Kay Busch Interviews Some of Carl Ruthz's Grandchildren in 1979

In 1979 Kay Busch (a descendant of Samuel Rutz) traveled to the last farm that Carl Ruthz had lived on. It was currently owned by Lewis F Rutz, a son of William Rutz (Carl Ruthz's first son). She met with Lewis along with several other grandchildren of "Charley". The following is Kay's notes from that meeting.


Charles F. Rutz came from Germany in 1855. His first wife's name is unknown to me at this point and she was also from Germany. When they came they had two children both born in Germany. William was born January 15, 1848 and Augusta born in 1850.

His wife died on the trip and was either buried at sea or somewhere along the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers. Some of the family said that his wife was buried at sea and others say she died between St. Louis and Hermann, Missouri. The story also goes that the boat sank in the Missouri River and Charley and another passenger swam to shore with the two children. I have never researched a boat sinking at Hermann in 1855, but it might be interesting to check out some day.

While at Hermann, Missouri he left his daughter (Augusta) with a family who moved away and they left her with the family of John Adam Sengenberger who adopted her. She married F. Louis Kielmann on October 7, 1872. Mr Kielmann was one of the founders of Hermann.

Charley moved south of Hermann to Gasconade County where at one time he owned land along the Burboise River. He met and married Mary Ann Reed . He later owned a farm along Red Oak Creek and finally along Brush Creek in the very northern part of Crawford County.

In 1979 the last farm was owned by Lewis F Rutz, a son of William. I met with Lewis back in 1979 along with several other grandchildren of Charley's. They told me that Charley never allowed a picture to be taken of him and he wouldn't ever talk about his life in Germany or his first wife. To my knowledge, William didn't know his mother's name. Charley only told them that he was from Berlin and was in the Prussian Army as a personal guard to the Kaiser. He reportedly feigned arthritis and was released from the army and he came to American.

Charley is said to have been Lutheran and his second wife was Catholic. Charley along with William both served in the Union Army during the Civil War. William served under the name of a man named "Rogers" who hired him to take his place. He lied about his age as he was only 16. Charley's military record shows he served as a private in Capt. Collier's Co. B Gasconade Co. Battalion Missouri Home Guard and he served for 1 month and 23 days from July 12, 1861 to Sept 4, 1861 for which he was paid $27.95.