Richland County, Ohio, pioneer and entryman.

Elizabeth Prosser, a daughter of Hannah and Isaac Prosser, was born and grew up in Baltimore County, Maryland. Elizabeth Prosser and George Ruhl were married on 15 January 1807 in Baltimore County. The couple lived there and in neighboring York County, Pennsylvania, where their four eldest children were born. The Ruhl family moved in 1814 to Perry Township, Richland County, Ohio, where another 13 children were born.

The 17 children of Elizabeth and George Ruhl are:
• Washington †
• Levi
• Amos
• Jeremiah
• Adam
• Charles
• David †
• Isaac
• William
• Sarah Ann "Sally"
• Hannah
• John
• George
• Henry
• Elias †
• Elizabeth
• Elijah
Fourteen of these children were named in their father's 1842 will. († Predeceased father.)

"Elizabeth Ruhl of Richland County, Ohio" received on 6 August 1834 the patent for 80 acres in Section 30 of Township 19, Range 20, then in Richland County, Ohio's, Bloomfield Township, now in Morrow County, Ohio's, North Bloomfield Township. (U.S. Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records; image of original patent.)

After her husband's death in 1842, Elizabeth Ruhl remained on the family's farm in Perry Township until relocating in 1868 to Hickory Township, Holt County, Missouri, where she lived with her son William.

"Elizabeth Ruhl widow of George Ruhl Private Captain Gore's Company Maryland Militia War of 1812" received on 25 April 1871 for her late husband's military service a warrant for 160 acres of bounty land in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Warrant was assigned to William Van Marter, and thence to William E. Rogers. (U.S. Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records; image of original warrant.)

"The history of an old lady, Mrs. Elizabeth Ruhl, residing south of Maryville two miles, is quite interesting. She has attained the age of ninety-eight years and six months. She was born and raised in Baltimore county, Maryland. She and her husband emigrated to Ohio in 1814, remaining there until the year 1868, when she and one of her sons [William] came to Missouri. This old lady had raised 17 children, 3 daughters and 14 sons; she has 87 [grand]children and 121 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren. She lived on one farm in Ohio more than 53 years. Seven of her sons mowed together in the same field. She has been a member of the Lutheran church for more than 75 years. She has been a widow for 38 years and has been blind for over 20 years. She is drawing a pension for the services of her husband in the war of 1812. Her father, Mr. Prosser, drove a continental wagon in the Revolutionary war. Until within the last two or three weeks Mrs. Ruhl has been able to walk from one room to another, but for several days she has been confined to her bed though she does not seem to be suffering much pain. ("Nearly One-Hundred Years Old: Such is the Ripe Old Age of Mrs. Elizabeth Ruhl," The Nodaway Democrat, Marysville, Missouri, 19 May 1881, p. 2.)

"—Mrs. Elizabeth Ruhl, of whom we made mention in last week's issue as having nearly reached one hundred years of age, died last Saturday [21 May 1881] and was buried the following Sunday at the Baptist church on the White Cloud, Rev. A. D. Workman preaching the funeral sermon." ("Round-Abouts," The Nodaway Democrat, Marysville, Missouri, 26 May 1881, p. 3.)

Notes

Date of birth calculated from headstone inscription.

1850 U.S. Census, Dist. 129, Perry Twp., Richland Co., Ohio; dwelling 45, family 45, lines 20-29, p. 414 (printed), p. 829 (written) 10 Sep 1850.
20. William Rhule, 30, farmer ($6,000), Ohio.
21. Mary Rhule, 21, Pa.
22. Amos -----, 3, Ohio.
23. Martha -----, 8/12, Ohio.
24. Elisabeth Rhule, 65, Pa.
25. Henry Rhule, 23, laborer, Ohio.
26. George Rhule, 24, laborer ($1,200), Ohio.
27. Elisabeth Rhule, 17, Ohio
28. Elijah Rhule, 16, laborer, Ohio.
29. Levi Baker, 19, laborer, Ohio.
• The elder Elizabeth Ruhl's son Levi enumerated on same page in dwelling 47. The younger Elizabeth Ruhl, age 17, may be Levi Ruhl's daughter and the elder Elizabeth Ruhl's granddaughter.

Mrs. Eliabeth Ruhl bio. in: "Almost a Centennarian," Holt County Sentinel, Oregon, Missouri, 7 Jul 1876, p. 3, col. 1.

1880 U.S. Census, E.D. 263, Polk Twp., Nodaway Co., Missouri; dwelling 40, family 41, lines 44-48, p. 223 (printed) p. 5 (written), 3 Jun 1880.
44. Ruhl, Wm., 59, farmer, Ohio, father and mother born in Pennsylvania.
45. ----- May [Mary], 53, wife, keeping house, Pennsylvania.
46. ----- Willard, 22, son, farming, Ohio.
47. ----- May [Mary], 17, son [sic], farming, Ohio.
48. Ruhl, Elizabeth, 97 (widowed), mother, Pennsylvania, father and mother born in Pennsylvania.

Reviewed 23 July 2023.