Rufus E. Standefer, M. D., a practicing physician of Dunlap, Sequatchie county, Tennessee, is one of Tennessee's native sons, his birth occurring on the 24th of January, 1884, on his father's farm in Bledsoe county. His father, James E. Standefer, also a native of this state, was born in 1850 and was the son of James and Catherine Standefer. Throughout his active life he followed the occupation of a farmer, and died in 1920, having reached the venerable age of three score years and ten. He married Martha Griffith, daughter of Marion and Julia Ann Griffith of this state. His wife, who still survives him, was six years younger than himself, her birth having occurred in the year 1856.
Rufus E. Standefer obtained his basic education in the public schools of Bledsoe county, where he spent his boyhood in the usual fashion of country youths. His general education was continued at Burritt College, Spencer, Tennessee, where he prepared for entrance to the Atlanta Medical College, Atlanta, Georgia. He was graduated from the medical college with the M. D. degree in the class of 1915. Four years later he was able to continue his professional studies in the New York Post Graduate Medical School, where he took a number of graduate courses. From New York city he went to Greenville, South Carolina, to do some special work for the United States government, gaining an experience that was at once interesting and valuable professionally. Upon his return to Dunlap from Greenville, he resumed his duties as a general physician and is now enjoying an extensive and important practice. In addition to his private practice he is serving as county physician for Sequatchie county. He has always followed closely all scientific developments bearing upon his profession and keeps in touch with the general medical advancement through his membership in the American Medical Association.
In Bledsoe county, on the 30th of June, 1908, Dr. Standefer was united in marriage to Miss Clara C. Roberson, daughter of Polk and Phillia Ann Roberson, residents of this state. They have become the parents of two children: James Edward, born in 1912; and Eddie R., who died in infancy.
In spite of the many demands made upon his time and energies by his large practice, Dr. Standefer has been able to participate in various activities of the community. He has served as justice of the peace and in political affairs gives his allegiance to the democratic party. As a business man he possesses ability and sound judgment, and has an interest in a prosperous mercantile establishment of Dunlap. In fraternal circles he is known as a Master Mason, a Knight of Pythias and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. During the years Dr. Standefer has made his home in Dunlap he has attracted to himself many warm friends from the laity and among the members of the medical profession in the county, by whom he is held in high esteem.
The Standefer family first came to notice four or five hundred years ago. The name originated in one of the border wars between England and Scotland. When a young officer displayed remarkable courage in successfully defending an important point, the fact was called to the attention of the prince in this language, “He stands ever,” and the name should now be Standever instead of Standefer. Two young men of the Standefer family came to this country from Scotland about the end of the seventeenth century or the beginning of the eighteenth century, landing at [p.356] Baltimore, Maryland. One went west across Virginia to Kentucky and there is only meager information concerning his descendants. One of this family rendered good service to the border settlers in the war with the Indian tribes. The other brother went south and from this family were descended the Standefers in Southwest Virginia and North Carolina. From this family was descended James Standefer, who came from Virginia with his wife and one child in 1805 to Tennessee, settling in Sequatchie Valley. He entered a large body of land just east of what is now Dunlap, Tennessee, but found before he made much improvement that this land was in the Indian Territory. He then moved up the valley, locating another boundary of land in what is now Bledsoe county. He went with General Jackson to New Orleans and was in command of a regiment at the battle of New Orleans in 1812. From this time on he was active in the politics of Tennessee, serving one or two terms in the legislature. Subsequently he was elected to congress, in which position he remained, with one exception, to the end of his life. He was defeated one term by a Methodist preacher by the name of Seuter. After this he was reelected and remained a member of congress until his death, which occurred at Kingston, Tennessee. His district included the following counties: Campbell, Anderson, Morgan, Roane, Monroe, McMinn, Rhea, Hamilton, Bledsoe and Marion. The eldest son of Congressman James Standefer, William I. Standefer organized a company and went with it to Mexico as captain in 1848, serving with that rank throughout the war. Another son, Luke Standefer, was educated at West Point. After leaving there he and his father became interested in government lands in the delta and also had business interests in Vicksburg and New Orleans. He was employed by Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas under government direction to locate the lines between these three territories. Soon after the completion of this work he disappeared entirely. The last trace of him was a receipt from a postmaster for a sum of money. James M. Standefer, the youngest son, was educated at the University of East Tennessee, now the University of Tennessee, at Knoxville. One of his grandsons is a successful young physician now in the practice of medicine at Dunlap and bids fair to take prominent place in his profession. Two sons of James Madison Standefer, Luke and W. L. Standefer, served in the Confederate army, belonging to the first company that left Sequatchie Valley. Another son, R. M. Standefer, is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and a member of the Holston conference. He is the only minister in the history of the family of whom there is record.
Tennessee, The Volunteer State, 1769-1923, Vol. 2 -- transcribed by, Amanda Jowers
