Ruhama Heath McKim Buck

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As noted previously, Ruhama Heath was the second wife of Thomas Buck V. Most of the following information about Ruhama Buck is based on article about her granting freedom to her slaves, particularly the family of Maria Cooper. The article, “Freedom Without Independence: The Story of a Former Slave and Her Family” is by Ellen Eslinger, a professor of history at DePaul University, and was published in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography in 2006. Although the article is complimentary of Ruhama Buck, it is not so complimentary of the family of Thomas Buck V. Even so, the article appears to be well researched and presents information previously unknown to me.

In her article about the family of Maria Cooper, Ellen Eslinger gives the name of Ruhama as “Ruhanna” but other references that I've used (especially “The Blakemore Family and Allied Lines” by M. N. Blakemore and “The Buck Family Virginia” by W.P. Buck) spell her name as Ruhama. It is easy to see how “nn” could be taken as “m” or vice versa.

I've also recently received more background information from Carolyn Gutermuth who is a McKim descendant and has published a book of deeds for the McKim family. She spells the name as Ruhamah but I've decided to continue with “Ruhama” for now.

It is important to note that Thomas Buck was 67 years old and Ruhama Heath McKim was 47 when they married in 1823. Thomas' wife, Ann, had been dead for only a few months. No doubt his children were upset with his sudden marriage. Ruhama's husband, James, had been dead for 3 years and her only child, William, had been dead for one year. Thomas would live another 19 years; Ruhama another 28 years.

Upon the death of her son, Ruhama had inherited his estate – presumably left to him by his father, James McKim.

Thomas Buck soon recorded a deed of gift to Ruhama of the slave Maria Cooper and her three children. These slaves are assumed to have belonged to Ruhama prior to her marriage to Thomas. Upon his death, Thomas confirmed and extended this gift to Ruhama in his will.

Ruhama apparently had taken Maria Cooper and her family under her wing and tutelage some years previously. She had educated Maria well – much more than simple reading and writing. In turn, Maria and her family cared for Ruhama in her old age. Theirs must have been a special bond as Maria named one of her children Ruhama and another McKim.

According to the census of 1850, Ruhama Buck had thirteen slaves. Just prior to her death in 1851, she freed those slaves, including Maria Cooper and her family. Because Virginia law required that manumitted slaves must leave the state within a year, Ruhama Buck's will provided a wagon with horses and eight hundred dollars for their relocation. Fitted with the wagon and horses but without all the money, Maria Cooper and her family left the Buck plantation in the fall of 1852 and settled in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Ellen Eslinger was able to study a number of letters written by Maria Cooper. At first Maria and her family were doing well in Washington; however, her letters continually asked for the remainder of the money, apparently five hundred dollars, left to her by Ruhama. Most of these letters were to the executors of Thomas Buck's will, William Buck and Thomas Ashby. In 1855, Thomas Ashby visited Maria Cooper and her attorney David Wilson – presumably to close the account; however Ashby decided not to close it. Instead, he transferred fifty dollars to Maria. Eventually the account must have been closed because in 1859 Maria Cooper was able to purchase the house she wanted.

After his marriage to Ruhama, Thomas Buck began to have conflicts with the various movements within the Baptist Church but these conflicts are not attributed to Ruhama.

Ruhama Buck died on November 29, 1851. She was buried in Buckton Cemetary, but the name on her tombstone is given only as “Mrs. R. M. Buck”. Her grave is not particularly close to the grave of her husband, Thomas Buck.

Thomas Buck V and Ruhama Heath

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Thomas BUCK V and Ruhama Heath were married in 1823 – only a few months after the death of Thomas's wife, Ann Richardson. Ruhama was previously married to James McKim in 1800; most records show her as Ruhama McKim. Ruhama Heath was born in 1773 in Virginia. Judging from notes and letters in the University of Virginia microfilm, their marriage was not generally approved by his family. (More on this topic later.)

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Thomas Buck and Ruhama Heath had no children.

(Edited to correct the marriage date of Thomas Buck and Ruhama Heath.)

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My Story

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My Story

The Life and Times ...

By Gordon S. Buck Sr.

Book Preview

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After some years of researching Buck family history, my dad, Gordon Sandlin Buck Sr., wrote his own memoirs, which he called "My Story". I promised to get his memoirs published and have (finally) done so. "My Story" is available at the Blurb website for print-on-demand self publishing.

My dad's memoirs begin with his early and fond memories of his grandfather, Matthew Masterson, in Decatur, Alabama. He wrote about growing up in Decatur and then being drafted into the army. In the army, he learned electronics and especially the details of radar. During World War II, my dad was installing and maintaining radar stations in and around Central America, especially the Panama Canal. After WWII, my dad eventually returned to radar as a civilian instructor for the Air Force in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The book is really a family book but I'm making it available on the Blurb website just in case someone else is interested. The first ten pages of the book can be previewed.

This was a good project and I hope seeing this book and realizing how it was done will encourage others to do so as well.

Hurricane Gustav

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I've been neglecting this genealogy blog in favor of my photography blog but with my conscience hurting. More recently, I've been caught in Hurricane Gustav. You can read about our Gustav experiences -- fortunately we are OK -- at my photo blog where I shifted temporarily to reporting about Hurricane Gustav. Be sure to read all entries beginning at August 31.
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The Richardson Sisters

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In 1774, the three sons of Charles Buck I married three daughters of William Richardson and Isabella Calmes. Charles II married Mary; Thomas V married Anne and John married Miriam. These three families had thirty-two children. Not surprisingly, Bucks were said to have a certain “look” for many generations!

William Richardson was born on December 26, 1712 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He died in 1768 in Frederick County, Maryland. William Richardson was a Quaker and was educated by private tutors according to the teachings of the Society of Friends. About 1751, he settled in western Maryland near Frederick City. He was wealthy and his home was a social center as well as a meeting place for religious services. William Richardson and Isabella Calmes were married in August 1746. Isabella Calmes was the daughter of Marquis Calmes II and Winnifred Waller. She was born in 1728 and died on June 10, 1796. She was buried in Buckton Cemetery, Virginia – the oldest grave there.

Very little is known about Mary, Anne and Miriam Richardson Buck. They were loved and respected by their children but mentioned only briefly in a few memoirs. Although their father was a Quaker, it seems that Mary, Ann and Miriam joined the Baptist Church with their husbands and their children were raised as Baptists.

Prior to the generation of the Richardson-Buck children, most people used only a given name and surname. Many of the Richardson-Buck children had middle names as well. The Richardson and Calmes families were highly regarded and those surnames were given as middle names to several of the Buck children.
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A Letter from Thomas Buck V

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A letter from Thomas Buck V to his nephew, Thomas Buck son of Charles Buck II. (Notice that the nephew is called “Junior” and “cousin” in contrast to current naming and relationship conventions.) This is the same Thomas Buck who was the recipient of a letter, previously posted, from his father. The letter below was delivered by a Mr. English.
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Mr. Thomas Buck, Jun.,
Rocking County
Belle Air
Jan 16th, 1812

My dear cousin & full namesake:

Having so good an opportunity, I cannot forbear sending you this small token of my regard, though I don’t expect I can be lengthy, as we had a little meeting here tonight its very late, my pen bad, and I can’t see to mend it, and am very clumsy at best. However I want to tell you, I was exceedingly glad to hear from you, and that you were all well, and that Amelia was well satisfied, and expecially that you are not backward in speaking occasionally in behalf of your Master’s cause, for so shall your light shine before men and they wil thereby be made to glorify your father which is in Heaven. I have wished frequently since I parted with you to have an opportunity to enlarge on the hint I then gave you, i.e. that peradventure providence had some wise end in sending you into that place, it may the Lord has much people there, and you may be the instrument designed for calling them into the fold. I must tell you my dear cousin that it was with pleasure, I observed your growth in devine knowledge, since your public profession, and your usefulness in the church became more and more conspicuous, which gave not only myself, but others great hopes concerning you, and I felt very unwilling to part with you on that, as well as other accounts, but when the thought was suggested that peradventure the Lord had wise ends in removing you I submitted cheerfully. I can assure you that these observations are not intended to raise vanity, but to impress on your mind, a sense of duty. That you have talents is evident, and if improved I have no doubt will become useful, and if neglected, or buried in the rubbish of this world, as your poor old useless uncles have been, you will probably repent as he has done when it is too late. But least Satan should seek advantage of you, attempt to make proud, let me remind you, that these talents are not your own, but your Lord’s; and that he will certainly call you to account for them. And now as I am old and you are young, and have never experienced the conflicts, I have, take piece of fatherly advice, after asking you a few questions. 1st – When the plan of salvation through Christ was first revealed to you and indeed at all subsequent times, when faith has been in lively exercise, did not you think it was so plain that you could convince the whole world? And did not your bowels yearn after your fellow creatures? 2ndly – Has not the worth of souls, at times lay heavy on you? And have you not felt as if the Lord would require them at your hands if you did not warn them of their danger? 3rd – Have you not felt convicted for neglecting to reprove sin? 4thly – Does not the loose and untender walk of prossprous grieve you? And do you not wish to see all that name the name of God depart from iniquity? I could ask many more questions, but I find short as I intended to be at first, I shall not have room, I must therefore desist and proceed to the advice I promised and 1st. If you can answer the foregoing introgatories in the affirmative; quench not the spirit, but indulge, and cherish its motions, and follow its dictates, praying to God for assistance and relying on him for support. The enemy of souls will not doubt magnify the office of an ambassador for God and tell you it is too great for you, but tell him hes’ a liar, for if he could qualify a Matthew the publican, a Simon Peter the fisherman etc., etc. in so eminent a manner and could qualify a Fristoe & Mason and the plowmen & a Henderson the tanner in these latter times and can raise up children to Abraham out of stones, he is able to qualify the meanest of his people for any office he is pleased to call them to. But perhaps he’ll try the same temptations he did with Christ, then repulse him in the same manner. If he should persuade you that are qualified for some dignified station in the world tell him your master is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and one the greatest Kings that ever filled a temporal throne, chose rather to be a door keeper to his house than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

But I must desist, my paper, fire and time forbids enlarging. I could now fill another sheet, but perhaps this may suffice at present. Theres no room nor time for news. This leaves in common health, except colds, of which myself and your aunt shares largely. Harry is also sick, Marcus was poorly last letter. Tell cousin Amelia her father was here last Sunday, his wife poorly & the news of Mrs. Wilsons being burnt in theatre afflicts her very much, which you have no doubt heard. The children are also poorly with the hooping cough. Old Mrs. King is here and begs to be remembered to you all. My family are all in bed or I expect they would all send their loves to you. I have turned the back of my pen and must say farewell.
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Tho. Buck
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The known characters are:

Thomas Buck -- born 1777, the first born son of Charles Buck II. He was called “Junior” to differentiate him from his uncle Thomas Buck V but will be assigned “VI” to differentiate from all the other Thomas Bucks. He is often referred to as the “Rev. Thomas Buck”.

Amelia – Thomas’ wife, Amelia Dawson Buck, born 1783.

Amelia’s father - Rev. James Dawson.

Marcus – probably Marcus Calmes Buck, son of Thomas Buck V
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Bel Air: Home of Thomas Buck V

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In the late 1790’s, Thomas Buck V moved from his father's estate to Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia, where he built his home, "Bel Air", on 100 acres of tillable land he purchased from Alan Wiley in 1798. Thomas Buck also owned 1,500 acres of woodland adjacent to Happy Creek. Bel Air still exists today although greatly revised and no longer owned by the Buck family. In fact, Bel Air is now owned by Larry LeHew whose ancestor, Peter LeHew, had sold the land to Alan Wiley.

In 1930, William R. Buck, great-grandson of Thomas Buck V, wrote that the name “Bel Air” was the name of a town near Baltimore, Maryland. The family of Anne Richardson, Thomas Buck’s first wife, lived nearby. According to W. R. Buck, the brick portions of Bel Air were built about 1795 whereas the wings had been built previously of hewn logs. Thomas Buck lived in the wings while the main portion was being built. He noted that an attic room wall and sloped ceiling was a sort of “guest register” that contained many signatures.

A letter written on January 27, 1918 by Williarm R. Buck’s sister, Lucy Rebecca Buck, notes that, "... The two wings were erected several years before the main brick one was made and I have heard our old aunt Calmes, who died in her ninety‑second year, say that as a little girl she had played in the space between the wings. The brass knocker on the front door, one of my earliest recollections of the house,bears the inscription, "Thomas Buck, 1800". Her brother, Irving Ashby Buck, was forced to sell Bel Air. The new owner completely remodeled it and Lucy had some rather uncomplimentary things about the remodelled house and its owner. Lucy was born in Bel Air and some say her ghost now haunts it.
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