DeVane Family
Reunion 2008

The DeVane family has produced - or married - strong, self-possessed women.
Meet two of them on this page!  They also have a long, distinguished line of military service.

To Contact Webmaster
Click here.

Rufus and Diann, with six of their eight children, are buried in the Old DeVane Cemetery,
off Firetower Road in Sampson County, NC.

The Courtship of Rufus DeVane and Diann Henry

When Rufus DeVane was born in 1798, he was not blessed with the usual DeVane
good looks. According to family stories, Rufus was downright homely. 
When he got to an age when he wished to marry and settle down,
his homely face netted him refusal after refusal to his proposals.

Perhaps to make up for his looks, Providence had endowed Rufus with a
more-than-generous measure of the DeVane stubbornness.  So Rufus told his father
that he was taking a horse and wagon and going out in search of a wife,
vowing that he wouldn't come home again till he'd gotten him one.

The story doesn't say how long Rufus traveled the back roads in the
pine barrens and swamps of southeastern NC, but he was, apparently,
getting desperate the day he drove up to a house and spoke to the
young woman on the porch, shelling peas.

"Evenin', ma'am," said Rufus, removing his hat politely.
'I'm looking for me a wife.  Would you have me?'
The young woman looked Rufus up and down, examined the horse
and wagon, and then said, "Let me get my hat."

Margaret DeVane King (b 1758) Encounters the Brits
This story is a glimpse into the early life of Margaret DeVane, who later married
William King; they were the parents of William Rufus King, VP of the US.

In his book  William Rufus King and His Kin, Henry Poellnitz Johnston, includes the
reminiscences of Bessie Hogan Williams, written in longhand in 1917.  She died in 1925.
Transcribed here in her original spelling and grammar.

'When Corn Wallace came through North Carolina Margaret deVane was just 16 --
They raised Silk.  She run out on the long back galerry to take in the Silk hanks
which had been dyed to weave some dresses -- She was so busy gathering them
up throwing them across her laft Arme -- She never looked up.  When she heard
a Horse galoping in the Yard-- said she thought it was some of the farm hands
coming in a head of the rain untill some one sprung off on the end of the galerry --
Then she looked up to see a British offiser dress all in Red [underlined] -- standing
before her -- She screamed, letting all the hanks of silk thread drop on the floore.
He bowed saying, Pray don't be frightened.  I will not harm you.  I am Col. Caningham of England, one of Lord Cornwalaces staff -- Her mother, hearing the scream, came in a run, saying what is the trouble Margaret -- She, seeing the offiser with all the dignaty and grace came forward - Saying what is it you wish Sir -- He like a gentleman as he was took off his cap making a most Coatly bow -- saying I have been sent by my
General to look out a suitable place for his Headquarters -- I think this House will just suit -- Who own it --'My husband Mr. DeVane -- But he is not at home this eve' -- Her husband and only son was with Washingtons Army -- Well Madam - If you all will act right and behave your selves like Ladies [these last two words underlined] -- Ill see that you will be treated as Ladies [underlined] -- But if you try to cause us any trouble [underlined] you will see what trouble really is [last three words underlined] -- She bowed her head saying I will try quietly to submit with the best grace I can.  She use to tell her desendants that Politeness and Cortasey were the best Wepons a woman can use -- for if she became
rude and insulting - she would get it all returned to with double intress [last two words underlined] -- They staid their 2 weeks and all that time she and her daughter were treated with the
greates respect -- '

Born in Lowndes County, GA,  Pvt. B F "Frank" DeVane was the youngest of 6 sons of Benjamin DeVane (b 1796) and Mary Rodgers DeVane.  All six sons served in the Confederate Army where Pvt. Frank DeVane and his brother, Lt. George DeVane, died in service to the Confederancy.  Benjamin Franklin Devane, Sr., was a War of 1812 veteran and the son of Major John Devane, a Revolutionary War soldier from Wilmington, NC.

B F "Frank" Devane served in CSA during the entire duration of the Civil War.  He enlisted in Co. E, 4th Infantry Regiment Florida, later transferring to Co. D, 5th Infantry Regiment Florida. He fought along with the Army of Northern VA and was seriously wounded and captured at the Battle of Sharpsburg, MD on 17 September 1862.  After his parole and exchange, he fought at Gettysburg and Richmond, and was recaptured and imprisoned on 5 April, 1865 at Libby Prison and Point Lookout, Maryland.

On June 8, 1865, after the surrender at Appomattox, Frank DeVane was released and began the long journey walking home.  When he reached Savannah, GA, he contracted typhoid fever and died July 4, 1865 in a Savannah hospital.  He was buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah along with 1,000 other Southern soldiers.

In 1997 family members, along with the assistance of the SCV, received permission to remove the remains of Pvt. Devane from the Savannah cemetery, and he was brought home and buried in the family plot.  On March 27, 1997 a "Coming Home" ceremony and service was held for Pvt. DeVane. This included a memorial service in Brandon, a cassion parade to the cemetery and graveside services at Mt. Enon Cemetery, Plant City, FL.  Today, Pvt. Benjamin Franklin DeVane is back home in Florida, 132 years after his death, and buried beside his wife, his mother and father, his brother, his children and his grandchildren. 

Do you have family stories to share?  Please e-mail them to us at this link: Family Stories
and see them published on this site.