Joseph Walker Ruckman ^{2 3 4 5 6}

  General Notes:

Family tradition has it that on July 4, 1876 he was working in his father's field and some friends went by who were going to town to celebrate. His father refused to let him join them, so he worked to the end of the field and then took off, not returning home till Christmas of 1901. He worked various jobs (farm hand, butcher, hotel manager in Deer Park, Illinois) till 1902 when he got a job with the CM St. P&P Railroad which he kept till 1929. He ended up as a station boss and at one time or another all nine of his sons and a grandson (Earl) worked for him.
1880 possibly the Joseph Ruckman age 19 b. VA parents b VA living with the Washington Allman family in Franklin Twp., Marshall Co. WVA- listed as a farmer.
1897 living in Deer Park, LaSalle Co., Illinois;
1899 living in Oglesby, Illinois and working as a laborer for the I V & N railroad;
1900 LaSalle City, LaSalle Twp., LaSalle Co., Illinois working as a coal miner;
about 1903-1913 living in Moundsville, Marshall Co., West Virginia;
1910 at 118 Walnut Ave. in Moundsville;
About 1913 he was living in Akron, Ohio;
1919-1925 living in Ladd, Bureau Co., Illinois above a livery stable downtown;
1920 census (Jan. 8, 1920) living on Main St. in Ladd, Bureau Co., Illinois and working as a laborer for a steam railroad
1920 census- (Jan 15 & 16, 1920) Joseph and son Frank were also counted by the census living in a boarding house at 1111 Langlley? in Chicago, both listed as laborers at the car works.
1930 living on 3rd St, Crete, Crete Twp., Will Co., Illinois.
1930's lived in Monroe, Michigan for a while.;
Late 1930's lived at Gladstone Cabins in Mommence, Illinois;
Before 1939 moved back to Crete, Will Co., Illinois.

  Death Notes:

Cause of death was listed as "Toximia due to a plrisertae abcess".

  Burial Notes:

Gravestone standing in January of 1991.

Joseph married on 23 Aug 1897 in Seatonville, Bureau Co, Illinois.¹