Cornelius Ruddell

The Virginia Genealogist, Vol 27, No. 4.

Local Notices From the Virginia Gazette, Richmond, 1783. pg 296-297

As Cornelius (3), son of Isaac (2), was one of the subjects of Harriette Simpson Arnow in two of her books, Seedtime On The Cumberland and Flowering Of The Cumberland, it seems appropriate to give a few paragraphs to the story at this point. Arnow's books show how an old, old culture shaped in Europe British Colonial became American and built a culture and a society that would in time influence much of the southwest.

Cornelius (3) served 3 years during the Revolution and was not at Ruddle's Station when it was captured in 1780, as he was on duty at the Falls of the Ohio. In 1782 when he was 23 and she was 21, he met and married "the beautiful Jane Mulherrin". Her brother, John, later married his sister, Elizabeth; they were children of James Mulherrin. The wedding is described in Guild's Old Times In Tennessee. Four couples were married at the same time in what is now the city of Nashville and the ceremony was performed by a trustee of the colony. The description, in part, follows:

"The colony was then in its infancy and the settlers were not supplied with the means or appliances necessary to make a wedding occasion brilliant, either in the way of gorgeous dresses, a table laden with rich viands and luxuries to tempt the fastidious appetite, and a fine band to furnish music while the guests' tripped the light fantastic toe' as the older settlements could do, but there was not wanting the disposition on the part of those more immediately interested to make the affair as grand and imposing as circumstances would admit, especially as it was among the first weddings in the new settlement. They were well supplied with game of almost every description, with which to prepare the most savory and tempting dishes, but there was neither flour nor meal in the whole colony with which to make bread, nor had there been for six months. In this emergency two of the settlers were mounted on horses and hurried off to Danville, Kentucky, for a small quantity of corn to supply the wedding table with bread. Only a few days elapsed before the couriers returned, bringing with them each one bushel of corn, which soon found its way to the mortar and pestle, where it was speedily converted into excellent meal, and from it was baked the first 'bride's cake' of which this new colony boasted. It was made with pounded corn meal, with no other ingredients than a little salt and water. Amid the dangers that environed the settlement, the hearts of this band of pioneers grew happy while celebrating the wedding with song, dance, and feast, rendered exquisitely delightful by the introduction of the wedding 'pound cake' and perhaps no cake on a similar occasion, before or since, was enjoyed with more zest."

Two little girls were born (Polly, Aug. 1784) and (Nancy, March 1786). In November of 1786 Cornelius (3) went turkey hunting and was ambushed by Indians. An inventory of his estate was made January 1787 and is on record in Davidson County, Tennessee, Will and Inventory Book 1784-1794. From this inventory Arnow, whose books are a study of the first settlers weaves a story showing the Ruddles to be an example of a Cumberland pioneer family.

The inventory follows:

A horse about 14 hands or near 4 years old, 5 cows and calves, one two year old heifer, one bed and furniture, two bedsteads, half dozen pewter plates, two pewter basons, one pewter dish, 4 tin cups, half a dozen pewter spoons, half a dozen knives and two forks, one dutch oven, two water pails, two coolers, one wash tub, a box iron and one heater, one pair of cotton cards, an iron candlestick, two saddle trees wt ye irons, one briddle, a hand saw, one ax. Two beaver traps, a table and chest, a frying pan two chairs, a lead ink stand, a razor, two small horses, looking glass, a chiles bed, a weeding hoe, a small ball, a saw sett, a pair bullet moles, a common prayer book, a spur, a pair of knitting needles, a little spinning wheel, a cotton gin, a lock and key, about 130 lbs. of flax, two 31 lb. of cotton in yeseed, about 50 bus. of Indian corn.

Arnow wrote that "Ruddle was the only first settler found who had even a small bed, for his trundle bed was referred to as a 'chile's bed'."

Cornelius' widow, Jane, married his first cousin, James Ruddell (3), on December 8, 1788. James (3) was the son of Archibald (2), brother of Isaac (2), Cornelius' father. Jane and James were parents of ten children and the youngest was named Cornelius. James (3) had been captured at Ruddle's Station and was a prisoner for 2 years and a half.

Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 20:10:40 EDT

From: DLCardwell@aol.com

To: RUDDLESFORT-L@rootsweb.com

THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT FORMAT TO SHARE OUR HISTORY.