As the family members began their efforts to organize a family association - the Ruffner Family Association (RFA) - in June of 1997 and to seek a charter and incorporation, it was decided the fledgling organization should have a newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter would be to insure the continuity of research by the individuals and the organization, and maintain the interest in the family’s heritage. The newsletter would be the vehicle through which the members could share their facts and stories. Joan [Ruffner] Reid (desc. Emanuel) was appointed as its first editor with Robert Newman Sheets (desc. Benjamin), the organizing chairman of the Association, as its contributing editor. The later appointment of an editorial board, comprised of volunteer members, has increased the reporting and recording of the Ruffner family history.
        After six months of planning, writing, and editing, the first issue of the newsletter - titled at that time "The Ruffner Family News" - was published in January of 1998. Immediately, favorable feedback was received from what was then a small group of Ruffner family contacts. A contest was held to "Name the Newsletter". When it came time to publish the Summer issue in 1998, the newsletter had a new name. Joel Ruffner Bowman of Richmond, VA won the contest with her suggestion, and from that point on our family newsletter would be ‘Ruffner Roots and Ramblings’.

        Recurring features in the newsletter include:

* "In the News" - reprints of articles written about Ruffner cousin’s activities and events;
* "Portraits from the Past" - photos of ancestors with their histories;
* "Knowing Your Board of Directors" - profiles of the RFA’s elected leadership;
* "What Is it? Where Is It" - a photo and history of Ruffner namesakes throughout the United States.
* "Family News" - our family’s current vital statistics including births, deaths and marriages.
* Original and reprinted stories about the Ruffner past history are also included in each issue.

        The reproductions of historic documents, profiles and pictures of prominent family members, and stories have been favorites.  Chronicling those, along with posting the up-to-date "Family News" and announcing the schedule and plans for future events, keeps the Ruffner Family members advised of ‘what has gone before’ and ‘what lies ahead’.
        With the mailing of the February 2001 issue, there have now been 10 issues of the newsletter published. The RR&R has become one of our best membership services and it has received very favorable comments from various libraries throughout the country. Many of these libraries have added the RR&R to their catalog list.
        A sampling of titles from the February 2001 issue will give an idea about the diversity of the RR&R’s articles, they include:

* Lancaster/Fairfield County, Ohio Bicentennial Celebration. Reporting the activities celebrating the community’s early settlement and development as a part of the opening of the Northwest Territories.
* Our "In the News" column features, Families share link to Booker T. Washington - A visit to Ruffner descendants from Booker T. Washington’s descendants.
* Making Progress at ‘the Brick’ - A report on the renovation and utilization of a historic 19^th century Ruffner home in Eleanor, WV.
* Ruffner Family to visit Washington & Lee University - Our family plans for a visit and tour of Lexington, VA where Henry Ruffner served as president of Washington College, now Washington & Lee University (See on the Events page of this site: 2001 Tour of Lexington, VA and W&L University).
* And, much more.

        In order for the RFA to maintain a high-quality quarterly publication, the newsletter’s distribution is limited to the Association’s paid membership and a select list of genealogy/history libraries. To receive the RFA newsletter, you must join the Ruffner Family Association. The annual dues start at $20 for an individual. This modest amount entitles you to four issues of the newsletter and other family mailings. The historic information you receive, the photos of historic places with an association to a family member(s), the stories, and the family news will be well worth the cost. Join us today! Then, read about our family legacy in the RR&R.
        You may contribute to the assimilation and preservation of the stories about the personal achievements and associations of the members of this Ruffner family by sending us your stories. If you intend to submit photos with descriptive comments, please send an original or good copy of the photo so it can be scanned, or send a scanned photo on a disk using the .pcx format. All original photos and disks will be returned to the owner as soon as possible. Do not send original historical documents; a clean unfolded photocopy of these will be sufficient.

For making submissions, or for more information about the RR&R, you should write to:

Ruffner Roots & Ramblings
19 Amiss Ave
Luray, VA 22835

 

         The above address is not for your questions about membership information. For membership information, please see the Ruffner Family Association page, and/or use the RFA Membership Form found in the Printable Forms of the site. And, to read about Events associated with some of the articles mentioned above, go to the Ruffner Family Events. Links to each of these is provided below.

        On this page, we will periodically post some short stories or articles, which have been featured in previous issues of the RR&R.  These will be changed periodically, so visit often to see what’s new.