USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III > Part 66
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Sylvester M. Ruch, of Allentown, was born Dec. 31, 1854, near Hokendauqua, and was edu- cated in the township schools. He operated an iron ore mine in North Whitehall for fifteen years and in the fall of 1884 removed to Somer- set county, Maryland, where he farmed a 444- acre farm for three years, raising mainly wheat and corn. In 1889 he located in Allentown, where he has since resided. Since 1908, he has been the county tax collector for the Eighth ward. He is a Republican and with his family is a member of Dubbs' Memorial Reformed church. He married, in 1879, Rosa, daughter of Joel and Mary A. (Klotz) Peters. They had five children: Hattie, married Howard M. Hersh ; Asa P., of Alton, Ill .; Effie, died aged four years; Homer J., an inspector on the Pana- ma Canal since 1905, and Charles A., a machinist.
Edwin Ruch, son of Charles, married Tevillia Bitting and had a son, William A.
CAPT. WILLIAM A. RUCH, a real estate dealer and insurance broker of Allentown, Pa.,
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
was born in Upper Milford township, Nov. 5, 1868. At the age of sixteen years he was em- ployed as a clerk in a store in Allentown and continued there for eleven years. In 1895 he became connected with the Prudential Life In- surance Company, and continued in the service of the company until April, 1907, when he en- gaged in his present business, and located on the second floor of 461 Hamilton street. In 1914 he located on the second floor of the Allentown Trust Company building. Mr. Ruch also deals in farms and has negotiated some of the largest land deals in recent years in this section of the state. He employs two field men. Mr. Ruch is a successful real estate operator and his busi- ness has steadily increased until now it has reached large proportions.
Mr. Ruch is also the agent for a number of leading fire insurance companies. In February, 19II, he was elected president of the Leather- man's Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and dur- ing 1910 he served this company efficiently as secretary and director.
On April 6, 1896, Captain Ruch entered the service of the National Guard of Pennsylvania as a private of Company B, Fourth Regiment, and was discharged May 8, 1898, by virtue of his de- sire to enter the service of the United States dur- ing the Spanish-American War. He entered the United States service as a private on May 9, 1898, and on July 5th of that year was made a corporal. On Nov. 16, 1898, he was mustered out of the volunteer service. He did active serv- ice in Porto Rico; was in the Gen. Nelson A. Miles campaign, and for ten days had charge of a detail of twelve men serving on special duty at the prison at Guayama. On March 11, 1899, he re-enlisted in Company B, N. G. P., at Al- lentown and on April 24, 1899, was made a sergeant. In October, 1900, he was promoted to the rank of first sergeant and on Feb. 1, 1901, was elected second lieutenant. On Jan. 20, 1902, he was ·promoted to the rank of first lieutenant; on Dec. 7, 1908, was appointed captain and regi- mental inspector of small arms practice, and as- signed to the Fourth Regiment, Col. C. T. O'Neill commmanding.
Captain Ruch was in active service in the guard at Drifton in 1897; at Shenandoah and Panther Creek Valley in 1900, and at Mt. Car- mel and Plymouth in 1902.
Mr. Ruch is connected with a number of secret organizations and is now serving his fifth term as treasurer of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, No. IIO. He and his family reside at 16 North Thirteenth street, and are members of the Evan- gelical Church.
On May 15, 1892, he was married to Mary
E. Oswald, daughter of Jonathan and Emma (Reinert) Oswald, of Allentown, Pa. They had five children: Mildred V .; Charles A .; Annie T .; Paul H .; Grace, who died in No- vember, 1908, in her third year of age, and Richard C.
RUHE FAMILY.
John Frederick Ruhe, the ancestor of this family in America, was born Nov. 25, 1745, in Nordheim, in the Electorate of Hanover, and was the second son of John Christopher Ruhe. He was a physician and a druggist and in 1767 went to London, England, where he was assistant to the King's apothecary. He was married in St. George's church, Hanover Square, London, on Aug. 14, 1777, to Miss Catharine Maria Henrietta Mackenrot, daughter of John Henry Mackenrot, and his wife, Margaret Christina Werner. She was born in Laesfeld, Hanover, Aug. 30, 1754, and was baptized at Osterode, Sept. 7, 1754. In 1790 they came to America with their four children and lived several years in New York and Philadelphia. Their second son, Augustus, died of yellow fever in the epidemic of 1793, and in 1794 the family removed to Al- lentown, where Doctor Ruhe opened the first apothecary in the town. He lived to the great age of ninety-five years and was long remembered by residents of the city, as one of the last citizens who wore the old-fashioned "small clothes," -- knee breeches and silk hose. He died July 27, 1841, and is buried in the old Allentown ceme- tery. His wife died July 16, 1840.
They had seven children :
Elizabeth Harriet Ruhe, the eldest child, was born in London, May 19, 1778. She was con- firmed by the Lutheran pastor at Allentown, Reverend Ellison, in 1795.
Maria Carolina, the second daughter, was born Jan. 17, 1780, and died April 11, 1780.
John Frederick Ruhe, the eldest son, was born April 6, 1781.
Augustus, the second son, was born Aug. 4, 1783. He died at Philadelphia, Oct. 18, 1793.
George Henry, the third son, was born Sept. 22, 1786, and died Sept. 20, 1788.
Johanna Louisa, the third daughter, was born May 30, 1789. She was confirmed by Reverend Yeager in 1804 and Nov. 1, 1818, married Henry Ebner, publisher of the Friedensbote.
Charles August, the fourth son, was born Dec. 10, 1794, in Allentown.
John Frederick Ruhe, eldest son of Doctor Ruhe, born in London, April 6, 1781, was con- firmed in the Lutheran faith at Allentown, by Reverend Ellison in 1795. On March 2, 1806, he married Catharine Keiper, daughter of John
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and Catharine Keiper. She was born Feb. 12, 1783, and died July 30, 1818. He married the second time, Aug. 7, 1818, Elizabeth Kramer.
John F. Ruhe was captain of a local company called the "Northampton Blues," in the War of 1812, was the first high constable of the borough in 1811, and held the offices of town clerk, chairman of town council, and burgess. From 1817 to 1820, he was cashier of the North- ampton Bank. He was many years justice of the peace and in 1838 was appointed associate judge of the county, which office he held several terms. He was the founder of the tobacco business later largely increased by his sons and grandsons. He died in 1861. He was the father of twenty-three children, of whom his first wife was the mother of twelve and his second of eleven. Those who attained maturity were by his first wife: Au- gustus L., William S., John F., Matilda, Louisa and Henrietta, and by his second wife, George L., Edward, Henry E., Thomas, Eliza, Mary, Clarissa, Amelia and Mrs. Engelman.
Augustus L. Ruhe was born Sept. 23, 1809. In 1823 he entered the employ of the Allentown Friedensbote as a printer's apprentice, where he served seven years. He then entered the em- ploy of John Howe, of Philadelphia, in the first stereotype foundry in that city, where he re- mained a year. Returning to Allentown he en- tered business life and in 1840 was appointed postmaster. In 1844 he purchased the Lecha Patriot, which he later sold and in 1846 estab- lished the Lehigh Register. In 1855 he sold this paper, but in 1859 acquired an interest in the Allentown Democrat, which he sold in 1865, to his son, W. K. Ruhe. In 1860 he was appointed clerk in the office of internal revenue and in 1869 was elected clerk of the Orphans' Court and re- elected in 1872. He was one of the organizers of the Lehigh County Agricultural Society, and was for some years its secretary. He was a member of Allen Lodge, No. 71, I. O. O. F., for nearly fifty years; of Lehigh Lodge, No. 326, F. & A. M., Trexlertown, and of St. Michael's Lu- theran church. He died May 5, 1892.
Mr. Ruhe was married three times, in 1832 to Deborah Gangewere, of Allentown; in 1835, to Adeline Knauss, of South Whitehall, and in 1865 to Mrs. Harriet Kleckner, of Bath. He had seven children, all with the second wife; Werner K., Frank A., and Henry M. Ruhe, Mrs. C. Frank Haines, Mrs. Levi Nickum, Mrs. J. H. Addis and Mrs. William Dutt.
William S. Ruhe, second son of Capt. John F., was born April 10, 1810. He was a printer by occupation and was a member of Captain Yeager's company, the Allen Guard, in 1861, one of the five first defender companies. He
served three enlistments in the Civil War, serv- ing in the Twenty-first and 209th Regiments. He removed to Philadelphia, where he died Feb. 1, 1900. He was married in 1833 to Sarah Matchett, of Halifax, Cumberland county. She was born Jan. 27, 1810, and died Aug. 21, 1899. Their children were: Capt. Walter Ruhe, of Philadelphia, a veteran of the Civil War; Miss Louisa J. and Francis C., of Philadelphia, and Mary H., wife of Franklin J. Keck, of Allen- town.
John F. Ruhe, third son of Capt. John F., was born April 6, 1814. In 1856 he became the owner and editor of the Bureau County Re- publican, at Princeton, Ill. He died at Iowa City, Ia., Dec. 3, 1904.
Matilda, daughter of Capt. John F., married Mr. Heckman; Louisa, married Obediah a Weaver, and Henrietta, born April 16, 1816, died Dec. 14, 1901, married Henry Ritter.
George L. Ruhe, born Aug. 29, 1822, was a tobacconist and died at Allentown, Aug. 22, 1901. He had four children: Harvey G., of Boston ; Prof. E. Lehman Ruhe; Miss Loraine Ruhe and Mrs. Thomas Reed, of Allentown.
Henry Ebner Ruhe, son of Capt. John Frede- rick Ruhe, and grandson of the founder of the family in America, was born in the Germania Hotel, on South Seventh street, Allentown, Pa., Oct. 28, 1825. He attended the public schools of Allentown and the old academy and later a select school conducted by a Mr. Ryan. After completing his education he learned the trade of tobacco manufacturing with his father and was associated with him during the latter's active business life. He later formed a partnership with his brother, George, under the firm name of George L. Ruhe and Brother, manufacturers of cigars, smoking and chewing tobacco. Mr. Henry Ruhe superintended the manufacturing end of the business, his brother, George, acting as sales agent, making trips to the surrounding villages of the townships, with a wagon; trips lasting several days, delivering goods and get- ting orders. This partnership was subsequently dissolved. Mr. Henry Ruhe then formed a part- nerhip with his brother, Thomas, under the name of Henry E. Ruhe and Brother, which associa- tion continued until 1862. Mr. Henry E. Ruhe then entered upon the liquor business on the square now situated in the center of Allentown's business activity and here for a period of thirty- one years he conducted a popular cafe business with success. He has for sixty-one years resided in his home on South Seventh street, which he purchased in 1852, when he enlarged and added improvements thereto. He is yet active both phy- sically and mentally, in his 90th year. He is a
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staunch Republican, casting his first vote for the Whig candidate for President, John Tyler. His first Republican vote was cast for John C. Fre- mont in 1856. In 1860 he voted for our mar- tyred President, Abraham Lincoln; since then he has consistently supported the Republican nomina- tions, terminating in his vote for William H. Taft in 1912. He is a member of the Lutheran Church ; has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for sixty-one years, being the oldest living member.
He married, April 29, 1847, Mary Elizabeth Miller, born Oct. 14, 1827, daughter of John Miller, the Rev. Joseph Dubbs officiating. His wife died May 5, 1902, after a married life of fifty-two years. She was a member of the Re- formed Church. Their issue was: Tilghman James, born Oct. 24, 1848, died Nov. 13, 1893, who married Emma Wieder; was ticket agent at East Penn Junction for the P. and R. R. R. Co .; John Miller, born Jan. 29, 1850, died July 9, 1851; Ellen Amelia, born June 7, 1851, died Jan. 16, 1898; Agnes Elizabeth, born Nov. 8, 1852, died Nov. 19, 1886; Harry E., born Sept. II, 1859; Charles Mackenroth, born Dec. 16, 1861 ; died in 1911; Emma Louise, born April 16, 1862, married Rev. John Kessler, a minister of the Reformed Church. She is now a widow and resides at Blairstown, N. J., where she is a preceptress in the Presbyterian Academy.
HARRY E. RUHE, third son of Henry Eb- ner Ruhe, was born Sept. 1I, 1859, at Allen- town, Pa. He was educated in the public schools of 'Allentown, and at the age of fifteen years, went to Philadelphia, where he learned the trade of shoemaking, with Charles Stuber, who con- ducted a shop at Second and Green streets. His wages then amounted to the sum of $2.50 per week. After having learned the trade, he re- turned to Allentown, and at the age of seven- teen years started in business for himself, con- ducting the same until 1881.
Under President Arthur's administration he secured the appointment of letter carrier, being the first of six thus appointed in Allentown, which position he held until change of adminis- tration in 1885, Grover Cleveland then coming into power. Postoffice employees at that time not being civil service appointees these positions were affected by changes of administration.
He then became a salesman for H. Leh & Co. in their shoe department, and later for J. L. Farr, remaining with this concern for one year, then securing employment in the same line with John E. Lentz & Co., making four years in all as a shoe salesman. On March 17, 1890, he was appointed assistant ticket agent at the Al- lentown Terminal R. R. Station and June 15, 1891, he was appointed division passenger agent
for the Central R. R. of N. J., and for the past twenty-two years filled that position of responsi- bility with satisfaction to his company and the public. In 1914 he was appointed general bag- gage agent, with headquarters in New York City. He is a man of pleasing personality by reason of his high conception of the duties and privileges of citizenship.
He is a member of the B. P. O. of Elks, Allen- town, Pa., is a Republican and a member of St. John's Reformed church. He married, April 13, 1882, Anna Regina Clesson, born near Balti- more, Md., daughter of William and Lucy (Cretin) Clession. Mrs. Ruhe is a lady of marked intelligence and has a pleasing person- ality. She is the possessor of some very rare and valuable pieces of China brought from Ger- many many years ago, by Doctor Ruhe, the progenitor of the American family. Mr. and Mrs. Ruhe have one child, a daughter, Edna C., who graduated from the Allentown High School. She was married to Mark Carpenter, who is ticket agent for the Central R. R. of N. J., at Allentown, Pa. They have two children, Harry and Robert.
Edward Ruhe, born Dec. 11, 1831, obtained his education in the public schools and the Al- lentown Academy. After having been employed for eleven years by Owen and Joseph Saeger, hardware merchants he formed a business con- nection with Thos. B. Wilson, a dry goods mer- chant at 707 Hamilton street. In April, 1861, Mr. Wilson, after an active career of thirty-five years, retired, and Mr. Ruhe became his suc- cessor. He conducted the store until 1865, when he sold out to John P. Dillinger, retiring from mercantile pursuits for about a year. At the end of that time, however, he again became a dry goods merchant, but after a year sold out to E. S. Shimer & Co., to associate himself with Col. T. H. Good, in the real estate and insur- ance business. This partnership was maintained for two years, at the end of which time Mr. Ruhe was appointed internal revenue assessor for the Sixth Congressional District of Pennsyl- vania, comprising Lehigh and Montgomery counties. He served in this capacity from May 6, 1869, until May 20, 1873, when the law re- garding such offices was changed, but he was re- tained in the public service as a collector of the district until Jan. 1, 1876. During a portion of that time Mr. Ruhe was a director of the Allentown National Bank, and was and still is its notary public, having been appointed for the purpose in 1876. He has also acted in the same capacity since 1892 for the Lehigh Valley Trust and Safe Deposit Company.
Mr. Ruhe engaged extensively in real estate
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and building operations and was instrumental in the erection of over 300 houses and was also one of the organizers of the Elliger Real Estate As- sociation. He is a member of the Lutheran Church and of the Livingston Club. Mr. Ruhe married, Nov. 29, 1855, Anna, daughter of Thomas B. and Eliza ( Martin) Wilson, and they had four children: Thomas W., for many years connected with the Bay State Cut Sole Company, of Boston, Mass .; Mrs. Frederick W. Herbst, of Columbus, O .; William F. Ruhe, real estate dealer of Allentown, and Miss Eliza- beth J. Ruhe.
Thomas Ruhe, son of Capt. John F. Ruhe, was twice married and had two daughters, Mrs. Nicholas Dell and Mrs. David Thomas.
Charles A. Ruhe, youngest son of John Frede- rick Ruhe, Sr., was born Dec. 10, 1794, in Al- lentown, and at an early age apprenticed to a mercantile house in Philadelphia. Later he en- listed in the United States service during the War of 1812, in company with his brother, Capt. John F. Ruhe, Jr., and on being discharged opened a general merchandise store in Ruchsville, North Whitehall township. After a business ex- perience of some years at this place, he removed to Shimersville, Northampton County, and re- mained two years, when Allentown became his home. While at Ruchsville he married, Feb. 15, 1820, Miss Susanna, daughter of Adam and Catharine Scheirer, and had twelve children. Mr. Ruhe engaged in the general grocery trade in Allentown and in 1854 admitted his son, Charles H., as a partner, under the firm name of Charles A. Ruhe & Son, and the manufacture of cigars was added to the business. A few years later his sons, Frederick A. and Joseph, were taken into the firm. The stock of groceries was disposed of in 1862, and the senior member the same year retired from active commercial life. Politically, Mr. Ruhe was a Whig in his early days, and on the formation of the Repub- lican party became one of its steadfast adher- ents. He was actively identified with the Sec- ond National Bank as a director, in which capacity he served for many years. He died Jan. 14, 1879, aged eighty-four years.
His son, Edward, served in the Mexican War and died at the age of twenty-one years. Several of his children died in infancy. Those who reached maturity were: Clara M .; Charles H., who married Eliza A. Engelman and had seven children : Millie, married Rev. W. C. D. Keiter; Edward W., married Katherine Ingham ; George E., married Emma E. Minninger; John C., married Jennie Jacoby; Samuel J .; Sallie E., married Geo. G. Sykes, and Nina B., married
M. S. Hottenstein ; Frederick A., who married Julia A. Kocher, and had three children : Arabella married A. E. Swartz; Jennie, married Henry E. Peters, and Margaret, married O. R. B. Leidy; Anna C., married Benjamin F. Roth ; Mary Louisa and Joseph.
JOSEPH RUHE, son of Charles A. and Susanna Ruhe, was born in Allentown, Pa., Feb. 20, 1837. He attended the public schools of his na- tive town and early in life served an apprentice- ship at the trade of cigarmaking. By the exer- cise of prudence and thrift during his service as journeyman he was enabled to accumulate suffi- cient capital to step into business with his brothers, Charles and Frederick, after the firm of Charles A. Ruhe had been dissolved, the new firm conducting business under the name of Ruhe Brothers. They established one of the most extensive cigar manufactories in the state of Pennsylvania, their factories being located on Seventh and Eighth streets, Allentown, and this enterprise gave constant employment to more than 300 hands. The business steadily increased in volume and importance, becoming the leading industry in that section of the state, and the firm remained the same as when first established un- til the death of Frederick A. Ruhe, twenty years later. The business was then conducted by the remaining members of the firm for a period of eighteen years, when a corporation was formed under the name of Ruhe Brothers Company, with Charles H. Ruhe as its first president. In 1893, Joseph Ruhe became extensively interested in real estate transactions, and by the exercise of clear judgment and keen foresight has achieved a large degree of success, and is now in receipt of a good income from this undertaking. He is a director in the Lehigh Valley Trust and Safe Deposit Company. He has always been upright and honorable in his dealings, gained the entire confidence and trust of his fellow citizens, and both in public and private life has proved him- self worthy and reliable. He is a Republican in politics.
Mr. Ruhe married, Dec. 24, 1862, Eliza A. Fenstermacher, deceased, daughter of Aaron Fenstermacher. Their children are: Raymond R., who died at the age of three years; Eliza- beth, who died in the thirteenth year of her age; Robert Joseph, born July 24, 1866, died Aug. 16, 1888; Miriam, an artist of note and dis- tinction, who became the wife of Edward Levin, of Philadelphia, Pa .; Wallace Edgar, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, now engaged as an architect in Allentown. Mr. Ruhe ma"- ried for his second wife, Mary L. Hartman. The family hold membership in St. John's Re- formed church of Allentown. Mr. Ruhe erected
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a handsome memorial chapel in memory of his son, Robert Joseph Ruhe.
WALLACE EDGAR RUHE, son of Joseph Ruhe, whose native talent and thorough preliminary training have made him one of the foremost archi- tects of the Lehigh Valley, is practicing his pro- fession in Allentown, his native city. He pur- sued his preliminary education in the public schools of Allentown, and for two years there- after was a student in Muhlenberg College. He afterward attended the Ulrich Preparatory School at Bethlehem, Pa., and in 1895 entered the University of Pennsylvania, architectural department, in which he was graduated with the class of 1899. He afterward pursued a post- graduate course of one year, making a specialty of the study of architecture and kindred branches. On leaving the university he went abroad and spent some time in Italy in further preparation for the profession which he had decided to make his life work. Upon his return to America he spent a short period in New York, whence he went to Philadelphia, and in those two cities was connected with some of the leading architects of the country, so that it is doubtful if any of the young men of his time had any better advantages than had Mr. Ruhe in preparing for his chosen calling. His natural aptitude and this close ap- plication soon took him beyond mediocrity to a position of distinction in his profession, and by reason of his superior merit he has attained envia- ble success since locating for business in his na- tive city.
Mr. Ruhe returned to Allentown in the fall of 1901 and opened an office of his own. He employed as a clerk Robert Lange, of New York, whom he admitted to a partnership in 1903, and the firm of Ruhe & Lange occupies a pre-eminent position in their profession in this part of the state. Among the larger and more important buildings of Allentown, which have been erected on plans drawn by Mr. Ruhe, are the Young Men's Christian Association building, Muhlenberg College buildings, Farr building, Haas building, Christ Lutheran church, Frank- lin school additions, German Catholic School and Convent, Elk's Club House and Mack Bros. Motor Car Company buildings. The Catasauqua National Bank, the Lehigh Country Club, the Lehigh Valley Trust Company building and the residences of C. A. Matcham, C. F. Mosser, Edw. W. Ruhe, John Taylor, Wm. D. Schantz and John T. Little, of Allentown, and of Her- man Kostenbader, J. W. Fuller, Jr., and Frank M. Horn, of Catasauqua, are among the evi- dences of his skill and handiwork.
Mr. Ruhe married, May 2, 1906, Lillian K., daughter of Oscar H. Mink, of Allentown. He
is a member of St. John's Reformed church and also of the Livingston Club, Lehigh Country Club, Allentown Lodge of Elks and Jordan Lodge, No. 673, F. and A. M.
AUGUST W. RUHF.
August William Ruhf, engineer of the Allen- town Water Works, was born in Bavaria, Ger- man, Feb. 25, 1868. He received his education there in the public schools, while living with his grandparents, until he became fourteen years old, when he was apprenticed to the trade of wood carver, and he followed this trade for two years until 1884, when he emigrated to Pennsylvania, proceeding directly to Lehighton, where his par- ents had previously located. After working there for nearly two years in the Packer Car Shops, he went to Allentown, and followed his trade of wood carver for nearly fifteen years, until 1901. He next worked for two years in the wire mill, then entered the employ of the Allentown Water Works, and has been there since, serving as engi- neer from 1911. He is a member of the Order of Moose, No. 129, of the Lehigh Democratic Club, and of St. Paul's Reformed church.
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