The Myrtles Part III

Ruffin Gray Stirling and his wife Mary Cobb were very well thought of in the community and very well-to-do. They bought the entire Myrtles property and all the slaves from Clarke Woodruff and his mother-in-law and moved into Laurel Grove. They began renovating the place immediately and began travels to europe to pick out furnishings that suited their social status.

Ruffin Stirling died of consumption only four years after the renovations were completed His wife stayed on and managed the property with the help of her children (4 out of 9 that had survived to adulthood). One son-in-law became another among the murdered...while sitting on his porch one Sunday afternoon after the Civil war, a stranger on horseback pulled up claiming he had business discuss with him just pulled out his gun and shot him dead. He was taken into custody, a trial was held but there was no outcome of it.

From this point on, the property was handed dow to numerous heirs of the Stirling family and their descendants and by a few others. In 1980 it was purchased by Frances Kermeen and her husband who planned to operate the Myrtles as a bed and breakfast. She wrote a wonderful book about her experiences there. If you are looking for a great read, check it out!