Rufus Ferrand Pelletier (29 March 1824, in Carteret County, North Carolina – ?), was an early resident and principal founder of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Rufus was a grandson of the powerful Carteret County landowner and Revolutionary War veteran William Dennis Sr.
Carteret County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 66,469. Its county seat is Beaufort. The county was created in 1722 as Carteret Precinct and gained county status in 1739. It was named for Sir George Carteret, one of the 17th century English Lords Proprietor, or for his descendant and heir John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville.
Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the population stood at 70,145, which makes Jacksonville the 14th largest city in North Carolina. Jacksonville is the principal city of Onslow County and is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina metropolitan area. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Jacksonville as the fifth fastest-growing small city in the United States. Demographically, Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States with an average age of 22.8 years old, which can be attributed to the large military presence. The low age may also be in part due to the population drastically going up over the past 80 years, from a mere 783 in the 1930 census to 70,145 in the 2010 census.
Pelletier moved to Onslow County and settled near Wantlands Ferry where he operated a turpentine distillery along with his brother William. In 1850, Rufus Pelletier constructed a one-roomed structure which survives today, known as Pelletier House. On August 2, 1863 he wed Joana Hines, and together they raised a daughter, Eliza.
Onslow County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,772. Its county seat is Jacksonville. The county was created in 1734 as Onslow Precinct and gained county status in 1739.
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin from live trees, mainly pines. It is mainly used as a solvent and as a source of materials for organic synthesis.
The Pelletier House is a historic home and national historic district located at Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina. Built in the 1850s by Rufus Ferrand Pelletier in the Greek Revival style, it sits atop Wantland Spring on the banks of the New River. Initially constructed as a one-room dwelling to serve as home and office, additional rooms were built onto the structure during later years. The house itself was originally part of a turpentine lot owned by Rufus Pelletier and his brother William Pelletier. These rooms were damaged during a fire in the early 1950s. The house was occupied by Pelletier's daughter Eliza until her death in 1954. Subsequently, the Onslow Historical Society acquired and maintained the structure until January 25, 2013 when Onslow County took over ownership. The house is opened for public viewings on special occasions. It is the oldest standing structure in Jacksonville.
Pelletier served as Jacksonville's Postmaster from 1856 until the start of the American Civil War, at which time his brother took over. He then resumed his role as postmaster from 1873 to 1879, resigning to serve as the magistrate of Onslow County. According to local legend, he conducted wedding ceremonies in his home, even though the county courthouse was less than 100 yards (91 m) away.
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization, the title of Postmaster General is commonly used. Responsibilities of a postmaster typically include management of a centralized mail distribution facility, establishment of letter carrier routes, supervision of letter carriers and clerks, and enforcement of the organization's rules and procedures.
The American Civil War was a war fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865, between the North and the South. The Civil War is the most studied and written about episode in U.S. history. Primarily as a result of the long-standing controversy over the enslavement of black people, war broke out in April 1861 when secessionist forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina shortly after Abraham Lincoln had been inaugurated as the President of the United States. The loyalists of the Union in the North proclaimed support for the Constitution. They faced secessionists of the Confederate States in the South, who advocated for states' rights to uphold slavery.
