Isaac Ruby (1894)

RUBY, PRICE

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 3/1/2008 at 07:17:05

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, September 28, 1894
Page 2

County and City

Grandfather Isaac Ruby, one of the oldest inhabitants of Madison county, died Friday forenoon September 21, 1894, at the resident of his son-in-law, Caleb Price, of Lincoln township, which had been his home for several years, at the ripe old age of 92 years. Mr. Ruby had been a citizen of this county for thirty-five years. An obituary is promised for next week.
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Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday October 5, 1894
Page 6

In Memoriam

Notes on the Life and Character of the Late Isaac Ruby.

Isaac Ruby was born September 12, 1802, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and died at the home of Caleb Price, Esq., in Lincoln township, Madison county, Iowa, September 22, 1894, aged 92 years and 10 days.

He was married to Miss Mary Smith, in Harrison county, Ohio, November 20, 1825. Ten children, five boys and five girls, were born unto them, two of whom, M. B. and W. J., had already preceded Father and Mother to the “goodly land.” One son, M. B. Ruby, father of Dr. W. O. Ruby, was killed in the battle of Alatoona, Georgia, October 7, 1864.

God permitted this husband and wife to live together over fifty-four and a half years, when death separated them, the wife dying April 9, 1879. The descendants of this honored couple are many. All their children are married, and when the aged man died, he left to mourn his departure, in addition to his own eight children, fifty grandchildren and forty great-grandchildren. However, W. O. Ruby, M. D., of Winterset is the only relative of that name remaining in the state of Iowa.

Isaac Ruby was converted and united with the Methodist Episcopal church soon after his marriage, and when he came to this county he and his wife united with the Methodist class which had been organized by one of the pioneer preachers, Rev. J. Haines, at what was then known as the “Stone school house.” This was several years before the Des Moines Conference of the M. E. church was organized, and while Winterset was yet a mission station of that denomination.

Notwithstanding his great age, a life full of trials and hardship, Father Ruby retained his mental and physical vigor remarkably. Up to within about two years ago he was very active for a man of his years. But the last two years found him growing weaker and weaker, so that he was unable to leave his room.

However, the decay of the natural man did not affect the vigor and activity of the spiritual man. He was always ready, and seemed to consider it a great pleasure, to converse fluently, intelligently and rapturously on religious subjects, especially on those which related to personal religious experience. He did not entertain a shadow of doubt of his acceptance with God through the merits of Jesus Christ. He could say with the Apostle Paul, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” His was a beautiful child-like trust in God. He was conscious to the last moment, and as quietly and peacefully as the tired child falls to sleep in the mother’s arms, this aged man of God fell asleep in Jesus. His peaceful death was a fitting and beautiful closing up of sixty seven years walking with God.

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