Keith,in the 60's I spent a lot of time in that area across the river at a Plantation named "Beechwood" owned by the Gilliam family.Beechwood was in good condition at that time ,still furnished but not lived in.The Gilliams lived next to it .I was told that Edmund Ruffin killed himself in that house.I believe it is in the immediate area of "The Beefsteak Raid".Have not been there in many years ,but hopefully the old home is still there.Another old plantation home maybe a quarter mile away called "Tar Bay" toward Hopewell burned in the 70's i think .That was owned by a Ruffin family in Petersburg.
I grew up in Suffolk just down Rt 10.
Berry