Andrew J. Ruch Family

Andrew J. Ruch was born Dec. 25, 1827 in Alsace, France and came to America with his parents when only three months old. The family settled in Pennsylvania but moved in 1832 to Seneca County, near Bascom, Ohio. There Andrew spent his youth and young manhood days. It was there that he met and in October of 1850 married Lydia Miller, daughter of Daniel Miller, formerly of Maryland.

They moved shortly thereafter from Seneca County to Colton, (Lucas Co.) and then in 1857 to Holgate, where he worked at the carpenter trade. In the winter of 1878-79 he united with the Methodist Episcopal church, but sometime later became a charter member of the Presbyterian church. He was elected one of the ruling members and he remained an elder of this church for the remainder of his life. He was also a member of the Texas IOOF No. 409 for 29 years. His wife Lydia, died in Nov. 1891 and sometime thereafter he suffered a stroke of paralysis and often spoke of his life being near its end. He died Sept. 19, 1897 in North Baltimore at the home of his son, Royal (also known as Rod) whom he was visiting for a few weeks.

The marriage of Andrew and Lydia brought eleven children into the world, all but one of whom married, producing a large number of grandchildren. Most of the family stayed in the surrounding area in Ohio, but a couple moved to Indiana and one to Kansas. Ida J., the eldest, married John W. Corbin and they had six children; Jay, Earl, Bertha, Carl, Mary (died in infancy) and Cora. Much of their life was spent in Perrysburg. They are buried there in Ft. Meigs Cemetery. David R. married Dorleska Stapleton and had four children; Royal Delbert, Andrew J., Lydia May (died age 2), and William Oswald who died a hero in Sour Lake, Texas where he gave his life in a valiant but vain effort to save a fellow worker in an oil tank. He is buried with his parents in Maplewood Cemetery in North Baltimore. Royal A. married Emma Roller in Holgate. Their children were Royal A. and Ralph. The couple is buried in Cole Cemetery near Napoleon. Emma C. married Walter Miks and are said to have had two children, both girls. They supposedly moved to Kansas but so far we have been unable to find a record of them there. Not much is known of Charles Ruch who moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. The 1900 Census showed him married to Edith M. Hatten and with a son, Harold E. Delle A. married Henry M. Wertz in Seneca Co. and lived their lives near Bascom. The Census report indicates four children; Cora M., Harry H., Lair (?) M., and Clifford R. Ada Ellen (my grandmother) married Samuel J. Eff in 1886 and lived in Lucas Co. until his untimely death 12 years later in a timber accident. Their children were Otto, E. Mae, Esther and Clara. She died in Silica, Ohio and is buried with her husband in Wolfinger Cemetery. William O. married Millie Motter in Holgate and had 12 children. Neil F. and Francis N. were first born and twins, but only Neil survived. The others were Maxwell, Wayne, Helen, Royal David, Hazel, Ruth C., Mildred, Kenneth E., Douglas, and William 0. Jr. William Sr. was a railroad man and in addition to his residence in Holgate, lived in North Baltimore and Ottawa where he and his wife died. Mary R. ("Mate") married C. Dallas Ginter and had three sons (Charles, Robert and Floyd) and one girl (Doris). This couple is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Lima, Ohio. Effie never married and died at age 23. Cora M., the youngest married John L. Runyan and lived in Bucyrus and then in Van Buren, Ind. where an infant son (Cecil Hobart) died at the age of 6 months.

To the best of my knowledge only five grandchildren of Andrew J. and Lydia Ruch are still living. They are Hazel A. Caves in Sycamore, O., Esther Simon, Delta, O., Kenneth E., Napoleon, O., William O. Jr., Lima, O. and Douglas in Atlanta, Ga.

Submitted by: Donald Eff, Boulder, Colo.