California Family Group Sheet for the Rufus Curtis DAMON Family


Husband: Rufus Curtis DAMON
aka: DAMMON, DEMMING, DEMING
Birthdate: 14 July 1792 , Hanover, Plymouth Co, MA
Death date: 30 April 1880 , San Luis Obispo, California
father: Eells DAMON
mother: Hulda Curtis

Marriage date: (1) 15 Feb 1821
Marriage place: Belmont County, Ohio

Wife: Mary FARRA
Birthdate: about 1792 possibly in Kentucky
Death date: before 1828
father: Samuel Farra
mother: Hester Reese

CHILDREN

Child No. 1: Deming, Joseph
Birthdate: about 1821, Belmont County, Ohio
Spouse: Elizabeth Fisher
Marriage date: 09 November 1845, Quincy, Adams County, Illinois
Death date: between 1880-1900, probably Vienna, Dane County, Wisconsin

Child No. 2: Deming, William
Birthdate: about 1822-23, Belmont County, Ohio
Spouse:
Marriage date:
Death date:

Child No. 3: Deming, Oliver
Birthdate: about 1824-25, Belmont County, Ohio
Spouse: (1) Hester Tanner, 24 December 1847
Marriage date: 24 December 1847, Quincy, Adams County, Illinois
other marriages: (2) Rebecca A. ?
Death date:

Child No. 4: Deming, Esther E.
Birthdate: 7 October 1826, Belmont County, Ohio
Spouse: John Cobb
Marriage date: 17 August 1848, Quincy, Adams County, Illinois
Death date: December 1900, Lake County, California
 
 
Sources:
* Rufus married Mary Farra(h) on 15 Feb 1821 in Belmont County, Ohio. (LDS film 0317290). The marriage licence (#518) says that they were 'of Wayne' which is a rural township in Belmont County, Ohio. The licence application states that Joshua Davis affirmed on 15 Feb 1821 that Rufus Demming and Mary Farrah were of age. The Marriage certificate spells his name as Deming. Mary was actually Mary Farra not Farrah. They were married the same day and by Jonas Alford, J.P. Presiding (#573).
* Rufus Demming is not listed in the 1827 enumeration of Males over age 21 in Wayne Township, Belmont Co, Ohio. (Belmont County Ohio records) so it is presumed they moved to Athens County by this time.
* Rufus married (2) second to Lucy Tibbetts by licence on 28 November 1829 in Athens County, Ohio, film 0317290, Book 3, page 195 #573. And in Marriage Records 1805-1866, Athens County, Ohio, Marvin Fletcher and Beverly Schumacher, Editors, Athens Co., Historical Society and Museum. 65 No. Court Street, Athens, Ohio, 47501; 1985.
* 1830 Ohio Census, Athens Township, Athens County, Ohio, page 246
Rufus Demming, age 38 years old; 3 males (under 10);
1 male (30-40; 1 male (60-70; 1 female (0-5); 1 female (15-20); 1 female (30-40).
From this I deduct that the female under age 5 to be Esther, and the three small boys would have been William, Joseph and Oliver. We still do not know the order of their birth or their birth dates.
Who is the female age 15-20? Could this be Lucy Tibbetts Demming's daughter by a previous marriage? Also the male age 79+ is unknown.
* Rufus married (3) third in Quincy, Illinois, to Sarah Perry. Any children are unknown.
* 1840 Census, Illinois, Town of Quincy: Roll M704_54, Image 75 of 106:
Rufus Demming, 2 males 20-30; 1 male 30-40; 2 males 40-50; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 30-40.
It appears that in 1840 all three sons were still living at home - who is the other male age 40-50?
Esther is the female 10-15 and Sarah must be the female 30-40.
* Rufus married (4) fourth in Quincy, Illinois, to Mary Ann Mangum of South Carolina. Any children are unknown.
* 1850 Illinois State Census on p. 136 in Ellington Township. Dwelling 189, Family 191,
Rufus Demming, age 54, white male, Gardner, value of real estate $230.00, born in Mass;
Mary A. Demming, age 54, white female, born in S.C., unable to read or write.
Also living in their household was: William Stone, age 19, white male, laborer, born in Illinois.
* Mary Ann Deming died on the Cobb Ranch in Cobb, Lake County, California. Her gravestone reads: Mary Ann Deming, wife of Rufus, died on 1 January 1855 in the 56th year of her age.
* Rufus married Jane Love on 22 May 1856 in Napa, Napa County, California. They were married by C. S. Victor, Minister of the Gospel.
* Napa County Genealogical Association has a listing of Ministers of Napa County, California -1855-1905 - where Rufus is shown as Minister of the Gospel and that he performed many of the local marriages.
* California Census Index of 1870, in Napa Township, Napa County, page 066 (ancestry # CA12953414). Census: Microfilm Roll No. 75, microcopy 593, Page 78 of Napa Township, enumerated on the 28th day of July, 1870. Dwelling House No. 599, Family No. 620:
Deming, Rufus, age 71, Male, while, Farmer, born Massachusetts.
Deming, Jane, age 65, Female, white, Keeping house, value of Real Estate $2000, born Virginia.
The household next door listed on this Census was: Family No. 621:
Love, Samuel, age 30, male white, Laborer, born Ohio
Love, Sarah, 19 female, white, keeping house, born California
Stone, William, 39, male, white, Laborer, born Tennessee
Love, Rosa, 2/12, female, white, living at home, Born California in March of that year.
This William Stone age 39 may be the same William Stone who was living in Quincy, Illinois with Rufus and Mary Ann as shown in the 1850 Census age 17 (Census says born in Illinois).
* SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE, May 8, 1880
DIED - DEMING-In this city, May 1st, 1880, Rufus Deming, aged 81 years, 1 month and 18 days. He actually died shortly before his 88th birthday.
A GOOD MAN GONE. Death of an Aged and Useful Citizen
On Saturday last, Father Rufus Deming died at his residence in this city. The following brief sketch of his eventful life is furnished by one who knew him well: The deceased was a native of the State of Massachusetts. Many years ago he emigrated to Illinois, where some of his children still reside. He came to California in 1858 (sic - it was before 1855), and settled in Napa county, where he resided for eighteen years. Soon after coming to California, he lost his fourth wife, and in 1856 was married to Miss Jane Love, who now survives him. Father Deming has spent a long, active and useful life. As a citizen, he has been deeply interested in all that pertained to the welfare of his country; as a neighbor he as always merited and received the confidence and esteem of those who knew him, while to his family he has been a devoted husband and father. In Napa county he had many friends, who will remember him with pleasure. Coming to San Luis Obispo nine years ago, he has made numerous friends here who will not soon forget him. Early in life he made a profession of religion, and united with the Christian Church, to which he was devotedly attached. For many years he was a local minister in the M. E. Church. He was a faithful worker in the cause and exemplified his profession by an upright and consistent life. One who had been intimate with him for twenty-five years, part of the time living in the same house, told the writer that he had never known him to manifest anger, though he had seen his feelings hurt so that he would weep like a child, yet he had no resentment. Though years of affliction impaired his mental vigor, his faith was strong, his hope ardent, and he was cheerful in view of his expected change. His aged companion and many friends have the sympathy of all their neighbors.
* Also in the San Luis Obispo History Book are description of the various churches and while his obituary mentions the M. E. Church and the Christian Church, Rufus is not mentioned among the names with the Methodist Episcopal Church but states: "The ministers of the various churches often held services in the other towns of the county, and organizations of societies were made and churches built, and the ministers of other localities often preached in San Luis Obispo. The Christians, or Campbellites, have been represented by Rev, Mr. Wright, Rev. Rufus Deming, and others_"
* From the San Luis Obispo County Recorder Deaths Book 1 (old ledger register), Letter "D" entry 3:
April 30, 1880, Demming, Rufus, White, age 76, male, married, Cause of death: Senile Bronchitis, Dr. Hayes.
* The 1880 San Luis Obispo, California Census taken June 1, 1880 lists Rufus' widow and her family (daughter from a previous marriage and her husband] living on Palm Street,
Edmonds, David, w, m, 52, farmer, Pennsylvania, PA, PA
Edmonds, Sarah, w, f, 55, wife, keeping house, Ohio, OH, OH
Deming, Jane, w, f, 75, mother-in-law, Ohio, Oh, Oh
* Both Rufus and Jane (Love) Deming are buried at the Arroyo Grande Cemetery in South San Luis Obispo.
* Cemetery Records of South San Luis Obispo County, California 1877-1941 (Published by San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society, Atascadero, CA 93422-0004, Evelyn Baxley, President, 1989-1990.
DEMING - Jane, 10-8-1892, 87 yrs, 7mos, 4 days;
Rufus, 5-1-1880, 81 yrs, 1 mo., 18 days "Father and Mother".

Notes:
* Other marriages for Rufus Damon:
(2) Lucy Tibbetts, 28 November 1828, Athens County, Ohio
(3) Sarah Perry, 6 December 1838, Quincy, Adams County, Illinois
(4) Mary Ann Mangum, 10 June 1848, Quincy, Adams County, Illinois
(5) Jane Love, 22 May 1856, Napa, Napa County, California.
 

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