Paine, Ruffin Baker

ubmitted by Mike Miller

Ruffin Baker Paine, M. D. An old Southern family that is claimed by both Mississippi and Louisiana bears the name of Paine, a name well known in the professions and of distinction in military life. The Paines came from England in Colonial days and established themselves in Mississippi as farmers and artisans. The Louisiana branch of the family was founded by Lieut. Ferdinand Paine, an honored veteran of the Mexican war, who was the grandfather of Dr. Ruffin Baker Paine, prominent citizen and leading physician and surgeon of Mandeville, Louisiana.

Dr. Paine was born at Jackson, Louisiana, November 23, 1865. His parents were John L. and Ann Eliza (McPherson) Paine, and his paternal grandparents were Ferdinand and Mary (Wilkes) Paine. Ferdinand Paine was born at Vicksburg, Mississippi. He learned the carpenter trade, and followed the same after coming to Bayou Sara, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. He enlisted as a private for service in the Mexican war, a conflict that brought to light the military genius of many commanders, but few exploits excited more comment or were more successful than at a critical point in battle with Gen. Santa Anna when Private Paine broke ranks and almost alone captured the enemy's breastworks.

This was such a serious breach of military discipline that a court-martial followed, but instead of the gallant soldier being punished, he was applauded and commissioned a first lieutenant. His health was undermined, however, by the hardships of the campaign, and his last days were spent in a hospital at Bayou Sara. His wife was born in the City of London, England, was brought to America by her parents when two years old, and was reared at Vicksburg.

John L. Paine, father of Doctor Paine, was born at Jackson, Louisiana, February 15, 1837, and died at Bayou Sara November 22, 1877. He was a cooper by trade, and had his own shop when cooper ringing was done by hand. He served in the Confederate army all through the war between the states, and for a number of years afterward was active in democratic politics at Bayou Sara, where be served in such offices as town constable. He was twice married, first to Ann Eliza McPherson, who was born in 1833 in West Feliciana Parish, and died at Bayou Sara in 1868. Of their five children, Theodore, Lelia Anna, Nellie, Ruffin Baker and Henry Hartford, Doctor Paine is the only survivor, the others dying in childhood. John L. Paine's second marriage was to Mattie Eckert, who was born at Fort Adams, Mississippi, and died at Bayou Sara, leaving one daughter, Mary J. Lucas, who died in Arkansas at the age of thirty-five years.

The public schools of Jackson prepared Doctor Paine for Centenary College, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1882, with the degree of A. B., during his college period having been an active member of the Union Literary Society. He then entered Tulane University, and was graduated from its medical school in the class of 1888. with his degree of M. D., having already established a practice at Anacoco, Louisiana, where he remained for seven years. Seeking a wider field of usefulness Doctor Paine came to Mandeville in 1894, and during his thirty years of residence here has built up an enviable professional reputation throughout St. Tammany Parish, and also has had much to do with the substantial progress and development of the city, of which he has had the honor of serving two terms as mayor. He is a member of St. Tammany parish Medical Society, the Louisiana State Medical Society, the Southern Medical Association, and the American Medical Association. He is the present health officer of Mandeville.

Doctor Paine married at Anacoco, Louisiana, November 23, 1887, Miss Ida Weldon.

Her father, Rev. Abraham J. Weldon, was a well-known minister in the Baptist Church, and both parents are deceased. Doctor and Mrs. Paine have five children: Ruffin Alexander, who is a physician and surgeon at Shreveport, Louisiana, is an overseas veteran of the World war, and served eight months in France as a first lieutenant in the American Army Medical Corps; Ella Eugenia, a teacher by profession, was vice principal of the Mandeville High School in 1922-23; Clyde Weldon, who is connected in a business way with the Southern Cotton Association at New Orleans, is an overseas veteran of the World war, during his seven months' service in France as a first lieutenant in an infantry regiment being seriously wounded in the St. Mihiel offensive and in hospital from October 23, 1918, until March 31, 1919; Marion Ida, who is the wife of William E. Johnson, a cotton buyer for Newburger, Rankin & Company, New Orleans; and Frances Helen, who is a student in All Saints College, Vicksburg. Doctor Paine and his family belong to the Mandeville Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he is a steward of the church property. He owns an exceedingly handsome residence situated on the corner of Lake and Coffee streets, Mandeville, and maintains his offices there and has additional valuable real estate here. In his political views Doctor Paine has always been a democrat. He is a member of Covington Lodge No. 188, F. and A. M., of Covington; St. Tammany Chapter No. 80, R. A. M., Covington, and is a past high priest of the same. Other representative fraternal organizations of which he has long been a member include Rathbone Lodge No. 104, Knights of Pythias, Slidell, of which he is a past chancellor; and Mandeville Camp No. 451, Woodmen of the World, of which he is a past consul commander, and for four years past has been clerk or Mandeville Camp.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 150-151, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.