Biographical Sketch of Gideon T. RUTH (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 481-2. "GIDEON T. RUTH, one of the substantial citizens of Duffryn Mawr, is a son of Isaac and Julia (Thomas) Ruth, and was born at that place April 4, 1847. His father, a prosperous farmer of Chester county, was a native of East Goshen township, where he was born in 1800, but lived chiefly during his lifetime on the farm still owned by his son, Gideon, which originally comprised one hundred and fifty acres of the most valuable land in the northern part of Willistown township, and is now almost entirely included in the present site of the village of Malvern. He was a stanch whig in politics, and latterly as stanch a republican , through which party he held various township offices. He was a member of the Baptist church, with the principles and doctrines of which he lived in the strictest accordance, having been a deacon for thirty-seven years, and held other official positions in the church. "He was early married to Julia Ann Thomas, whose father, Mordecai, lived near Malvern, being a resident almost all his life of Chester county. He was an ardent patriot, and served in the war of 1812. He and his wife, Catherine, were the parents of four sons and two daughters: Hazaiel, Philip, Newton, Gideon, Julia Ann (mother of the subject of this sketch), and Mary Ritner. Mordecai Thomas died in March, 1850, at the age of seventy-three years. "Isaac and Julia Ann Ruth had a family of nine children, the youngest of whom was Gideon. In order of age they were: Catherine, married to Joseph A. Malin, a farmer; Mordecai, a banker; Elizabeth, married to Milton Kurtz, a farmer in Willistown township, Chester county; Sarah, married Davis Lapp, of East Whiteland township; Isaac Miles; David; James A.; A. Judson, and Gideon. Isaac Miles served three years, while Mordecai and David each served three months in the civil war. In 1872 Isaac Ruth died at the age of seventy-two years. "The subject of the present sketch received his education in the public schools of Willistown, after which he was employed for some time in farm- ing. He devoted several years to this interest, and then went into the boot and shoe business, in which as one of the firm of Campbell & Ruth, he was successfully engaged for five years. He has twice been married, but has no children. His first wife, Esther A. Supplee, died in January, 1881. A. Clara Supplee, his present wife, is a niece of his former wife. Mr. Ruth holds the same religious faith and entertains the political prin- ciples of his father, for he is a republican, and a devoted member of the Baptist church, in which he is a deacon, and has occupied other prominent positions. He lives at present a quiet and retired life in his country home, which he has surrounded with all the substantial comforts of the present age. "His life has been unpretentious but straightforward, and he has been use- ful in the community as a neighbor, a citizen and a man whose endeavors have always been for the welfare of others as well as for his own success."