Genealogies of Virginia Families: From Tyler’s Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine; Volume III
Pinkethman – Tyler. Indexed by Raymond B. Clark, Jr. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1981, Baltimore,
MD.
Beginning Page 193:
For the various branches of the Ruffin family reference is made to issue of “The Critic” (genealogical
letter No. 46) published Oct. 19, 1889. See Archives department, State Library, Richmond, Va.
Family Descent of Susan Hutchings Travis Who Married Edmund Ruffin.
In 1700 the Travis family intermarried with that of John Champion. This family was one of the earliest
to establish itself at the cradle of the Republic and today there are many descendants of this family in many
parts of the United States. Edward Travis was a burgess from Jamestown in 1644; in 1653 he received a patent
for a tract f land of 326 acres on the lower end of Jamestown Island. Edward Champion Travis, who erected the
colonial sections of the old Travis house in Williamsburg was a grandson of Edward Travis and John
Champion. He married Susanna Hutchings of Norfolk, Virginia, who died in 1761 and hers is one of three
marked graves still identified on Jamestown Island. The children of Edward Champion Travis give a most
interesting line of historical associations.
Champion Travis, the most prominent of their sons, was a Jamestown Burgess, 1769-1775. He served in
the Virginia Conventions of 1775 & 1776. In 1776 he became Virginia Naval Commissioner. He married
Elizabeth Boush of Norfolk, Va. Their five children were Susan, Catherine, Betsy, Robert, and Samuel. Samuel
served in the war of 1812 and was made a prisoner at Mobjack Bay and carried to England, afterward dying in
Williamsburg. Susan married Edmund Ruffin, the great Agriculturist who fired the first gun in the war between
the States, at Fort Sumter in 1861.
Reference:
See Virginia Gazette Sept. 16, 1775-3 and accts. 179-52-229 Virginia State Library Archives Dept.
(Page 194)
Susan H. Travis and Edmund Ruffin were married in the old Travis House in Williamsburg referred to
above. It was built in 1765 by Edward Champion Travis & recently restored by Jno. D. Rockefeller after having
been moved from its original site which had become the property of the asylum.
----------------------------------------------Yorktown, Virginia
September 2, 1937.
My dear Mrs. Tyler:
While reviewing recently my few papers on the Travis Family, the thought occurred to me that you
might like to publish in Tyler’s Quarterly a letter dated February 14, 1936 which the United States Coast Guard,
Washington, D.C., wrote me regarding the engagement in York Rives the night of June 12, 1813 between the
United States Revenue Cutter SURVEYOR, commanded by Captain Samuel Travis, and three barges belonging
to H. B. M. Ship NARCISSUS. I enclose a copy of the letter. It is my understanding that published material on
the War of 1812 is rather limited, and the suggestion came to my mind that it would be of interest to publish this
official account in an historical magazine. Of course, this particular engagement is of special interest to me
because, as you may know, Captain Travis was my great grandfather, i. e., the father of my paternal
grandmother, Julia Samuel Travis, who married Robert Henry Armistead. Acting on the thought, I wrote to the
United States Coast Guard and asked if there was any objection to my submitting their letter, in whole or in
part, or any information they furnished me regarding the engagement of Captain Travis, to historical and
genealogical magazines for consideration for publication. Under date of August 19, the Coast Guard replied:
“Receipt of your letter of August 14th is acknowledged. Your interest in the engagement of the Revenue
Cutter SURVEYOR, commanded by Captain Travis, and three boats from H. B. M. ship NARCISSUS, is
indeed appreciated. Please know that we shall be very glad to have you use the material furnished you in any
way that you see fit.”
The Coast Guard have also advised me that their records disclose “that Captain Travis was
commissioned a Captain in the United States Coast Guard in December, 1811, having been appointed from the
State of Virginia, and was at all times during his service in the Coast Guard a permanent officer in the Revenue
Cutter Service” (as you know, the United States Coast Guard was first established as the United States Revenue
Cutter Service); that Captain Travis, subsequent to his capture, was sent on shore at Washington, North
Carolina, on his parole, a few days prior t August 10, 1813, “this information having been obtained from the
Norfolk, Virginia, Herald of August 10, 1813”; that the Revenue Cutter SURVEYOR was built for the Revenue
Cutter Service in 1807, and was in active service until its capture by the British forces in 1813.
During the severe winter of 1935-1936, I noticed newspaper reports to the effect that the United States
Coast Guard Cutter TRAVIS was assisting in relief work. Learning of a Cutter named TRAVIS prompted me to
write to the United States Coast Guard inquiring why the boat was named TRAVIS.
Coast Guard Cutter TRAVIS:
Built by the New York Shipbuilding Company, Camden, New Jersey.
Keel laid February 1, 1927.
Launched April 18, 1927 – Sponsor, Miss Mary P. Cox, Philadelphia (now Mrs. James Greenwood, Jr.,
Houston, Texas).
Commissioned April 28, 1927.
--From U. S. Coast Guard.
Sincerely, yours,
Sarah C. Armistead.
COPY
Received
2-25-36
ADDRESS THE COMMANDANT, U. S. COAST GUARD
AND REFER TO NO:
PB-609 202
Headquarters
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
UNITED STATES COAST GARD WASHINGTON
14 February 1936
Miss Sarah C. Armistead,
Yorktown, Virginia.
Dear Madam:
In reply to your letter of February 12, you are advised as follows:
The Revenue cutter SURVEYOR, Captain Samuel Travis commanding, was captured in York River, on
the night of the 12th of June, 1813, by three barges belonging to the H. B. M. sip NARCISSUS. The third mate
of the SURVEYOR submitted the following report of the affair: On the 10th of June the Revenue cutter
SURVEYOR was at anchor under Gloster Point, and at 8 p.m. the guard boat was ordered out as usual to keep
watch of the enemy. It was my turn to take charge of the same, and when we left the vessel, it was raining,
attended with thick weather. We had proceeded some distance, the fog lifting slightly, and I imagined there was
some object moving close under the land. I ordered my crew to lay on their oars, but the darkness was so
intense nothing could (p. 196) be made out with certainty. I directed the boat towards Yorktown, pulling
cautiously through the gloom. I son heard a peculiar noise, that was son discovered to be the regular stroke of
man-of-war boats. Two barges were discovered pulling direct for the SURVEYOR, and a third heading for the
boat under my command. As their force outnumbered mine two to one, and it was impossible for me to reach
the Cutter, I effected a retreat in shore, with the barge in full chase. I opened fire, and continued until five shots
had been discharged which was promptly returned and kept up by the enemy, until we were safely beyond their
reach. Shouts and firing from the direction of the cutter was heard, and the flash of guns followed in rapid
succession, then silence ensued. I have four men of the cutter with me, and would be glad to know what I must
do.
On board the SURVEYOR, the watch, in charge of an officer, held possession of the deck. The night
was calm and still, the fog resting in dense folds close to the surface of the river. The creaking of the thole pins
in the guard or picket boat was distinctly heard, as the little force proceeded leisurely down the river, while the
occasional patter of rain sounded monotonously along the deck of the Revenue Cutter. The ports were open,
guns loaded and run out, with all the working paraphernalia of worms, rammers, spongers, swabs and division
tubs, in place, and ready for instant use. The muffled report of a musket shot was borne to the acute ears of the
officer of the deck. Another and another followed to rapid succession. That trouble of some kind, and of a
serious nature, had been met with by the guard boat was apparent. The crew were summoned quietly, the
commanding officer called, at the same instant the dark indistinct outline of two barges, pulling rapidly for the
vessel were discovered. They were not over one hundred and fifty yards distant from the cutter, the guns could
not be brought to bear and Captain Travis from the quarter deck, taking in the situation at a glance, directed
each man to provide himself with two muskets, reserving their fire until he gave the order. The boats were but a
few yards distant, the forms of the men plainly discernible, when the commander of the cutter directed his men
to aim low and fire. With the rattling volley, came the cheers of the attacking party, who dashed alongside,
despite the leaden missiles, and a desperate hand-to-hand conflict ensued on the deck of the SURVEYOR.
Although outnumbered and surrounded by the enemy, the crew did not flinch, contesting every inch of
the deck with stubborn courage, in response to the ringing appeals of Captain Travis, who did not surrender his
vessel until further resistance would have resulted in a useless and wanton shedding of blood. Captain Travis
and his crew were taken on board the frigate JUNAN.
The following letter from the senior officer of the NARCISSUS was received by Captain Travis, the
next day, together with his sword:
Sir: Your gallant and desperate attempt to defend your vessel against more than double your number, on
the night of the 12th inst., excited such admiration on the part of your opponents, as I have seldom witnessed,
and induced me to return you the sword you had so nobly used, in testimony of mine. Our poor fellows have
severely suffered, occasioned chiefly, if not solely, by the precautions you had taken to prevent surprise; in
short, I am at a loss which to admire most, the previous engagement on board the SURVEYOR, or the
determined manner by which her deck was disputed, inch by inch.
You have my most sincere wishes for the immediate parole and speedy exchange of yourself and brave
crew, and I cannot but regret, that I myself have no influence that way, otherwise it should be forthcoming.
To honor the courage of the commanding officer of the SURVEYOR in this engagement, the Coast
Guard (formerly Revenue Cutter Service) named the 125-foot patrol boat TRAVIS.
Very truly yours,
(S) L. W. Perkins
L.W. PERKINS
Lt. Commander, U. S. Coast Guard
Public Relations Officer