Rufus Dellinger was born illegitimate on 26 July 1856 at
Cleveland Co., North Carolina; It is not known who Rufus' father is. Two candidates are Joseph Carroll and John L. Gladden, Margaret had bastardly bonds against both of them. Another candidate is Banster Griggs, but that child apparently moved to Tallahoma, Tennessee and is not Rufus. He was the son of
Margaret Dellinger. Rufus was listed as a household member living with an unknown person on the 1870 Census at
Gaston Co., North Carolina. He married
Susan Hovis at
Cherryville, Gaston Co., North Carolina, on 28 October 1877. He migrated. Rufus died on 10 December 1941 at
Dumas, Tippah Co., Mississippi, at age 85. His body was interred in December 1941 at Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery.