Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/258

 PROMINENT PERSONS

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g»-aduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1809. He practiced at Prince Edward Court House, and was an instructor of a group of private students until 1837, when they were organ- ized as a medical institute, which later be- came the medical department of Randolph- Macon College. He was the first on this continent to operate for cleft palate, and also first in a number of important major opera- tions.

RuflFner, Henry, born in Page county, Vir- ginia, January 19, 1789, son of Col. David Ruflfner. He was graduated from Washing- ton College in 1817; for two years taught in Mercer Academy, at Charlestown, Vir- ginia. He studied theology under Rev. Dr. G. A. Baxter, at that time president of Washington College, was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Lexington in 1819, and the same year was appointed to a professor- ship in Washington College, and for thirty years was connected with the institution, filling in succession every chair to the presi- dency, to which he was appointed in 1836, and sefving therein until 1848, when ill health obliged him to resign. His adminis- tration was eminently successful. During his connection with the college he preached for several years at Tinker Ridge and Fair- field. In 1849 ^^ Icf^ Lexington and retired to his farm in Kanawha county ; after a few years he became pastor of the church at Maiden, and gave up ministerial work about a year before his death, December 17, 1861. He received the degree of Doctor of Divin- ity from Princeton College, and Doctor of Laws from Washington College. He con- tributed freely to the religious press.

Lawson, Thomas, born in Virginia, Au-

gust 29, 1789, son of Thomas and Sarah (Robinson) Lawson, grandson of Col. An- thony and Mary (Calvert) Lawson, and of Tully Robinson, great-grandson of Thomas and Frances (Sayer) Lawson, and of Wil- liam Robinson, and a descendant of Thomas Lawson, who settled at an early date in Virginia; after completing his preparatory education, he studied for the profession of physician and surgeon, and on March i, 1809, was commissioned surgeon's mate in the United States navy, but resigned on being appointed to the United States army by President Madison, February 11, 181 1; was transferred to the Seventh Infantry, May 17, 181 5, and was appointed surgeon in the Sixth Infantry, September 7, 1816, to rank as such from May 21, 1817; was pro- moted to the rank of major, June i, 1821 ; appointed surgeon-general with the rank of colonel by President Jackson, February i, 1837, to date from November 30, 1836, and served as lieutenant-colonel of volunteers* in Florida in 1837-38 ; he was brevetted brig- adier-general, March 3, 1849, for distin- guished and meritorious services in the field before and during the Mexican war, and ranked as such from May 30, 1848; he was the author of: "lieport on Sickness and Mortality, United States Army. 1819-39" (1840); "Meteorological Register, 1826-30" (1830) ; *• Appendix for 1822-25" (1840) ; his death occurred at the residence of Dr. Dan- iel Cary Barraud, in Norfolk, Virginia, May 14, 1861.

Lane, John, born in Virginia, April 8, 1789, but in boyhood removed from his na- tive state, his parents locating in Georgia, where he was reared, obtaining his educa- tion at Franklin College, Athens; in 1814,

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