Rufus Horatio Jefferson
Era: Civil War
Military Branch: Army
JEFFERSON, Rufus Horatio
Rufus Horatio Jefferson was born on March 6th 1840 to Robert H. & Cornelia [Peters] Jefferson in Naperville, Illinois. Rufus, and his brother Robert E. Jefferson, were two of 18 locals of the St. Louis County area that served with the Union during the Civil War. their brother Ernest Robert Jefferson also served with the 1st Minnesota during the Civil War.
Rufus Jefferson heard that his younger brother Ernest had enlisted in the Union Army right after the outbreak of the Civil War, Rufus then hiked the 150 miles from Duluth, Minnesota to Ft. Snelling in Minneapolis to enlist. He was mustered into "E" Co. Minnesota 1st Infantry on April 29th 1861 in Centerville, Maryland the night before the battle of Bull Run. He was slightly wounded in the battle. However papers listed Rufus as killed and this caused considerable grief in the Jefferson family and triggered Robert to enlist.
He also served during the Battle of Gettysburg as part of Company 'F' of the 6th US Cavalry.
After the war he returned to Minnesota married Ulla [Widstrand] and raised a family. He was a member of the G. A. R. and a trustee of the Minnesota Soldier's Home in Minneapolis. He was very active in the First Minnesota Veterans Association and served as an officer several times.
Mr. Jefferson died on August 24th 1932 in Bingham Lake, Minnesota at 92 years of age. He is buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Windom, Minnesota. He was the one of the last survivors of the fabled 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry.
He is featured on the SLCHS/VMH traveling exhibit, "The 18". The exhibit honors the 18 local Veterans known to have left everything to go off and fight for the Union in the Civil War. These 18 men, their characters forged in the rugged wilds of northern Minnesota, served the nation and helped build St. Louis County.
Source(s):
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Pvt Rufus H. Jefferson (1840-1932) - Find a Grave Memorial
First Minnesota (1stminnesota.net)
Minnesota, U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 - Ancestry.com
