Overview

The Ruffen Buildings #1 and #2 stood next to each other on the south side of 3rd Street, between D and E Streets, in 1891. (See San Bernardino, California, City Directory, 1891, p. 112.)

Building History

John Ruffen (born 1822-d. 01/13/1907), an English-born sailor, who became a hardware dealer and a tin and coppersmith, lived with his wife, Sarah, (born 1843 in OH-d. 1896 in San Bernardino, CA), at 237 3rd Street in 1891, probably in one of his two office buildings. In 1870, Ruffen was established as a tinsmith in San Bernardino, and had accumulated $3,400 in real estate and a personal estate of $1,000, according to the US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California; Roll: M593_78; Page: 415A; Family History Library Film: 545577, accessed 02/06/2019.) According to a newspaper report, Ruffen worked in the hardware business with a partner, Sam Rolfe, between 1866 and 1873. (See San Bernardino Sun, vol. 27, no. 104, 06/07/1907, p. 3.) Ruffen's address changed to 457 South 3rd Street by 1900. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: San Bernardino Ward 1, San Bernardino, California; Page: 2; Enumeration District: 0224; FHL microfilm: 1240097, accessed 02/06/2019.)

After his death in 1907, Ruffen's will of 02/06/1900 was contested, as it was disclosed that he had spent time in a mental hospital during the early and mid-1890s for alcoholism. (See "Old Friends Testify in Ruffen Case," San Bernardino Sun, vol. 27, no. 104, 06/07/1907, pp. 1, 3.) The case was brought by a relative of Ruffen's wife, Sarah, who claimed entitlement to his estate, instead of Ruffen's caretaker and friend, Thomas Holmes, who was named beneficiary in the 1900 will. Holmes had cared for Ruffen during his final years. (See "Ruffen Fight Is On," San Bernardino Sun, vol. 27, no. 97, 05/30/1907, pp. 1-2.)

Demolition

The Ruffen Buildings #1 and #2 were razed at some point, as US Federal office buildings, one housing the Internal Revenue Service, were located in this area in 2019.

PCAD id: 22707