Pendleton County, West Virginia Biography of Isaac Newton RUDDLE ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Sue Schell , March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, Pg. 324 & 325 BIO: Isaac Newton Ruddle, Pendleton, Co., WV Isaac Newton Ruddle. Of the citizens of Pendleton County who have established excellent records in public and private life, one whose career has been an active and useful one is Isaac Newton Ruddle, high sheriff. Prior to concentrating his entire attention upon the duties of sheriff, he was for many years identified with farming and stockraising interests, in which he still retains large and important holdings, and before that, in his younger years, was one of his locality’s popular and efficient school teachers. Sheriff Ruddle was born in Mill Run District, Pendleton County, November 12, 1857, and is the son of John N. and Mary Elizabeth (Eye) Ruddle. The original spelling of the family name was “Riddle,” borne by the great-grandfather of Sheriff Ruddle, John Riddle, who immigrated from his English birthplace to America and with his young wife settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, where he assisted in the clearing and development of the region and rounded out his life in the pursuits of the soil. Among his children were: Isaac, the grandfather of Sheriff Ruddle; George and John, who remained in Rockingham County and there died; and two daughters, Polly and Deborah, Isaac Riddle was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, where he engaged in farming for some years, but later came to Pendleton County, where he died. He married Deborah Nesbitt, and they became the parents of the following children: John, the father of Sheriff Ruddle; Joseph, who fought in the Confederate Army during the war between the states; Mary Jane, who never married; Sarah, who became the wife of David Hulva; Harriet, the sole survivor of the family living in Rockingham County, unmarried and aged eighty-four years; and Louisa, who never married. John N. Riddle (or-Ruddle) was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a lad when brought by his parents to Pendleton County. When the war between the states come on he offered his services, and through a mistake in his enlistment papers his name appeared as John N. Ruddle, and he was thereafter known by that name. He became a member of the Sixty-second Virginia Calvary and was a non-commissioned officer of his company, his regiment forming a part of General Imboden’s command. He took part in the engagement at Newmarket and the great battle of Gettysburg, in addition to numerous other fights, in one of which he was struck in the back by a spent bullet, which did not lead to serious consequences. He participated also in the final act of the great struggle, but was not present at the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox. Following the close of the war John Ruddle went back to the farm and applied himself to agriculture during the years that followed and until his death. No public service of an official character appealed to him, and the part which he took in politics was only that of a private citizen and a democratic voter. He made no public announcement of belonging to any religious denomination but was a believer and a Christian. He belonged to the Confederate Veterans. In Pendleton County Mr. Ruddle was united in marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Eye, a daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Swadley) Eye, of German stock, farming people of the Sugar Grove locality of Pendleton County. Mrs. Ruddle died 1908, her husband surviving her until February 17, 1912. They were the parents of the following children: William Pendleton, who carries on operations on his parents’ old farm in Pendleton County; Isaac Newton, of this review; Sarah K., who married John Cook and resides at Maquoketa, Iowa; Alice, who is unmarried and lives with her brother, Isaac N; Virginia H., who married John Moyers, now deceased, of Harrisonburg, Virginia; Mary Emily, who married Jacob Cowger, of Mount Jackson, Virginia; and Maude, who married Floyd Simmons, of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Isaac Newton Ruddle was educated in the public schools of his home community and assisted his father and brothers on the home farm until he reached his twenty-first year. When he commenced a career of his own he engaged in teaching school, and for twenty-five years carried on educational work, in the meantime spending the summer months in farming. When he abandoned the school room he gave his full attention to the raising of stock and farming, and through good management and industry he has acquired 600 acres of land, about one-fourth of which is under cultivation and producing large annual crops. Mr. Ruddle is a firm believer in the efficacy of modern scientific farming, and farm journals and periodicals dealing with improved methods of agriculture and stock raising are to be seen on the tables and shelves in his pleasant home. Mr. Ruddle is also a firm believer in the value of education. He has been identified with the public school system of his district as a trustee and encouraging patron, and was a member of the County Text-Book Board when that arrangement prevailed. Likewise, he has served Mill Run District as justice of the peace. He has always co-operated with other democrats in his community. He cast his first presidential vote in 1880, for General Hancock, and has voted his party ticket in every election since. In 1908 he first became a candidate for sheriff of Pendleton County, an office to which he was nominated and elected, and succeeded Sheriff Okey Mauzy. After serving one term he retired to his private affairs, but in 1920 again entered the race for the shrievalty against competition in the primary and secured the nomination. There was no opposition in the election which followed, and he went into office with the unanimous voice of the voters back of him succeeding Sheriff Keyser, who ia a merchant and farmer at Sugar Grove. The routine of the sheriff’s office now holds Sheriff Ruddle’s entire attention, the care of the prisoners, the attendance on the sessions of the Circuit Court, the collection of taxes and the distribution of the school funds being chief among the duties devolving upon him. On April 10 1886, Sheriff Ruddle married in Pendleton County Miss Emma Susan Dahmer, a daughter of Reuben and Sarah (Hammer) Dahmer. Mr. Dahmer was a farmer, and both he and his wife were born in Pendletown County. They had the following children: Phoebe, the wife of Isaac Lough; Edward; Isaac; Emma Susan, now Mrs. Ruddle, born in 1864; and Hendren and Hammer, twins. To Mr. and Mrs. Ruddle there have been born the following children: Edward Claude, Whitney Hammer, Isaac Saylor; Reta, the wife of Melvin Eye; Roy C.; Decatur Newton; John P.; Catherine; Dee; Ralph; and Anna. Roy C. and Whitney H. were both soldiers during the World war and both saw active service in France, taking part in the great Argonne drive and going into Germany with the Army of Occupation. Roy C. was a member of the Eightieth Division, both being infantrymen. The latter was wounded by a shell fragment and also suffered from a German gas attack, but returned home safely, and is now engaged in farming on the home place. He is unmarried. Roy C. married Miss Leta Simmons.