Rufus Hansford

Rufus Franklin Hansford, Sr. (October 23, 1939 – February 20, 2019), was a businessman and auctioneer, based in Campbellsville in Taylor County in central Kentucky.

A native of nearby Casey County, Hansford was the son of W. L. Hansford, a farmer and real estate speculator, and the former Ruby Garrison. He reportedly began mimicking auctioneers when he was just five years of age. While working a summer job with the American Tobacco Company in South Carolina, Hansford filled in for an auctioneer who became ill. By 1959, he began auctioneering with Kessler & Cowherd Auction and Real Estate Company in Campbellsville. ^[1]

John Kessler, the son of Hansford's auctioneering partner, Wayne Kessler, who died in 2003,^[2] described Hansford as possessing "all the natural qualities of a good auctioneer. … Whenever he was in the room, you knew he was there. He was very outgoing. He knew everybody. ... He was somebody that whenever you met him, you wanted to get to know him better.”^[3]

Over the years, Hansford and the Kesslers traveled together to work tobacco markets in the Carolinas. They became competitors when Hansford established his own auctioneer company in 1970. From 1981 to 1986, Kessler was a finalist in the World Tobacco Auctioneer Championship and in 1987, he was the second runner up. Among the many auctioneering awards that he received was "Champion Bid Caller."^[3]

When Hansford retired in 2016, John Kessler worked to designate July 30 as "Rufus F. Hansford Day" in Campbellsville on the proclamation of the Taylor County judge-executive and then Campbellsville Mayor Tony Young. Hansford said that he was shocked to have received such recognition, especially when "a former competitor is the main force behind it.” ^[3]

Hansford was since 1960 a member of the Kentucky Auctioneers Association. He was the president of the organization and sat on the board of directors and various committees. He was inducted into the KAA Hall of Fame. Kessler called Hansford "a great auctioneer. He did a lot of things for the betterment of the profession. He was a leader within the auction world.”^[1] Kessler added that Hansford was a prominent gentleman within this community and has been for years. He was involved in a lot of different organizations. He was one of those people who always looked to try to help others, whatever the need may be, whether it was raising toys for kids or some family that was having a crisis and needed to have a benefit auction ... he always tried to put other's feelings first.”^[3]

Hansford died in Campbellsville at the age of seventy-nine and is interred there at Brookside Cemetery.^[1]

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