My Genealogy Hound

LEWIS RUDY, who is one of the most successful farmers of Johnson County, has a fine estate in township 45, range 25. He is a native of New York, and was born in Tompkins County, November 15, 1825. His parents, Henry and Ellen (Owens) Rudy, were both natives of the Empire State, the former born in the year 1803, and the latter in 1805.

The father of our subject became one of the wealthy agriculturists of Tompkins County, dying there at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He started out in life when young m years, earning his first money by making a trip to Philadelphia, Pa., with a drove of cattle, receiving there- for fifty cents per day. December 27, 1824, he married Miss Ellen Owen, who was then living with her uncle, Jonathan Owen. They started in life together in a log house on her father’s farm in Tompkins County, and in three years’ time had saved about $100. They continued to be industrious and economical, and soon had enough laid by to make their first purchase of land, which consisted of one hundred and twenty-five acres located in that county. Trumansburg was the nearest trading-point and postoffice. and Mr. Rudy remembers when there were but four houses in that now flourishing town. He also owned a farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres near Reynoldsville, Schuyler County, N. Y.

Our subject was the eldest member of the parental household. His brothers and sisters were Lucy Ann, Minor, John, Henry, Mary E., James F., William N. and Juliette. They were all educated in the common schools of Tompkins County, with the exception of Henry, who attended the academy at Trumansburg, and afterward taught school in Iowa. The father of this family was a strong believer in the faith of the Baptist Church, and took an active part in the work of the same.

The following lines were written by Mrs. Rudy after the death of her husband, which occurred in Tompkins County, N. Y., December 14, 1893:

The boon hath come that he waited so long,
For the unstrung nerves and the weary brain,
‘Til a world refreshed was awake again.
And he sleeps at last.

While a day that came from the land of the blest.
Went back through the gates of pearl in the west,
We laid him down to his dreamless rest,
To sleep in peace.

The loudest thunder above him may peal,
And the earth with a shock may quake and reel.
Constraining the prayerless for mercy to kneel
To sleep in peace.

‘Mid the quiet so soothing to every heart
That is weary of toiling and jostling in mart
And loves the still hours of communing apart
He is at rest.

Kind father, dear father, slumber on
Where we will join thee one by one;
When in God’s own time our work is done,
We will meet thee in heaven at last.

One year after attaining his majority our subject started out in life for himself, locating on a tract of land which had been given him by his father. While living there he was married to Miss Louisa Smith, a native of Tompkins County, who was born October 4, 1830. She was the daughter of Christopher Smith, a native of Schuyler County, N. Y., and departed this life October 3, 1858. While a resident of the above farm, which was located in Tompkins County, Mr. Rudy owned and operated for twenty years the first threshing-machine ever used in that section. By Mr. Rudy’s first marriage were born four children, two of whom died in infancy. Ella L., born in 1854, married J. Buggs, and now makes her home in her native county in New York. Charles, born in 1857, left home when fourteen years of age, and is now a resident of Oklahoma.

Two years after the death of his first wife our subject was married to Miss Martha Wood, who was born March 7, 1838, and who was a daughter of David Wood, of Tompkins County. They continued to reside there until 1868, when, having heard much about the splendid climate of Missouri, they came hither, coming direct to Johnson County. Mr. Rudy had visited the state seven months previously and purchased the quarter-section on which he now lives, paying there-for $25 per acre. The land was then occupied by a man of the name of Mulky, and it was he who named the great Mulky Creek in this county. Mr. Rudy and his family are still living in the old house which stood on the farm at the time it was purchased.

To Mr. Rudy and his second wife there were born three children. Augusta, whose birth occurred August 2, 1860, is married, and now lives in Battle Creek, Mich.; Hattie M., born September 17, 1863, became the wife of John G. Townsent, of Rochester, N. Y., in which city they now live; Flora, born May 5, 1866, makes her home with her sister in New York.

The present wife of our subject was formerly Mrs. Mary M. (Neal) Amlin, who was born in Belmont County, Ohio, October 25, 1842. She was the daughter of Capt. Thomas and Clarissa (Colly) Neal, of Fayette County, Pa., who later removed to Ohio and engaged in farming in Belmont County. They were living in Monroe County during the war, and Mr. Neal enlisted, becoming Captain of Company C, Second Virginia Cavalry. He later resigned his commission and returned to Belmont County, where he lived until 1869, the year in which he came to Missouri. He at once located in Johnson County, engaging in farming and stock-raising until 1876, when he removed to Pratt County, Kan., where he is still living on a good farm. Mrs. Neal departed this life in Johnson County, May 23, 1870.

Mrs. Mary M. Rudy was first married, August 9, 1866, to George G. Amlin, of Washington County, Ohio, where he plied his trade of shoe-maker. He served in the late war as a member of Company C, Second Virginia Cavalry, as bugler. After his marriage he lived in Washington County until his death, January 3, 1870. To them was born a daughter, Alice G., May 1, 1867. She was the wife of Dr. Rollin G. Smith, and died in Kansas, August 12, 1889.

To our subject and his present wife there have been born five children. Rose was born May 1, 1872, and is living at home and engaged in teaching school. Leslie N. was born July 23, 1874, and is attending the normal school at Warrensburg; Lulu N. was born January 29, 1879, and is also attending the normal; Ray was born January 3, 1877, and died March 3 of that year; Nellie was born October 12, 1882, and died January 26 of the following year.

Mr. Rudy has disposed of twenty-one acres of his land by sale, so that he now has in his possession one hundred and thirty-nine acres. He has filled office acceptably in the capacity of School Director and has also been Road Overseer. Until three years ago he voted the Republican ticket. Now, however, he is a Third Party man. Both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church North, meeting with the congregation at Warrensburg.