1)
Christian RUHL, 23, mason,
from DRACHHAUSEN
On March 10, 1905, Christian
RUHL left
HAMBURG,
GERMANY, on the ship “Pretoria;”
arriving at Ellis Island in New
York City, on 27 March 1905. His entry record
shows he was born in DRACHHAUSEN,
and is headed to
FORT MADISON,
IOWA, to the home of “Frau Detz” on
6th Street.
This could have been Dietsch; a possible Wendish name. The
letters under “relationship” appear to be “Cr. i. l.” Perhaps this
represents an “in law” and Frau Detz is a Wend.
Christian was born 6 May 1882, the illegitimate and
only child of Anna RUHL. His
grandparents included: RUHL,
BULKOW, SCHULZE, and RINZA.
He has not been identified in
FORT MADISON, IOWA records.
He would have had relatives
who had lived there including,
SCHLODDER, BUBNER, and
MEHLOW families. He is a first cousin one generation removed from
Matthes RUHL who immigrated
to State
Center area in 1903 earlier and had
died almost immediately, recorded in St Paul’s
church records in
STATE CENTER, IOWA.
Chris is the second
RUHL we have found, who
arrive in IOWA.
A postcard was found in the 1990’s, in an old shed
of Albert KOCH’S, who was ½
Wendish. It was written by Chris
RUHL from PLYMOUTH, WISCONSIN,
a small town near SHEYBOYGAN,
WISCONSIN, where other Wends had located. It
was addressed to Fred HANNUSCH
of
STATE CENTER,
IOWA, who was Albert’s brother in law. It
was sent in July, but the year is not readable. On the front side, he is
pictured with a friend, both dressed in working clothes.
On the backside he writes:
“Hello Friend, I love the guild of the brick layers!
Lovely Greetings, From Christ.
Ruhl.
Also Chris Feiner and..” The writing is a mix of
German and English words.
In 1910, he is living as a boarder in
SHEYBOYGAN, WI; listed as
Christ Ruhl, in the home of Peter Altrunger, as a “mason, builder.”
In 1920 he may be living in
ELCHO,
LANGLADE, WISCONSIN, about 150 miles north east of
SHEYBOYGAN. Here a single
man, CHRIST RUHL is found
living, listed as a Mason, working for a contractor.
He is living in the boarding house of William Sitze, with 13
other men and women, working in various professions. His age and year of
immigration are off by several years, but perhaps he was not present
when these questions were asked. There are only a few
CHRIST RUHL’S in the USA, so this is
likely him.
He is found in the 1930 US Federal Census, living
in a boarding house with 15 other men, in
MILWAUKEE,
WISCONSIN.
He is a 48 year old bricklayer for houses, who immigrated in 1905
He died 13 Jan 1970, at the age of 87, in
SAWYER COUNTY,
WISCONSIN, about 250 miles north east of
SHEYBOYGAN,
WISCONSIN. A solitary figure, he appears
never to marry and never is found living with Wendish family. Other’s
with the RUHL
name live in WISCONSIN, who might have been his relatives.
(Revised 11 Apr 2009)
