Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Rueger, John 1863 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 21, 2007, 11:39 pm

Author: Emma E. Forter (1917)

JOHN RUEGER.

    Among the many well-known residents and successful farmers and stockmen of
Guittard township, Marshall county, is John Rueger, who was born in Sauk county,
Wisconsin, on September 8, 1863, the son of Leonard and Leona Rueger.

    Leonard Rueger was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1820, and there received his
education in the public schools and grew to manhood. When but a young man he
left his native land and came to the United States, and after his arrival in
this country he proceeded at once to Wisconsin, where he engaged in general
farming until 1874. He then came to Kansas and located in Balderson township,
Marshall county, where he first purchased eighty acres of land, on which he
built a log house, in which he and his family lived for a number of years. After
having settled on the land he at once engaged in the breaking of the tract, and
with his oxen he soon had some of the farm under cultivation. He later purchased
another one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he sold to his sons, and at
the time of his death in 1888 he was the owner of eighty acres of excellent land.

    Leonard Rueger was first married to Leona Rueger and by her he was the
father of five children, of whom John was the youngest. After the death of Leona
Rueger, Leonard Rueger was later married to Roseine Wendle, and to this union
two children were born. Mrs. Rueger is now living in western Kansas at the age
of eighty-one years. Mr. Rueger and his family were active members of the
Catholic church and were for many years prominent in the social life of the
community in which they lived, and where they were held in the highest regard
and esteem.

    John Rueger received his education in the local schools, and was ten years
of age when he came to Kansas with his parents. As a lad he began working for
six dollars per month on the farm, and for thirty-one years he worked for Xavier
Guittard, who owned the section of land, where John Rueger now owns one hundred
and sixty acres. Mr. Rueger purchased the tract from Mr. Guittard, having earned
the money during his many years of labor on the place. In addition to this one
hundred and sixty acres of excellent land, he is the owner of another eighty
acres, that he has added to his original place. He is engaged in general farming
and stock-raising with much success and keeps a fine lot of Durham cattle and
many fine hogs. He is also a shareholder in the Union elevator at Beattie, and
is recognized as one of the prominent and successful residents of the township.

    In 1907 John Rueger was married to Mary Wiler, who was born in Switzerland
on February 26, 1878, and is the daughter of Christ and Elizabeth, (Street)
Wiler. Mr. and Mrs. Wiler were also natives of that country and there they
received their education in the public schools, grew to maturity and were
married. After their marriage they continued to live in the land of their
nativity until 1881, when they decided that they would come to the United
States. On arriving in this country they located in Balderson township, Marshall
county, where they lived nine years, after which they moved to Oklahoma, where
they lived until the time of their deaths some years ago. They were the parents
of seven children, all of whom are now living.

    To John and Mary Rueger have been born two children, Arthur F., who was born
on February 10, 1908, and Eugene J., born on January 7, 1913. Mr. and Mrs.
Rueger are devout members of the Catholic church and have long been prominent in
the social life of the district. They have always taken a keen interest in the
development of the educational and the social life of the community, and are
held in the highest regard for their many excellent qualities.

    Mr. Rueger has seen many changes in the country since as a lad he herded
cattle for Guittard. During those early days much of the country was a wild
tract of prairie land, and at times not less than four hundred Indians were
encamped not far from the present home of Mr. Rueger.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions
by
Emma E. Forter

Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917)



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