Captain Perry Ruby, 1859-1924

RUBY, SHUCK

Posted By: Scott County IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 9/20/2016 at 17:05:49

Captain Perry Ruby
Captain of the “Wake Robin”
Biography

Perry Ruby was born November 8th, 1859. His obituary in the Davenport and Keokuk paper both say he was born in Buffalo, Iowa. However, his death certificate says he was born in Montrose, Iowa.
  
He married Laura Van Ach of Andalusia on December, 15th, 1887. According to census records they lived in Rock Island, LaCrosse, Wisconsin and 902 Kirkwood Boulevard in Davenport, Iowa. Perry and Laura had two children, Norma, who was born April 1st 1887 and died February 1890, and Perry who followed in his Father’s occupation. His grandchildren include, Oscar Mills Ruby and Janet Marie Ruby.

After Laura’s death in 1887, Perry married LuLu Priestly, LuLu survived Perry.

Perry was Captain of the “Dandelion” under the War Department. In 1917, the “Dandelion” was purchased by the Corps of Engineers to be a lighthouse tender. Captain Perry was kept on board as her master. The “Dandelion’s” name was changed to the “Wake Robin”. It got it’s name because of the large wake it created.

Feeling ill in June while docked in Rock Island, Perry took a train home to Keokuk, Iowa. He died there on June 12th 1924 after a mastoid operation. His beloved boat became the U.S. Haunted House, an entertainment boat in Cincinnati.