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Richard C. Ruth's Family

WaterfordTrinity Without (Waterford)

Hello,

 

I am attempting to locate my grandfather's birthplace, family, etc. Here's what I know. He came to New York City possibly in the 1890s. He appears to have been born in the 1870s. He reported himself as "being from Limerick" but we can't seem to track him to there at all, although there are some Ruths listed there and they may have been related. For instance, there is a Richard, but he was born in 1883, too late for him to have immigrated by 1900. (I can find my grandfather on the US Census in 1900).

He had one sister, Johanna, and she emigrated as well, possibly before him. Johanna and Richard may be the children of William Ruth and Mary Phelan Ruth, of Trinity Without. If that is so, I would love to confirm it. I feel Cornelius is such a unique middle name (one that he despised!) but it may help us here.

Thank you for any and all information you can find.

 

Sincerely,

Betty J. Ruth

bjruth@bu.edu

IrelandXO member

3 replies

According to the Ellis Island New York arrival records, Richard Ruth was from Cappamore, County Limerick

First Name: Richard
Last Name: Ruth
Ethnicity: Ireland, Irish
Last Place of Residence: Cappamore
Date of Arrival: Aug 28, 1903
Age at Arrival:  30y    Gender:  M    Marital Status:  M  
Ship of Travel: Carpathia
Port of Departure: Queenstown

According to the above full record he was 30 years of age and already married at arrival in New York

He was a labourer and heading for Pittsburg, at the question where he was going to stay or was he going to stay with relatives he answered : O'Donnelly's Hunt Club, Pittsburgh PA

I have a feeling that is your Richard, all seem to match, meaning he did not leave Ireland till 1903

Possibly he is related to the Ruth family from the 1901 census , but the Richard on the 1901 census is not your Richard as he was still living with his parents in 1911.

it is possible that Richard spent some time elsewhere before emigrating , even England is an option that would explain why he can not be found on the 1901 census, another option is that his name is spelled wrong on a census record and there for can not be found

 

 

Residents of a house 2 in Fairfidd Lane, Cappamore Town (Cappamore, Limerick)

Ruth Michael 48 Male Head of Family R Catholic Co Limerick Agricultural Labourer Cannot read - Married -
Ruth Mary 40 Female Wife R Catholic Co Limerick - Cannot read - Married -
Ruth Sarah 20 Female Daughter R Catholic Co Limerick Scholar Cannot read - Not Married -
Ruth Richard 14 Male Son R Catholic Co Limerick Scholar Cannot read - Not Married -
Ruth Catherine 12 Female Daughter R Catholic Co Limerick Scholar Cannot read - Not Married -
Ruth Cornelius 10 Male Son R Catholic Co Limerick Scholar Cannot read - Not Married -
Ruth Bridget 7 Female Daughter R Catholic Co Limerick Scholar Cannot read - Not Married -
Ruth William 5 Male Son R Catholic Co Limerick Scholar Cannot read -

Hope this helps

 

Annemarie

Mallow CorkIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Anniemarie:

Thank you for your detective work. It is possible that this is he. I'm just so confused because of the following:

I know for sure that  he  had a sister Johanna who preceded him to NYC and who married Edwin Jones and lived on Long Island NYC, but I know nothing more about them. So from my prowling around the records on RootsIReland (which is very expensive!) , I can tell there is a family from Waterford (William Ruth and Mary Phelan Ruth) who gave birth to both a Johanna and a Richard Cornelius Ruth. They lived in Trinity Without and in the Waterford family, Richard Cornelius was born Sept 2, 1883. Johanna was born April 10, 1881. This would seem like the right family BUT,  he told everyone he was from Limerick and he never mentioned Waterford. Yet I suppose he could have made his way around Ireland yes? Or that this Limerick family is related to the Waterford people?

I do know that he had been married before he married my grandmother Catherine Gibbons. I don't know of any children they had together but she died in a tenement fall, hanging laundry on  line outside in Brooklyn. But they must have married by 1905 or so, because my Nana Catherine gave birth to my Aunt Dede (Bridget or Edith, depending on the census you consult) in 1908 and my father James Francis, in 1909.

He never made it to Pittsburgh once here, at least I don't think so. But as you point out, people may have wandered around. By 1910, my grandfather is most definitely on the US Census below.

So, what you suggest is very possibly true, but this does raise the question about Johanna. Who or where was she? I never met my grandfather and grandmother and my much old siblings recall her as his sister, but perhaps she is a cousin?

On othe tidbit: my father said his father was a "Lot older than he let on" when he died. I am having trouble getting the NYC death certificate on him.

More importantly, how will I ever find out?

Thank you for trying on my behalf. Any additional information is most welcome including any suggestions of where to look. I don't want to bother anyone, but if we knew of some Ruths in Limerick or Waterford who had done their own trees, it might really help.

Thank you very much!

Betty J Ruth

Name:Richard RuthAge in 1910:32Birth Year:abt 1878
[1878] Birthplace:IrelandHome in 1910:Brooklyn Ward 12, Kings, New YorkRace:WhiteGender:MaleImmigration Year:1892Relation to Head of House:Self (Head)
[Head] Marital Status:MarriedSpouse's Name:Catherine RuthFather's Birthplace:IrelandMother's Birthplace:IrelandNeighbors:View others on pageHousehold Members:NameAgeRichard Ruth32Catherine Ruth34Bridget Ruth2James Ruth0
[11/12]  

 

IrelandXO member

Hi Anniemarie:

Thank you for your detective work. It is possible that this is he. I'm just so confused because of the following:

I know for sure that  he  had a sister Johanna who preceded him to NYC and who married Edwin Jones and lived on Long Island NYC, but I know nothing more about them. So from my prowling around the records on RootsIReland (which is very expensive!) , I can tell there is a family from Waterford (William Ruth and Mary Phelan Ruth) who gave birth to both a Johanna and a Richard Cornelius Ruth. They lived in Trinity Without and in the Waterford family, Richard Cornelius was born Sept 2, 1883. Johanna was born April 10, 1881. This would seem like the right family BUT,  he told everyone he was from Limerick and he never mentioned Waterford. Yet I suppose he could have made his way around Ireland yes? Or that this Limerick family is related to the Waterford people?

I do know that he had been married before he married my grandmother Catherine Gibbons. I don't know of any children they had together but she died in a tenement fall, hanging laundry on  line outside in Brooklyn. But they must have married by 1905 or so, because my Nana Catherine gave birth to my Aunt Dede (Bridget or Edith, depending on the census you consult) in 1908 and my father James Francis, in 1909.

He never made it to Pittsburgh once here, at least I don't think so. But as you point out, people may have wandered around. By 1910, my grandfather is most definitely on the US Census below.

So, what you suggest is very possibly true, but this does raise the question about Johanna. Who or where was she? I never met my grandfather and grandmother and my much old siblings recall her as his sister, but perhaps she is a cousin?

On othe tidbit: my father said his father was a "Lot older than he let on" when he died. I am having trouble getting the NYC death certificate on him.

More importantly, how will I ever find out?

Thank you for trying on my behalf. Any additional information is most welcome including any suggestions of where to look. I don't want to bother anyone, but if we knew of some Ruths in Limerick or Waterford who had done their own trees, it might really help.

Thank you very much!

Betty J Ruth

Name:Richard RuthAge in 1910:32Birth Year:abt 1878
[1878] Birthplace:IrelandHome in 1910:Brooklyn Ward 12, Kings, New YorkRace:WhiteGender:MaleImmigration Year:1892Relation to Head of House:Self (Head)
[Head] Marital Status:MarriedSpouse's Name:Catherine RuthFather's Birthplace:IrelandMother's Birthplace:IrelandNeighbors:View others on pageHousehold Members:NameAgeRichard Ruth32Catherine Ruth34Bridget Ruth2James Ruth0
[11/12]  

 

IrelandXO member

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