Katherine Ruffin

Female, #36543, (1634 - before 1688)

Birth*1634 Katherine was born in 1634. In 1670, William Ruffin assigned 200 acres of land to Katherine Thornton, with reversion to her two children, Arthur, Whitehead and Rebecca Thornton. Three facts indicate that Katherine was not his daughter. First, the year of her birth is given as 1634, the year before William Ruffin arrived in Virginia from England, as a boy of 18. Second, he does not designate her as his daughter in this land assignment. Third, his son Robert Ruffin "of the County of Surry", on 21 January 1675/76, in a deed to Thomas Giles of Nansemond County, speaks of "my plantation on which my decd. father William Ruffin of Isle of Wight lived, except 200 acres which my decd. father made over to Katherine as his sister. Some close relationship evidently existed, but what this was is not known. (V. H. G. 262-263).1 
Marriage*before 1650 She married Arthur Whitehead at England before 1650. 
Married Namesay 1651  As of say 1651, her married name was Whitehead. 
Marriage*say 1654 She married Mr. (?) Thornton say 1654. 
Married Namesay 1654  As of say 1654, her married name was Thornton. 
Note*11 Aug 1673 On 11 August 1673, Arthur Whitehead, in consideration of affection for his sister Rebecca Horsefield, then wife to Stephen Horsefield, gave her some cows. Possibly this was his wedding present to his half sister. At any rate, it does show that Rebecca Thornton was born about 1655, assuming her to have been about 18 at the time of her marriage to Stephen Horsefield. This would further indicate that Katherine married her second husband no later than 1655 and possibly earlier, so that Arthur must have died before that year, and, of course, his son Arthur, also was born before then. (17C. 565).1 
Marriagesay 1680 She married (?) Bathe say 1680. 
Married Namesay 1680  As of say 1680, her married name was Bathe. 
Biography* Sometime between 1676 and 1687, the year in which Katherine died, her second husband died, and she married for the third time. Her third husbands name was Bathe (Bythesea), and he also predeceased her. On 11 October 1687, the nuncupative will of Katherine Bathe was recorded in Isle of Wight County, by which she left legacies to her son-in-law Stephen Horsefield, his wife and children; and to son Arthur Whitehead, "whom she declared was unnatural to her", thus showing him to have been her stepson by her first marriage to Arthur Whitehead, This Stephen Horsefield was undoubtedly the son of Stephen Horse(field) who was one of the emigrants with the first Arthur Whitehead, listed with the head rights of the Obedience Robins patent in 1643, above mentioned.1 
Will*22 Aug 1687 She left a will on 22 Aug 1687 at Isle of Wight Co., Virginia.
(October 10th 1687
Arthur Smith age forty nine years ould or thereabout says that about the 22nd of August hast past, being desired to go and see the widow (Katherine) Bathe that lay sick at the house of Stephen Horsfield her sone in law, I went and Henry Clark and John Watson with me and when the aforesaid widow saw me she seemed to be very glad and tould me that she had a greate desire to make a will to dispose of the little she had and advised me there to take notice of her words and then tould us that all she had she did give to her sone in law Stephen Horsfield and his wife and children; but one wether she would give to her sone Arthur Whitehead. Yo deponant asked her was this that was all she would give her sone, she said yes for she had never bene no help to Stephen Horsfield nor his wife since they was married and had always bene helping her son Arthur Whitehead & tould us there was five cows & two yearling heifers & three ould steer at Arthur Whiteheads of hers that she gave to her son Stephen & there or fower sheepe at Stephens house of hers and what other things that was hers as debt or any household goods she gave it all to her son in law Stephen Horsfield, only the forsaid wether, for he must looke after her as longe as she lives & declaring of it with weeping tiares how unnaturall her said sone Arthur Whitehead was to her. This I can dispose of

Arth. Smith
Henry H. Clark
John E. Watson

The underwritten Henry Clark and John Watson have sworn to the above said noncupative will in
court held for the Isle of Wight County October the 11th 1687.
Cert. John Pitt Ct. Cir.

Note: Wether - Old English for castrated ram or male sheep.
Dispose - to bestow of transfer property.
Noncupative Will: A will dictated to others and not written by the
person making the will. Could be verbal or written by another person.
Many times a deathbed will.

Monk's comments:
"Now we know what Katherine was talking about with the word unnatural.
She was not meaning that he was not a natural child but rather that his
treatment of her was not natural. She got her revenge by giving him the
most worthless animal there was, a wether (castrated ram), good for only
eating grass."

Transcribed by: Monk Moore (no e-mail address)
Submitted to the USGENWEB Archives by Virginia Crilley
Submitted, in turn, to Culpepper Connections by Becky White).2 
Death*before 1688 She died before 1688. 

Family 1

Arthur Whitehead (say 1625 - say 1655)
Child

Family 2

Mr. (?) Thornton (say 1630 - after 1676)

Charts Warren Culpepper's Ancestry Chart
Last Edited 15 May 2008

Citations

  1. "Whitehead of Isle of Wight", CD191 Family History: Southern Genealogies #1, Historical Southern Families, Vol. I.
  2. E-mail from Becky White, e-mail address to Warren Culpepper, May 2008.