Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 984
SIMON RUFFCORN

The RUFFCORN family have been prominent residents of Harrison county, Iowa, since 1867, when the parents of Simon RUFFCORN located in this county. Mr. RUFFCORN started in for himself by buying a farm and has since added to his holdings, from year to year, until he now owns four hundred and sixty acres of the best land in the Missouri valley bottoms. Mr. RUFFCORN has engaged in extensive stock raising and has met with much success in all of his agricultural operations.

Simon RUFFCORN was born on March 4, 1856, in Meigs county, Ohio, and is a son of Lewis and Mary J. (BAKER) RUFFCORN, both natives of Ohio, of English descent. His parents reared a family of ten children, Simon being next to the eldest in the family.

When Simon RUFFCORN was thirteen years of age, his parents came with their family to Harirson county, Iowa, they drove through from Ohio and the trip took a little over six weeks. They first rented land and three years later bought eighty acres, for which they paid seven dollars an acre. Simon lived at home until he was twenty-six years old. He had received part of his education in Meigs county, Ohio, and completed it in Harrison county. He worked with his father until he left home and then bought sixty-two acres of land for ten dollars an acre. As he has prospered, from year to year, he has added to his original farm until he now has four hundred and sixty acres, in Morgan township. This land is now worth about one hundred and sixty dollars an acre. At the time of purchase Mr. RUFFCORN paid as much as eighty-five dollars an acre for part of it. With the completion of the Soldier ditch, the branch of which drains Mr. RUFFCORN's farm, he has been enabled to bring all of his land under cultivation. Nearly all of his live stock is eligible for registering, but he does not bother about having it listed. He is an extensive raiser of hogs and cattle and he and his sons manage the whole farm. For thirty-five years, previous to 1913, Mr. RUFFCORN operated a threshing machine every summer, but has now retired from that line of activity.

Simon RUFFCORN was married on March 22, 1885, to Florence MORGAREIDGE, who was born in Harrison county, and is a daughter of Oscar and Susan (BURCHAM) MORGAREIDGE, natives of Ohio and Missouri, respectively. Simon and Florence (MORGAREIDGE) RUFFCORN are the parents of eleven children, ten of whom are living. David M., the eldest son, died on October 11, 1911, having married Effie BURKETT. Three other children, Nora, Gustine and Wesley are married. Nora Married Watson BELLVILLE, of Mondamin, and has three children, Elsie, Ivy and Oscar; Gustine married William HARRINGTON, a farmer in Morgan township and has four children, Marie, Florence, Everett and Harold; Wesley, who married Hazel BAXTER, has two children, Otis and Leonard, lives on one of his father's farms. The seven children unmarried and still living at home are Oscar, Jessie, Paul, Evan, Mary, Helen, and Zeal.

Simon RUFFCORN is a Republican in politics, but has never been active in political matters. He was on the Solder ditch commission and was instrumental in bringing about the construction of this much-needed improvement. His farm has good buildings and he is the proud possessor of the largest orchard in Morgan township. In all respects, Mr. RUFFCORN measures up to a high standard of American citizenship, and the community in which he has resided for so many years, is proud to claim him as one of its number.

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