Snyder Family 2016 - Person Sheet
NameCharles B. Rukgaber 
Birth14 May 1834, Wurtemberg, Germany
Death1878
OccupationClerk of the District Court of Henry County, Iowa
FatherJosef Rukgaber (1800-1845)
MotherMaria Anna Baur (1798-)
Spouses
Notes for Charles B. Rukgaber
2128Charles B. Rukgaber
CHARLES B. RUKGABER, Clerk of the District Court of Henry County, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, May 14,1834, and is a son of Joseph and Mary (Baur) Rukgaber. He was reared and educated in his native country, and in 1857 emigrated from Germany to America in company with his mother and sister, his father having died July 6, 1845. The latter was in his youth a door and sash and cabinet-maker, but after his marriage became a farmer. He was a Town Councilor of Felldorf, in Wurtemberg, a position of trust and responsibility. He was a man of integrity, a good husband and father. He was born in 1800, and was therefore forty-five years old at the time of his death, which was caused by the fall of a tree he was felling, by which he received injuries from which he never recovered, dying in less than a year afterward. His wife was also a native of Wurtemberg, born in 1798. Since her emigration to America she has made her home mainly with her son Charles B., with whom she is now living, in exceptionally good health, although in her ninetieth year. One brother, John, had preceded the others to this country. He lived first in Richmond, Va., and in 1857 removed to Washington, D. C., and the following year came to Mt. Pleasant, where he has since resided. Another brother, David, of whom see sketch, came to America in 1858; Christian emigrated in 1869, and is also a resident of Mt. Pleasant. The sister was named Rosa. In 1859 she became the wife of Charles Williams, and died in that city in 1876, leaving a son Charles, now living in Kansas. Mr. Williams also died in Mt. Pleasant.
On coming to America Charles B. made his home first in Washington, D. C., where he resided one year, and in 1858 removed to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in company with his brother David, arriving in this city August 16. Here he engaged in the boot and shoe business until the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, when on the 18th of August, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company C, 4th Iowa Cavalry. He was promoted Orderly Sergeant, and re-enlisted as a veteran Dec. 12, 1863, and served four years, or to the close of the war, being mustered out with his regiment at Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 10, 1865. His regiment was attached to Grant’s army during the siege of Vicksburg, and during his term of service did some hard work. The following is a list of the principal battles and engagements in which Mr. Rukgaber participated: White River, Helena, Brown’s Ford, and Red River, in Arkansas; at Fourteen-Mile Creek, Raymond, Mechanicsburg, first and second Mississippi Springs, first and second battles of Jackson, siege of Vicksburg, at Canton, Brandon, Brownsville, Meridian and Cold water, all in Mississippi; at Memphis, Tenn.; at Guntown, Ripley and Tupelo (Old Town Creek), Miss. He was mustered out in August, 1865, after four years of hard campaigning, in which he won the reputation of a brave and gallant soldier.
On his return from the army Mr. Rukgaber engaged as clerk for J. B. Shaw, hardware merchant of Mt. Pleasant, continuing in that capacity from 1866 to 1872, when he bought an interest in the business, the firm being Shaw & Rukgaber. This connection continued till the death of Mr. Shaw in 1875, when Horace Clark bought the interest of the Shaw heirs, and the new firm became Rukgaber & Clark. Four years later Mr. Clark went out, and J. S. McGregor and Edward Baines bought in, forming the firm of Rukgaber, McGregor & Baines, which connection continued till Mr. Rukgaber’s election in the fall of 1886 to the office he now holds, when he sold out to give his entire time to his official duties, which he performs in the most thorough and satisfactory manner.
Mr. Rukgaber was united in marriage at Mt. Pleasant, April 11, 1861, to Miss Joanna Mueller, daughter of Victor and Amelia (Fehrenbach) Mueller. Mrs. Rukgaber was born in Baden, Germany, in 1843, and came to America with her parents in 1845, and to Henry County, Iowa, in 1855. Her parents landed in New Orleans, where they lived for nine years, and in 1854 entered some land in Putnam County, Mo., on which they lived for a year, when they came to Mt. Pleasant. In 1859 Mr. Mueller and a brother, like thousands of others, crossed the plains to Pike’s Peak in search of gold. Disliking the country, he went to California, where he was joined by his wife the following year. In 1867 he returned to Mt. Pleasant, and soon after went to their Missouri farm, where both died, the husband in 1878, and the wife in 1876. Mr. Mueller served his time in the army in Germany, and was by trade a carpenter. He was an industrious man, and in his labors in the mines contracted rheumatism, from which effects he died. An upright, honorable man, he was held in esteem by his neighbors.
Mr. and Mrs. Rukgaber are the parents of five children four of whom are living, all born in Mt. Pleasant. Louisa, born Oct. 25, 1866; Emily, born March 27, 1868, died Sept. 13, 1887; Mina, born Nov. 23, 1869; Carrie, born June 16, 1871; and Victor, born March 11, 1873. The daughter Emily, who died, was a beautiful and highly accomplished young lady, possessing rare musical talents, and had been the organist of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church for a long time. She was a great favorite in society, and her untimely death was a sad blow to her family and numerous friends. The members of the church of which she was an ornament, and in which she was universally beloved, decided to erect a testimonial to her memory, which has taken the form of a beautiful stained glass window.
Mr. Rukgaber has borne an active part in local public affairs. He has served one year as Secretary of the Henry County Agricultural Society, and six years as a member of the Mt. Pleasant Board of Education. He is a member of Mt. Pleasant Lodge No. 8, A. F. & A. M.; Henry Lodge No. 10, I. O. O. F., and of McFarland Post No. 20, G. A. R., of which he is one of the charter members, and has been Junior Vice Commander. In politics he is a Republican, and has been active in all party affairs. Religiously he is a member of the Episcopal Church, his wife and children being also members of the same society. He is an honorable gentleman, courteous in his intercourse with the public, and capable and attentive in the discharge of the duties of his office, and is justly held in high esteem for his upright and manly character.
(Portrait and Biographical Album, Henry County, Iowa; Acme Publishing Company, Chicago, 1888, pp 242-243) (JC)
CHARLES B. RUKGABER, Clerk of the District Court of Henry County, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, May 14,1834, and is a son of Joseph and Mary (Baur) Rukgaber. He was reared and educated in his native country, and in 1857 emigrated from Germany to America in company with his mother and sister, his father having died July 6, 1845. The latter was in his youth a door and sash and cabinet-maker, but after his marriage became a farmer. He was a Town Councilor of Felldorf, in Wurtemberg, a position of trust and responsibility. He was a man of integrity, a good husband and father. He was born in 1800, and was therefore forty-five years old at the time of his death, which was caused by the fall of a tree he was felling, by which he received injuries from which he never recovered, dying in less than a year afterward. His wife was also a native of Wurtemberg, born in 1798. Since her emigration to America she has made her home mainly with her son Charles B., with whom she is now living, in exceptionally good health, although in her ninetieth year. One brother, John, had preceded the others to this country. He lived first in Richmond, Va., and in 1857 removed to Washington, D. C., and the following year came to Mt. Pleasant, where he has since resided. Another brother, David, of whom see sketch, came to America in 1858; Christian emigrated in 1869, and is also a resident of Mt. Pleasant. The sister was named Rosa. In 1859 she became the wife of Charles Williams, and died in that city in 1876, leaving a son Charles, now living in Kansas. Mr. Williams also died in Mt. Pleasant.
On coming to America Charles B. made his home first in Washington, D. C., where he resided one year, and in 1858 removed to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in company with his brother David, arriving in this city August 16. Here he engaged in the boot and shoe business until the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, when on the 18th of August, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company C, 4th Iowa Cavalry. He was promoted Orderly Sergeant, and re-enlisted as a veteran Dec. 12, 1863, and served four years, or to the close of the war, being mustered out with his regiment at Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 10, 1865. His regiment was attached to Grant’s army during the siege of Vicksburg, and during his term of service did some hard work. The following is a list of the principal battles and engagements in which Mr. Rukgaber participated: White River, Helena, Brown’s Ford, and Red River, in Arkansas; at Fourteen-Mile Creek, Raymond, Mechanicsburg, first and second Mississippi Springs, first and second battles of Jackson, siege of Vicksburg, at Canton, Brandon, Brownsville, Meridian and Cold water, all in Mississippi; at Memphis, Tenn.; at Guntown, Ripley and Tupelo (Old Town Creek), Miss. He was mustered out in August, 1865, after four years of hard campaigning, in which he won the reputation of a brave and gallant soldier.
On his return from the army Mr. Rukgaber engaged as clerk for J. B. Shaw, hardware merchant of Mt. Pleasant, continuing in that capacity from 1866 to 1872, when he bought an interest in the business, the firm being Shaw & Rukgaber. This connection continued till the death of Mr. Shaw in 1875, when Horace Clark bought the interest of the Shaw heirs, and the new firm became Rukgaber & Clark. Four years later Mr. Clark went out, and J. S. McGregor and Edward Baines bought in, forming the firm of Rukgaber, McGregor & Baines, which connection continued till Mr. Rukgaber’s election in the fall of 1886 to the office he now holds, when he sold out to give his entire time to his official duties, which he performs in the most thorough and satisfactory manner.
Mr. Rukgaber was united in marriage at Mt. Pleasant, April 11, 1861, to Miss Joanna Mueller, daughter of Victor and Amelia (Fehrenbach) Mueller. Mrs. Rukgaber was born in Baden, Germany, in 1843, and came to America with her parents in 1845, and to Henry County, Iowa, in 1855. Her parents landed in New Orleans, where they lived for nine years, and in 1854 entered some land in Putnam County, Mo., on which they lived for a year, when they came to Mt. Pleasant. In 1859 Mr. Mueller and a brother, like thousands of others, crossed the plains to Pike’s Peak in search of gold. Disliking the country, he went to California, where he was joined by his wife the following year. In 1867 he returned to Mt. Pleasant, and soon after went to their Missouri farm, where both died, the husband in 1878, and the wife in 1876. Mr. Mueller served his time in the army in Germany, and was by trade a carpenter. He was an industrious man, and in his labors in the mines contracted rheumatism, from which effects he died. An upright, honorable man, he was held in esteem by his neighbors.
Mr. and Mrs. Rukgaber are the parents of five children four of whom are living, all born in Mt. Pleasant. Louisa, born Oct. 25, 1866; Emily, born March 27, 1868, died Sept. 13, 1887; Mina, born Nov. 23, 1869; Carrie, born June 16, 1871; and Victor, born March 11, 1873. The daughter Emily, who died, was a beautiful and highly accomplished young lady, possessing rare musical talents, and had been the organist of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church for a long time. She was a great favorite in society, and her untimely death was a sad blow to her family and numerous friends. The members of the church of which she was an ornament, and in which she was universally beloved, decided to erect a testimonial to her memory, which has taken the form of a beautiful stained glass window.
Mr. Rukgaber has borne an active part in local public affairs. He has served one year as Secretary of the Henry County Agricultural Society, and six years as a member of the Mt. Pleasant Board of Education. He is a member of Mt. Pleasant Lodge No. 8, A. F. & A. M.; Henry Lodge No. 10, I. O. O. F., and of McFarland Post No. 20, G. A. R., of which he is one of the charter members, and has been Junior Vice Commander. In politics he is a Republican, and has been active in all party affairs. Religiously he is a member of the Episcopal Church, his wife and children being also members of the same society. He is an honorable gentleman, courteous in his intercourse with the public, and capable and attentive in the discharge of the duties of his office, and is justly held in high esteem for his upright and manly character.
(Portrait and Biographical Album, Henry County, Iowa; Acme Publishing Company, Chicago, 1888, pp 242-243) (JC)