BIOGRAPHY: Dr. William S. RUTHRAUFF, Cambria County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann 
Olsen. 

Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty 
Mirovich and Sharon Ringler.

USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives 
remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in 
accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of 
providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by 
anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities 
so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including 
copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to 
uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ 
____________________________________________________________

From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 334
____________________________________________________________

DR. WILLIAM S. RUTHRAUFF, a physician of Mountaindale, this county, is a son of 
William and Mary (Snyder) Ruthrauff, and was born in Weshammock, Mercer county, 
Pennsylvania, April 21, 1849.
     His paternal great-grandfather was a native of Germany, whence he emigrated 
to, and became one of the early pioneer settlers of Baltimore, Maryland. Jacob 
Ruthrauff (grandfather) was born in Maryland, and for many years was extensively 
engaged in the distillery business in Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland. His 
son, William Ruthrauff, the father of our subject, was born in Hagerstown in 
October, 1818. Early in life he removed to Mercer county, where he followed 
farming all his life, and, in connection with his agricultural pursuits, was 
extensively engaged in stock-raising. He died February 13, 1856. He married Miss 
Mary, a daughter of Andrew Snyder, a pioneer settler of Westmoreland county, 
Pennsylvania, who witnessed the many changes which took place in the development 
of western Pennsylvania, and late in life removed to Mercer county, where he 
died. Their union resulted in the birth of the following children: Elihu, a 
farmer of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania; Hiram, a general contractor and builder 
of Coffeyville, Kansas; Andrew, located in Arkansas; William S., and Aaron, a 
book-keeper located in Coffeyville, Kansas.
     William S. Ruthrauff was reared a farmer boy, and remained at the old 
homestead until he reached the age of fifteen years. He received his elementary 
education in the common schools. He subsequently entered the University of 
Wooster, Ohio, and graduated from the medical department of that institution in 
1876. Immediately after graduating he located at Kelloggsville, Ohio, where he 
practiced his profession two years, and then removed to Enon Valley, 
Pennsylvania; he remained there two years, and then in 1882 removed to his 
present location at Mountaindale, this county, where he soon secured a good 
practice, which has since steadily increased. He has a live interest in his 
profession and its advancement, and avails himself of every organized effort in 
society form, thus adding to his own experience the result of the experience of 
other physicians, and laboring worthily in common with progressive members of 
the profession to build up the science of medicine and alleviate the suffering 
of the sick. He is a member of the Mercer County Medical society and of the 
State Medical association of Ohio. Dr. Ruthrauff is a staunch adherent to the 
principles of the Republican party. He holds a membership in Wheatland Lodge, 
No. 160, Knights of Pythias, and in Mountaindale Castle, No. 420, Knights of the 
Golden Eagle.
     On October 18, 1871, Dr. Ruthrauff was united in marriage with Miss 
Elizabeth Boone, a daughter of Charles Boone, a lineal descendant of Colonel 
Daniel Boone's family, and their union has resulted in the birth of three 
daughters: Flora, the wife of Charles Dean, of Du Bois, Pennsylvania; Carrie, 
and Grace.