Chronology

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1. Antebellum and Civil War · 1800–1865

2. about 1860
   Construction or physical change · Ruffin-Hill House grounds, 311 and 313 St. Mary's Road, Hillsborough Brick quarters for enslaved people are built at the Mangum House on St. Mary's Road

   Around 1860 two four-bay brick buildings, likely quarters for enslaved people, and a brick smokehouse were built to serve the Priestly Mangum House on St. Mary's Road. The house later burned, and the Ruffin-Hill House went up near its site in 1877-1878; the quarters still stand at 311 and 313 St. Mary's Road.

3. Reconstruction and the New South · 1866–1899

4. about 1877-1878
   Construction or physical change · 311 St. Mary's Road, Hillsborough Thomas Ruffin Jr. and his wife Mary build the Ruffin-Hill House

   Thomas Ruffin Jr. and his wife Mary built an I-house with Italianate and Eastlake trim on a 47-acre tract near the burned Priestly Mangum House. Their daughter Mary Ruffin Hill and her husband Thomas Hill lived there for many years.

5. Early twentieth century · 1900–1944

6. 1914
   Property or economic transaction · Ruffin-Hill House, 311 St. Mary's Road, Hillsborough The Ruffin-Hill tract on St. Mary's Road is sold to A. S. Mitchell, who divides it

   In 1914 the 47 1/2-acre Ruffin-Hill tract, long the home of Mary Ruffin Hill and her husband Thomas Hill, was conveyed to A. S. Mitchell, who subdivided the land.

7. Civil rights era · 1945–1975

8. 1965
   Property or economic transaction · Ruffin-Hill House, 311 St. Mary's Road, Hillsborough Col. and Mrs. Jacob Moon buy the Ruffin-Hill House

   In 1965 the Ruffin-Hill House on St. Mary's Road, with 2.96 acres, was conveyed to Col. and Mrs. Jacob Moon.

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Compiled and maintained by the Friends of the Orange County Public Library from county records, the sources named on each card, and the index’s event pages. Last updated October 1, 2026.