Fifth Generation

254. Rufus David HERMAN⁶⁷⁰ was born circa 1844. His record in the War Between the States is as follows:⁶¹ HERMAN, RUFUS D., Private, Company C, 28nd Regiment, NC Troops
- Resided in Catawba County where he enlisted at age 17, August 13, 1861. Captured at Gravel Hill, Virginia, July 28, 1864. Confined at Point Lookout, Maryland, until transferred to Elmira, New York, August 8, 1864. Released at Elmira on July 3, 1865, after taking the Oath of Allegiance. [Roll of Honor indicates he was wounded and captured in an unspecified battle. ] He died in 1889 at the age of 45. He was falsely accused of bastardy by Nancy Wilson. She recanted the charge in court on 24 Mar 1869 [Catawba DB 2:310]

Much of what follows has not yet been proven but it is based on legend, and facts and is the framework for our investigation to either prove or disprove.

In the chaos that occurred in North Carolina during Reconstruction after the Civil War, R. D. Herman or Rufus D. Herman, as he styled himself, took off for Texas and ended up in Dallas. It is not likely that Rufus had been a soldier in the Civil War because (according to the 1880 Federal Census of Dallas County, Texas) he would have been born in 1851 and only 9-10 at the time of secession.

On 5 April 1874 in Dallas he was married to Tressie Baker by James R. Landston (Marriages, Dallas County, Texas, Book A-E, 1846-2877, Volume I, Dallas Genealogical Society). In 1875 he was working as a mechanic living between Florence and Swiss St. Here Minnie may have been born on 10 Jan 1875 and Frankey on 28 Nov 1876. In 1878-79 he was carpentering and living at 91 Hawkins where Henry may have been born on 1 Apr 1879 and three year old Frankey died on 6 Oct 1879. In 1880-81 he was still carpentering and living at 109 Hawkins between Swiss Ave and Florence where George may have been born on 2 May 1881. In 1883- 1884 Rufus was still a carpenter and resided at 132 Swiss Ave between Good and Cantagral. During this time Tressie died on 30 Jan 1883 at the age of 27 and George died at the age of 2 on 31 Jul 1883. In 1884-1885, Rufus was a carpenter for Elliott and Clark and roomed with J. S. Scott, a hostler, at 601 Houston, corner of Polk. No more mention is made of Rufus after 1885 in the directories of Dallas, Texas. According to family, Rufus D Herman died in 1889. He would have been 38.

Tressie or Trissie or Teresa A. Baker was a child of David Davenport Baker and Lena E. McJimsey, descendants of Thomas Baker of whom Bakersville, Mitchell, North Carolina is named after. David died on 28 Mar 1890 in Prosper, Collin, Texas. Trissie and Rufus D had four children: Minnie born 10 Jan 1875, Frankey born 28 Nov 1876, Henry Leak born 1 Apr 1879, and George born 2 May 1881. Frankey died at the age of three and George died at the age of two.

On 30 Jan 1883 Trissie died at the approximate age of 27 (she was 24 in the 1880 Federal Census of Dallas County, Texas). The surviving children were then 8 and 4. Rufus died in 1889 at the approximate age of 38 (he was 29 in the 1880 Federal Census of Dallas County). The surviving children were then 14 and 10. When and how Minnie and Henry ended up in North Carolina we don't exactly know. Family history says that when the orphans reached the age of majority and entitled to their inheritance, an uncle had squandered or stolen it. The 1900 Federal Census of Collin County, Texas shows Herman to be servant in the household of Laura Anderson, a 50 year old widow with children Charles, 21, Listie, 18, and Joseph, 16 in Collin County.

What we know next is that Henry married Wilberta Eugenia "Bertie" Roseman, daughter of Captain Daniel Frederick Roseman and Francis Deborah "Fannie" Cline on 30 Jun 1909 in Catawba County, North Carolina. The 1910 Federal Census of Catawba County, shows Herman and Bertie were living next to Daniel and Fannie on the Hoke plantation.

The 1920 Federal Census of Catawba County shows the first five children as having been born in North Carolina, the father in Texas and the mother in North Carolina: Rufus Fred (born: 20 Apr 1910; died: May 1968), Richard Cline ( born: 3 September 1912), Fannnie Minerva (born 18 March 1915), Kenneth Joe (born: 28 February 1917), and Adrian Coit (born: 19 September 1919).

Fannie Roseman died on 25 Feb 1918 in Clines Township, Catawba County, North Carolina. Bertie and Henry took care of Captain Daniel Frederick Roseman and worked the Hoke plantation. On 13 Aug 1920, Captain Daniel Frederick Roseman died in Clines Township, Catawba County, North Carolina.

Bertie and Henry had two more children, both born in North Carolina. They are Mae Nell Herman (born: 3 May 1923) and Eugenia Rosamond Herman (born: 20 November 1925).

Trissie had a brother John Wakefield Baker who had at least two children: Marshall Ed Baker (born on 6 Sep 1890 in Prosper, Collin, Texas, died on 14 Aug 1963 in Dallas, Texas and was married to Nola Coleman ) and Mack McGinnis Baker (born on 7 Mar 1886 in Texas and died on 22 Nov 1959 while living at 623 41st St, Richmond, California and married to Mollie). Ed dealt in industrial real estate and loans and his office in 1959 was 6947 Clayton Avenue, Dallas, Texas.

After the war, Rufus came home to North Carolina and became involved in the Klu Klux Klan. When General Grant became President, he investigated the atrocities that the KKK had been accused of. Because of his involvment in the KKK, Rufus took off for Texas and settled, possibly in Denton County. Whether or not he was involved in the Klan in Texas, is not known.

In Texas, Rufus Herman met and married Trissie (Teresa or Patricia) Baker, who may have been related to the Bakers of Baker's Mountain, North Carolina. Trissie and Rufus had four children: Minnie Herman born 10 January 1875, Frankey Herman born 28 November 1876, Henry Leake Herman born 1 Apr 1879, and George Herman born 2 May 1881.

On 30 Jan 1883 Trissie died at the approximate age of 34 (assuming marriage at 25 and living nine years after her first child was born.) The children were then 8, 7, 4, and 2. Rufus died in 1889 at the approximate age of 45. The children were then 14, 13, 10, and 8. Whether the children stayed in Texas or went to relatives in North Carolina is not known.

What we do know is that Henry Leake Herman, at age 30, married Bertie Roseman, daughter of Captain Daniel Frederick Roseman and Fannie Cline on 30 Jun 1909 in Catawba County, North Carolina and took his bride to Texas where the first five children were born: Rufus Fred (born: 20 Apr 1910; died: May 1968), Richard Cline ( born: 3 September 1912), Fannnie Minerva (born 18 March 1915), Kenneth Joe (born: 28 February 1917), and Adrian Coit (born: 19 September 1919).

Fannie Roseman died on 25 Feb 1918 in Clines Township, Catawba County, North Carolina. Bertie and Henry were asked to come back to North Carolina from Texas to take care of Captain Daniel Frederick Roseman and work the Hoke plantation. On 13 Aug 1920, Captain Daniel Frederick Roseman died in Clines Township, Catawba County, North Carolina.

Bertie and Henry had two more children, both born in North Carolina. They are Mae Nell Herman (born: 3 May 1923) and Eugenia Rosamond Herman (born: 20 November 1925).

Rufus David HERMAN and Teresa A. "Tressie/Trissie" BAKER were married on 5 April 1874 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas. by James R. Landston [Marriages, Dallas County, Texas, Book A-E, 1846-2877, Volume I, Dallas Genealogical Society]. Teresa A. "Tressie/Trissie" BAKER, daughter of David Davenport BAKER and Lena A. MCJIMSEY, was born about 1856. She died on 30 January 1883 at the age of 27 in Texas.

Rufus David HERMAN and Teresa A. "Tressie/Trissie" BAKER had the following children: