. "May 1861"@en . "Republican"@en . . "20264"^^ . . . "West Virginia militia"@en . . . "--07-01"^^ . . "Politician, manufacturer, merchant"@en . . . . "Charleston, Kanawha County, Virginia US"@en . . . . . . . "1883-11-19"^^ . "West Virginia"@en . . . "Nathaniel W. Thompson"@en . . . . "Kanawha County"@en . "13606295"^^ . "Joseph Lovell"@en . . . . . . . . "Lewis Ruffner"@en . . "Lewis Ruffner"@en . . . . . . . . . . . "150"^^ . "1104298423"^^ . . . . . "--12-03"^^ . . "United States of America"@en . . . . . . . "Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, US"@en . . . . "Van B. Reynolds, James H. Fry"@en . "1883-11-19"^^ . . . . . . . . . . "James Wilson"@en . . . . . . . "Lewis Ruffner (October 1, 1797 \u2013 November 19, 1883) was an American merchant, magistrate, slaveowner and politician who helped found the state of West Virginia. Originally a salt manufacturer in the Kanawha Salines (renamed Malden), Ruffner served several terms in the Virginia House of Delegates representing Kanawha County before resigning as he became the company's agent in Louisville, Kentucky, but returned to Virginia in 1857. Although a slaveowner with relatives who fought for the Confederacy, Ruffner became a prominent Unionist, represented Kanawha County during the Wheeling Conventions, initial West Virginia Constitutional Convention, and first West Virginia House of Delegates during the American Civil War. Fellow legislators named him Major General of the state's militia in 1863, but he declined to accept a commission in the Union Army because salt manufacture was also crucial to the war effort. After the war, General Ruffner suffered a debilitating injury trying to avert a mob attack and became known as a mentor of Booker T. Washington, his former houseboy."@en . . "Virginia"@en . . . . . . . . "Kanawha"@en . . . . . . . "1863"^^ . . . . "--12-05"^^ . "1797-10-01"^^ . . . . . . . "Elizabeth Shrewsbury, Viola Ruffner"@en . . . . . . . "Lewis Ruffner (October 1, 1797 \u2013 November 19, 1883) was an American merchant, magistrate, slaveowner and politician who helped found the state of West Virginia. Originally a salt manufacturer in the Kanawha Salines (renamed Malden), Ruffner served several terms in the Virginia House of Delegates representing Kanawha County before resigning as he became the company's agent in Louisville, Kentucky, but returned to Virginia in 1857. Although a slaveowner with relatives who fought for the Confederacy, Ruffner became a prominent Unionist, represented Kanawha County during the Wheeling Conventions, initial West Virginia Constitutional Convention, and first West Virginia House of Delegates during the American Civil War. Fellow legislators named him Major General of the state's militia in 1863, bu"@en . . . . . "Lewis Ruffner"@en . . "infantry"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "1797-10-01"^^ . . . . . . . "Kanawha and Roane Counties"@en . "James C. MacFarland"@en .