of
The Northern Alsace
&
Pennsylvania
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He was born in Gumbrechtshoffen, Northern Alsace (now in France) probably in 1723.
He came from Rotterdam Holland via Deal England with his parents and siblings on the ship "Samuel", landing (at age 10) in Philadelphia on August 17, 1733.
Michael and his parents are known to have settled in Whitehall Township which was once part of Bucks, then Northampton ,and now present-day Lehigh County Pennsylvania.
Documents show that on February 2, 1745 Michael swore an oath to the English King and thus was naturalized as a British subject at the Philadelphia Courthouse.
On April 16, 1745 in Moselem Springs, Richmond Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania he married Franzina (Anna Franzina) MERKEL (MARKLE) at the Moselem Lutheran Church. She was born in Lambsheim, the Palatinate (now part of the Pfalz in Germany) about 1716-1717. She was the daughter of Christian (John Christian) MERKEL (MARKLE) Sr.
Records show that in 1747 Michael acquired and settled on farm land at or near Macungie on "Truckers Creek" in old Bucks County Pennsylvania.
In 1771 he left Eastern Pennsylvania, taking his family west into the wilderness beyond the Allegheny mountains. With the able help of his adult sons and their families they homesteaded a very large tract of land in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
They constructed cabins and a sturdy stockade used by both family and neighbors for protection from Indian attack. This "fort" became well known in that part of early Pennsylvania as "Rugh's Blockhouse". It was located on a site just a mile or two south of the present City of Greensburg and was on the old Hannastown- Beesontown road. He built a large two-story log house which had musket portholes and where a large company of people could stay and defend themselves during times of indian attack.
In the year 1773, along with a small handful of other individuals, he played a large part in the formation of the new County of Westmoreland. He was appointed by the Pennsylvania governor of the day as one of the 14 original Westmoreland County "Justices".
He was also one of a very small group of men named to set up the new county seat at the home of Robert Hanna. The town thus erected soon became known as "Hannastown". A few years later, in 1782, Hannastown was totally destroyed during an Indian attack inspired by the British. There is a story (not fully documented) that Michael's wife, Franzina, was attending a marriage reception near the town on that day and was killed.
Michael was one of five individuals then chosen by the Governor of Pennsylvania to "purchase and take assurance" land for the creation of yet another county town. That new town, first known as "Newtown" eventually became known as Greensburg, and is the county seat of Westmoreland County to this day.
Much of the original land of Michael (the Sr.) and his sons has now become known as "South Greensburg".
He served for several terms as County Coroner, beginning in 1780.
Franzina died about 1782. There are inications she may have been killed at "Miller's" during the Indian raid that coincided with the destruction of Hannastown.
On June 15, 1784 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Michael married Lucy WALTZ (WALTS).
He, and friend Anthony Altman, were the trustees of 106 acres of land provided for church and school of the Zion Lutheran Church at Harold's (so designated in 1789).
During the Revolution, he was the Westmoreland County Militia "Commissioner of Purchases". The Rugh Blockhouse was apparently considered then what today would be known as a "military supply depot".
He appeared on a 1789 county tax listing for Hempfield Township and is in the nations first official census of 1790 as the head of his household within Hempfield.
The old house of Michael (the Sr.) still exists (1991) in a highly remodeled state at 1213 Broad Street in South Greensburg. The original existing stone walls were said to have been 2 feet thick. The location of this house is but a few blocks from a road presently called "Rugh Street".
He died about 1800 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
... To see old Heuchelheim Chur Pfalz church records pertaining to the father & family of Franzina Merkel (Markle), click <here>.
... To see a 1799 map of the area surrounding Greensburg which shows land that Michael turned over to his sons, Peter & Jacob Rugh, click <here>.
... To go look at my entire Rugh & related database on Rootsweb World Connect, click <here>.
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Michael and Franzina had the following children:
1. Michael RUGH Jr. (abt
1746-1820) <Go
there>
2. Peter (Jon Peter) RUGH Sr.
(1747-1828) <Go
there>
3. Christian RUGH (1748-?)
<Go there>
4. Christina (Anna Christina)
RUGH (abt 1750-?) <Go
there>
5. Maria (Anna Maria) RUGH
(1758-1839) <Go
there>
6. Jacob (Jon Jacob) RUGH Sr.
(1761-1845) <Go
there> *
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