Photo: Hans George Ruch descendant, Monty Reeves, at Zutzendorf, Bas-Rhin, France (1997)
Hans George was born in Zutzendorf, a small village in the European Northern Alsace (now known as Zutzendorf, Bas-Rhin, France), on December 29, 1682. This information was recently (1999) found, and thus verified, by Louise Green. It is on LDS microfilm as part of an old record of the Zutzendorf Church. The same record indicates he was truly the son of Melchoir RUCH .
Other old records show that on November 13, 1704 in Uhrwiller, of the Northern Alsace, he married Catharina BURKHARD. Catharina BURKHARD was born probably about 1685-1690. She is the daughter of Johann BURKHARD.
In 1707, somewhere still in the Northern Alsace, he married Catharina REISS. Catharina REISS was born in the Northern Alsace about 1687. She was the daughter of Balthaar REISS.
George brought his wife (Catharine) and family to America by way of Rotterdam Holland and the British merchant ship "Samuel", arriving in Philadelphia at age 48 on 17 Aug 1733. (This age record tends to disagree slightly with the old Zutzendorf Church record and indicates he was born about 1685).
On arrival in the colonies all "foreigners" (they were Germans in an English colony) were required to report immediately to the local courthouse at the port of entry to take an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. This courthouse, (in the case of our Ruch family) is thought to have been the very Philadelphia courthouse where the liberty bell once hung and where the declaration of independence and the constitution were drafted. It is now known as "Independence Hall".
Hans George and his family settled in America in Whitehall Township, an area that is now just north of the town of Allentown in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.
Wife Catharina died not long after her arrival in America (probably about 1733-34).
About 1734, in Northampton County Pennsylvania, he married Susanna.
On July 28, 1741 his third wife Susanna appeared on the baptismal record of Frederick Traxel at the Egypt Reformed Church of Northampton County Pennsylvania.
He and Susanna attended the Jordan Lutheran Church which today still stands as a much newer structure, but still upon it's original site at what is now Walberts, Pennsylvania.
Hans George died in 1769 and was buried at the Cemetery associated with this church.
His tombstone still existed as late as 1939. A photograph of it is in the published history of Jordan Lutheran Church. You can see the same photo that was recently scanned from this history book by clicking <here>.
During a 1992 visit to the church and it's cemetery a thorough search was made for the stone. As can be seen, it had a very distinctive shape. But it could not be located. It had apparently finally succumbed to the long passage of time.
There has been a controversy surrounding the photographed inscription in German on the tombstone. As can be seen, it clearly gives his death date as 1769 and mentions that he died at 104 years of age.
The ship passenger records which give his age at the time of his arrival in Philadelphia (age 48 in 1733) as well as the old Zuztendorf Church birth - baptism record dates have convinced this compiler that the tombstone (for some peculiar reason) was inscribed in error and that George would have actually been 84 years old at the time of his death in 1769, not 104.
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Hans George and his second wife, Catharina had the following children:
1. Hans George Jr.(1709-?) <Go there>.
2. Hans Jacob (1716-?) <Go there>
3. Michael Sr. (1723-abt 1800) <Go there>*
4. Marie Eve (1725-?) <Go there>
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Hans George and third wife Susanna had the following children:
1. Catherine was born in Whitehall Township, Northampton County (Now Lehigh County), Pennsylvania about 1735.
2. Conrad was born in Whitehall Township, Northampton County (Now Lehigh County), Pennsylvania about 1737. Conrad is thought to have moved to Western Pennsylvania in adulthood. Probably to the Indiana County area.
3. Anna was born in Whitehall Township, Northampton County (Now Lehigh County), Pennsylvania about 1738.
4. Mary was born in Whitehall Township, Northampton County (Now Lehigh County), Pennsylvania about 1739.
5. John (Johannes) Sr. was born on (October or December) 7, 1740.
6. Lorentz (Laurence) (1744-aft 1828) <Go there>
7. Peter <Go there>
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