You may wonder that I never mentioned this before, But I knew that you desired me to stay there and that it would increase your trouble, therefore I would have stayed there if I had nothing to eat But bread & water, But <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Papa</name> I can not stay there willingly. And the worst of all, he made me lose my supper to night, for if I had gone, he would say that I was fishing for an invitation and <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Papa</name> I would die before I would do that or have it said that I did it. </p> <p>All the other boys went to supper and I beleive that some of them are none to good to fish for an invitation. </p> <p>I will say nothing about leaving there untill I hear from you, But <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Pa</name>, consult your own feelings were you in my situation, and I know you <pb id="unc11-04-p03" n="[3]"/>you will consent to my leaving there, and <hi rend="underscore">he</hi> says that he wants no one to stay there unless they are willing, and I am not willing, therefore <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Pa</name>, you ought to let me quit. </p> <p>But <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Papa</name> if you think I am wrong I will stay and do not let <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Ma</name>, see this letter, if you please, that is, if you think I am wrong. </p> <p>Tell <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Jane</name> that I received her letter this evening and that I will answer it soon. </p> <p>I have made a mistake in the manner of writing my letter, But I hope you will pardon it as you see I know better. </p> <p>Give My very best love to all at home and if you please forgive me if I am in the wrong as to leaving D<hi rend="sup">r</hi> <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha" type="person" rend="yes">Mitchels</name> house, for it was a long time before I could begin to write it, for I feared it would cause you some uneasyness. </p> <closer> <salute>I remain your affectionate Son</salute> <signed rend="center"> <name key="pn0001463" reg="Ruffin, Thomas, Jr." type="person">Thomas Ruffin</name> </signed> </closer> <pb id="unc11-04-bk" n="[Back]"/> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>