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Rufus Ayers who once owned the mansion that currently houses the Southwest Virginia Museum was a man of justice. He was born May 20, 1849 in Bedford County Virginia. He was a Virginia attorney and a soldier of the Confederate army. When he was twelve years old he ran away from school at the Goodson Academy. He went to East Tennessee to join the army scouting service. After war was over at age nineteen he became interested in business and merchandising. He spent time consuming this career in Eastern Kentucky and Estvillville, Virginia. Afterwords, he began to study law in Southwest Virginia until he was named Attorney-General in 1885. Ayers is also responsible for continuence help of building the South Atlantic and Ohio railroad. At one time in his life he was imprisoned for contempt. He was released based on writ of habeas corpus. To the people of Virginia, this further heroized him becuase he defended his state and went as far as going to jail. Of all the justice he prevailed for people and the industry, the Southwest Virginia Museum is a piece of comemeration for all he has done.