COUNTY OF WISE v JONATHAN RUFF

June 05, 2025

VIRGINIA:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF WISE

COUNTY OF WISE, VIRGINIA, a Political Subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Complainant

Case No. CL25-347

JONATHAN RUFF, ET AL,

Respondent(s)

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to enforce the lien of the Complainant, County of Wise, Virginia, for delinquent real estate taxes against certain real property located in the County of Wise, Virginia, described as follows:

Tax Map No. 055 ( ) 245

Account No. 008339

BEGINNING at a fence post in north edge of a road, a corner of the land now or formerly of Dick Pate; thence with said road S. 27 54 W. 282 feet to a stake in edge of road; thence leaving said road N. 56 40 W. 142 feet to a stake on a hillside; thence N. 26 45 E. 211 feet to a stake in the line of said Pate land; and with the said line S. 75 21 E. 16 feet to a large Beech at a spring; thence S. 35 36 E. 157 feet (S. 85 36 E. 144 feet inserted in pencil in Deed to Claude Hayes) to the BEGINNING, containing one (1) acre, more or less.

And being the same real property conveyed to Charles S. Ruff from Dannie Ray Flanary by Deed dated June 27, 1969 and recorded June 20, 1971 among the records of the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Wise County, Virginia in Deed Book 433 at Page 227.

The aforementioned Charles S. Ruff having departed this life testate on February 19, 1999 devised his interest in the property to the following individuals: Julie Ruff Harper, Billie Jo Laney, Mary Ruff Harper, Jonathan Ruff, and Charles William Ruff in equal shares as evidenced by the Last Will and Testament of Charles S. Ruff of record in the aforementioned Clerk’s Office in Will Book 99 at Page 75.

Tax Map No. 055 ( ) 236

Account No. 008340

BEGINNING at a stake in the line now or formerly of Fannie F. Pate and Vonia Sullivan 750 feet from the corner of Fannie F. Pate, Vonia Sullivan and Alice Carpenter property line, running 800 feet by the Vonia Sullivan and Mary Sulfridge property line to a stake in the swamp near a drain tile in the road, then running to the left in a westwardly direction _____ feet to a dogwood tree at a spring on the side of a hill; thence running to the left in a southwardly direction 445 feet to a stake in a field, and running to the left in an eastwardly direction 405 feet to the BEGINNING, to include all rights and right-of-way to said water in said spring above mentioned.

And being the same real property conveyed to Charles S. Ruff from Benny N. Pate and Helen I. Pate by Deed dated October 23, 1961 and recorded September 12, 1963 among the records of the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Wise County, Virginia in Deed Book 376 at Page 513.

Tax Map No. 055 ( ) 237

Account No. 008341

All that certain lot, piece, or parcel of real property, lying and being situate in Wise County, Virginia, Lipps Magisterial District, in the Crab Orchard Section, being located on Happy Hollow Road and containing 69.127 acres, more or less, known as Tax Map Number 055 ( ) 237, Account Number 008341.

And being a portion of the real property conveyed to Charles S. Ruff and Mary Sullivan Ruff, his wife, by Deed dated June 27, 1959 and recorded August 17, 1959 among the records of the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Wise County, Virginia in Deed Book 351 at Page 340.

The aforementioned Mary Sullivan Ruff departed this life testate on June 3, 1995 and devised her interest in the Property to her husband, Charles S. Ruff as evidenced by the Last Will and Testament of Sarah Ruth Ruff a/k/a Mary Sullivan Ruff a/k/a Ruth Sullivan Ruff of record in the aforementioned Clerk’s Office in Will Book 682 at Page 211.

This description is made subject to all easements, conditions, agreements, restrictions, and reservations of record which affect the property herein described including but not limited to those recorded in Deed Book 680 at Page 99, Deed Book 804 at Page 152, Instrument Number 200203138, Instrument Number 200204511, Instrument Number 200306387, Instrument Number 200306411, Instrument Number 200501152, Instrument Number 200306413, Instrument Number 200306386, Instrument Number 200501153, Instrument Number 200501150, Instrument Number 200501154.

Tax Map No. 055 ( ) 249

Account No. 008342

All that certain lot, piece, or parcel of real property, together with any improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto belonging, lying and being situate in Wise County, Virginia, Lipps Magisterial District, Crab Orchard Section, consisting of two parts of land, and known as Tract One and Tract Two, Tract One contains 122.42 acres and Tract Two contains 62.81 acres, more or less, and being more particularly described as follows:

TRACT ONE

BEGINNING at a stake, in the bottom corner of portion No. 5, No. 4 and No. 2, thence with the southern line of No. 2 N. 70 E. 1050 feet to a Red Oak on a Spur; thence N. 45 E. 727 feet to two Hickories on top of a Spur; thence S. 78 30 E. 261 feet to a stake and Hickory; thence S. 89 45 E. 679 feet to two Hickories; thence N. 70 10 E. 467 feet to a stake; thence N. 60 30 E. 184 feet to a Dogwood Pointer; thence N. 88 E. 188 feet to a large Chestnut-Oak Stump; thence leaving the top of the Spur N. 80 45 E. 795 feet to a Hickory and Chestnut on the high knob of the divide between Bull Run, Crab Orchard, and Dry Fork; thence leaving portion No. 2 S. 30 20 W. 345 feet to a large Chestnut and Sourwood on the divide between the Crab Orchard and Dry Fork; thence along said divide S. 26 35 E. 119 feet to a double Chestnut a corner of the tract now or formerly of Sarah Greear; thence with her line S. 19 W. 156 feet to a stake; thence S. 24 50 W. 407 feet to a stake at the top of the point; thence S. 61 W. 166 feet to a Maple and Chestnut; thence S. 71 24 W. 410 feet to a triple Chestnut on top of a Spur; thence S. 49 30 W. 709 feet to a large Chestnut on top of the hill; thence S. 61 W. 325 feet to a Chestnut; thence N. 73 30 W. 280 feet to a large Chestnut; thence S. 65 36 W. 512 feet to a small Dogwood on top of the Spur; thence S. 81 30 W. 1302 feet to two small Black Oaks in Sarah Greear’s field, on the Spur; thence N. 63 35 W. 711 feet to a stake a corner to portion No. 6; thence leaving Sarah Greear’s line with portion No. 6 and No. 5 N. 27 30 W. 730 feet to the BEGINNING, 8 acres more or less which was sold to J. E. Sullivan and Vonn Sullivan, his wife, by Sarah Greear, was excepted from this tract., leaving 123 acres more or less.

TRACT TWO

BEGINNING at a Poplar on a point; thence N. 83 E. 25 Poles to a stake at edge of a Swamp; thence S. 62 E. 50 Poles to a small Black Oak, N. 81½ E. 89 Poles to two small Dogwoods; thence N. 64 ½ E. 20 Poles to a large Chestnut and Hickory; thence S. 74 E. 17 Poles to a Chestnut N. 59 E. 19 Poles to a Chestnut, N. 49 ½ E. 41 Poles to a Chestnut, N. 64 E. 40 Poles to a Chestnut, S. 14 ½ E. 48 Poles to two Chestnuts in a flat, S. 11 W. 38 Poles to a Cucumber and Locust, N. 87 ½ W. 26 Poles to a Locust and Black Oak, S. 53 W. 60 Poles to a Spotted Oak, S. 38 W. 12 Poles to a Black Oak, S. 86 W. 28 ½ Poles to a Double Chestnut and Dogwood, S. 31 W. 17 Poles to a Hickory and Spotted Oak, N. 86 W. 26 Poles to a Dogwood, S. 76 ½ W. 15 Poles to a Red Oak, S. 57 ½ W. 12 Poles to a Hickory, S. 53 W. 14 Poles to a White Oak, on the North side of the road, S. 31 W. 17 Poles to the road and with the same, N. 73 W. 16 Poles, N. 35 W. 43 Poles, N. 62 W. 18 Poles, S. 60 W. 4 Poles thence running down the hill with the fence to the road, N. 85 ½ W. 35 Poles to a stake in the road, near a pair of Bars; thence leaving the road N. 10 E. 61 Poles to the BEGINNING, containing 137 ½ acres, more or less.

EXCEPTING the coal and mineral rights, which have heretofore been sold and conveyed, there is also excepted and reserved from Tract Two, two 69.79 acres, for Mary Sulfridge. There is also approximately four acres excepted from this tract, which was sold to S. P. Sulfridge, leaving 67.21 acres in Tract Two.

And being the same real property conveyed to Ruth Sullivan Ruff and Charles S. Ruff, her husband, from Mary Sulfridge, Alice Carpenter, Maud A. Greear, William Pate, Euna Lee Pate, Rogers Pate, Polly Pate, Charles Pate, Margarett Pate, Roxia Pate, Glover Hensley, Betty Pate, Roy Holbrook, Ed Sullivan, Effie Sullivan, Louise Sullivan McCoy, Earl McCoy, Genell Sullivan Evans, Kermit Evans and Lenora Sullivan by Deed dated March 17, 1958 and recorded April 24, 1958 among the records of the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Wise County, Virginia in Deed Book 343 at Page 86.

The aforementioned Ruth Sullivan Ruff departed this life testate on June 3, 1995 and devised her interest in the Property to her husband, Charles S. Ruff as evidenced by the Last Will and Testament of Sarah Ruth Ruff a/k/a Mary Sullivan Ruff a/k/a Ruth Sullivan Ruff of record in the aforementioned Clerk’s Office in Will Book 682 at Page 211.

IT APPEARING that an Affidavit has been made and filed stating that due diligence has been used, without effect, to ascertain the identity and location of certain parties to be served, that the last known addresses for the Respondents herein are as follows: Jonathan Ruff, whose last known address is 4021 Happy Hollow Road, Coeburn, Virginia 24230; Julie Ruff Harper, whose last known address is 108 Lavendar Lane, Coeburn, Virginia 24230; Mary Ruff Harper, whose last known address is 4013 Happy Hollow Road, Coeburn, Virginia 24230; Charles William Ruff, who is believed to be deceased and whose last known address is unknown; and that any officers, heirs, devisees, and successors in title of the Respondent named herein are made parties Respondent to this action individually and/or by the general description of Parties Unknown, it is hereby

ORDERED that the parties herein and all Parties Unknown and/or whose location cannot be ascertained appear on or before August 4, 2025 in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of the County of Wise, Virginia, and do what may be necessary to protect their interests in this cause.

Entered on the 2nd day of June, 2025.

Dezarah J. Hall

Clerk

I Ask For This:

John A. Rife, Esq.

(VSB No. 45805)

Jeffrey A. Scharf, Esq.

(VSB No. 30591)

Mark K. Ames, Esq.

(VSB No. 27409)

Andrew M. Neville, Esq.

(VSB No. 86372)