John E Ruble

John came to Jo Daviess County in 1842, and became quite prominent among the pioneers of this section of Illinois. He first purchased a settler's claim of Lewis Harrison, comprising 300 acres of wild land on which stood a rude log cabin without any floor, the roof covered with clapboards, and the door with the primitive wooden latch and string. Mr. Ruble lost his first claim. He therefore had to purchase another tract of the Government, which comprised 250 acres of land of exceptional fertility and by persistent industry and wise economy became prosperous, and improved a valuable and highly cultivated farm, with good buildings and everything to conduct farming after the most approved methods. He subsequently sold a part of his estate to Jacob Ruble. Mr. Ruble's death occurred Jan. 16, 1886, at the age of eighty-one years and a few days. He was a man of exemplary habits, and during his long life and his many years' residence in this locality none knew him but to respect him. His wife, whose maiden name was Julia A. Parkinson, was born in Centre County, Pa. They had three sons in the late Civil War-James, Lewis, and William. James, a member of the 15th Illinois Infantry, died soon after enlisting; Lewis was a Sergeant in the Missouri Cavalry. When Mr. and Mrs. Ruble came to this part of the country from their old home in Pennsylvania, they were thirty days on the road, arriving here July 3, 1842. They found the country in a wild state with but few settlers in this vicinity; there being but two houses in sight of their farm when they located on it.