Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Ruth, John S.
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009

Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887
New Britain Township


   JOHN S. RUTH farmer, P.O. Chalfont, is a native of this 
township, and was born in 1845.  David, his 
great-grandfather, came from Switzerland.  Joseph, a son of 
this early settler, married Sallie Price, of Montgomery 
county (now 90 years old, with fair intellect), and by her 
had three sons and two daughters, all living, with the 
exception of one daughter.  Henry, the oldest son, married 
Magdalena, daughter of John Swartley, a descendant of Philip 
Swartley, who came from the town of Ebengen, Germany, in 
1782, and married Sallie Rosenberger, of Montgomery county.  
This couple lived to a ripe old age, and owned the farm now 
occupied by Abraham G. Ruth.  John S. and Joseph S. are the 
sons born to Henry and Magdalena.  Ambitious to engage in 
the practical concerns of life, our subject abandoned school 
at the age of 13, and for the next twenty-three years 
devoted his time to farming, produce commission business and 
traveling.  In 1874 he married Sallie Swartley, now 
deceased.  She bore him two sons, Harry and Frank, both 
living.  Mr. Ruth was married, in 1882 to Annie E., daughter 
of Lewis Seifer, a well-to-do farmer of Richland township, 
this county.  In 1874 he purchased the farm where he was 
born and reared, and where he remained till 1882.  In 1879 
he was elected a director of the Union National bank of 
Souderton, in which capacity he still serves.  He was 
engaged in the mercantile business at Chalfont for two 
years, then moved to his present home.  He has for some time 
made a special study of phrenology, and his clear conception 
of men indicates conclusively there is in the science a 
great percentage of truthfulness.  Both he and his wife are 
members of the Mennonite church, and he is a republican.