Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 441 - 442

DANIEL RUCKLE, a leading farmer and stock-raiser of Minneha Township, residing on section 1, is a native of Woodford County, Ill., and made his appearance upon the stage of life Dec. 22, 1843. He is the son of George and Nancy (Ayers) Ruckle, who were born, the father in Ireland, in 1802, and the mother in Pennsylvania, in 1805. The paternal grandfather of the subject of our sketch was a native of Ireland, who came to America. The grandmother was born in Pennsylvania, April 5, 1805, and is still living in Butler County, Kan., having survived her husband, who died in April, 1864. These old people were both members of the Baptist Church. The subject of our sketch was one of a family of ten children, born to his parents as follows: Wesley L.; Elizabeth; Mary Ann, Emily and Belinda, deceased; Barbara; George W., Benjamin and Francis, deceased, and Daniel, the subject of this sketch.

            Daniel Ruckle, whose parents were among the pioneers of Woodford County,, was reared on the broad prairies of his native township. He received his education in the common schools of the district, and assisted his father in the manual labor attendant upon his agricultural pursuits. When he had attained the age of twenty-seven years he removed to Livingston County, where he engaged in farming for one year, when he returned to the place of his birth. In 1873 he came to Kansas, and preempted the place where he is now living.

            The marriage ceremony which united the destinies of Daniel Ruckle and Miss Melissa Jenkins took place upon the 5th of March, 1866, in Woodford County, Ill. The lady of his choice was born March 30, 1849, in Mercer County, Ohio, where she was reared until attaining womanhood. When she was sixteen years old, her parents left the Buckeye State, and located in Vermilion County, Ill., where they remained but a short time. They then removed to Tazewell County, and from thence to Woodford. She is the daughter of Ephraim and Elizabeth (Glover) Jenkins, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively. She is one of a family of nine children born to her father and mother, viz: George W., Cynthia Ann, William, John, Melissa J., Francis, Samuel, Nathaniel and Joseph. Her parents were active and consistent Christians, and were members of the Baptist Church.

            Mr. Ruckle came to this State with but $140 in his pocket. He was a cripple, having had his hip dislocated by his uncontrolled actions during the delirium attendant on an attack of typhoid fever when seventeen years of age. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, by economy and diligence in business, he has acquired a handsome property, and is in easy circumstances financially. Perseverance, energy, and a natural shrewd business tact, have elevated him from comparative poverty to a place among the well-to-do farmers of this locality. Possessing the Spartan virtues of sobriety, honesty and industry, he enjoys the respect and esteem of the entire community. He and his wife, and two children, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and endeavor to lead Christian lives.

            Mr. and Mrs. Ruckle are the parents of ten children, as follows: Emil Ozias; Lorenza and Scottie, deceased; Ida Bell, Effie E., William Michael, Lewis Oscar, Homer, Cora Annetta and George Macklin. The parents have endeavored to give each of the children as liberal an education as their means would permit of, and the family is a very united and happy one. In politics, Mr. Ruckle is a strong Democrat; seeing in the principles of Jefferson and Jackson the true administration of a free Government, "of the people, by the people, and for the people."

            The subject of this sketch has an extensive farm of 320 acres of land, which is of a very high quality, and all brought under a high state of tillage. He has judiciously hedged it off into 40-acre lots for his convenience. On it he has erected a spacious and comfortable dwelling-house, two capacious barns and other out-buildings. A well that penetrates the earth to the depth of fifty feet affords an inexhaustible supply of most excellent water.

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