Ruluf ANDRUS

                   NAME:
Andrus/Andress

Historical information included in notes.


THE HISTORY OF RULUF ANDRESS (ANDRUS)
By Calvin N. Andrus,
With important contributions by
Laura Anderson and Levi Adam.
Ruluf Andrews/Andrus/Andress/Andres1 was possible born near Hamden, CT on 12
March 1773 to his father, Joseph Andrus, and his mother Sybil2 Andrews (maiden name)
Andress.
He resided with his parents and older half-sister, Sarah, in the Cheshire, CT area during
his infancy and childhood. Little is known of his childhood, though he was almost
certainly not raised as a strict Congregationalist (Puritan).
During Rulufs youth, the highway between Hamden and Hartford was often traveled by
distinguished Colonialists and Patriots en route between Boston and New York. At times
the region was suppressed harshly by British Governors who sought to control the
Colonialists and maintain a firm rule. Despite periods of great alarm during The
Rebellion, the Colonies prevailed and the Connecticut prospered. Roads were much
improved and commerce normalized. The Andrus family spread throughout the region
and several branches of the family migrated up the Connecticut River to Hartford, CT
and Vermont frontier
A few years after the War of Independence, 1776-1779, Rulufs father died, as is
common in war with the spreading of disease. Sarah was married to John Toombs
(Toms) 29 Oct 1767 in Poultney, Rutland, Vermont and moved with Ruluf and family
residing in Essex County, New York. His mother, desiring him to learn a useful trade,
and receive the discipline of her in-laws, had him placed under a Guardian Bond with
Joseph Johnson. So, Ruluf would not run off before his apprentice was completed. Here,
received some additional education in arithmetic and writing, though there is some
evidence that his ability with English was limited but spelling was not a set thing until
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1 The surname was probably derived from Andrew, originally, but was Latinized with the ews, us,
os, ess, or es suffix as an affectation suggesting status and education. Ruluf preferred the ess
suffix. Milo preferred the us suffix. The Andrews family that moved into the Hartford area was the most
likely to use the us suffix originally.
2 In a private report to Cal Andrus in 2005, Levi Adam, a professional genealogist residing in Cals home
wrote, Sibel (sp) also had no children recorded as being born or christened. Neither is there a marriage
record it seems she came home to her parents, she knew she was ill. After her death, a Ruluf Andrus is
placed by court approval into training (the December 31, 1789 Guardian Bond). This young Ruluf is also
the exact age of our Ruluf Andrus. Ruluf comes from Dutch Roelof. I feel at very least (this given
name) shows she (Sybil) was removed from her English-Congregational roots. Laura Anderson,
researcher for the Milo Andrus Sr has written about this Ruluf, she did not understand that this was the
Ruluf we were looking for. The Johnson and the Andrews are related. Namely, Sybils sister is married to
Joseph Johnson, Rulufs court-appointed guardian. Our conclusion is that not only is Ruluf our Ruluf, but
the evidence is overwhelming. Sybil is also identified by the premier Andus-Andrew genealogist, Donald
Lines Jacobus, as daughter of Amos. This he did in his book, Families of Ancient New Haven
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after his death.( Websters Dictionary) Sybil, Rulufs mother, probably dying of
consumption, remained in the Cheshire area until her death in 15 August 1789 in
Cheshire, Connecticut.
At about age 19, Ruluf visited with his relatives near Rutland County, Vermont. His
sister, Mrs. Sarah Toombs, was living in Poultney, Vermont. Ruluf may have been
acquainted with Titus Andrus, who lived in Brandon, Rutland Co., VT at the time. Ruluf
probably farmed and worked on carpentry projects in the Poultney, VT area, a few miles
south of Rutland. There, he met and married Azubah Smith, daughter of John and Sarah
Smith, of Poultney, Rutland Co. VT. We have no record of the marriage, but it is
believed to have occurred about 1795, in Pawlet, Vermont.
There is no written record of how Ruluf and Azubah met and courted, though there is
some chance they may have been introduced by Sarah, his sister. Ruluf and Azubah
probably rented a farm initially. Sybil (23 Apr 1796), Oran (10 Apr 1798)3, and Almon,
(10 April 1800), were born to them in the Poultney area, in Rutland Co., VT. As there
are no surviving records from Rutland, the County seat, there is little information that has
surfaced during this period.
By 1794, Ruluf and Azubah were eventually attracted to the area near the Ausable River
in New York, probably part of the land promotions of surveyor Platt Rogers4 and others.
In the company of other young couples from the Rutland County, some even being from
Connecticut departed for the shores of Lake Champlains Boquette Valley, a beautiful
farming community about 50 miles North of Fort Ticonderoga. The nearest town to
Ruluf and Azubahs homestead was Elizabethtown, Essex Co., NY only a few miles to
the north. Sarah Minerva was born in Elizabethtown in 1802. Here they traded for goods
and attended the Congregational Church. Ruluf was able to find work in various
endeavors including (probably) barrel-making. While he was away working on various
projects, Rulufs oldest surviving sons shouldered much of the farming responsibility.
Two years later, Carlo was born in Elizabethtown.
Though there are now written accounts of Rulufs activities, we may assume from other
historical records surviving from early pioneers in that area, he probably gathered maple
syrup, produced sugar, and grew fruit and vegetables, but earned his sustenance from
carpentry and joining, a much demanded skill. Winters were severe and Indian
depredations during the French and Indian Wars5 were a recent memory among those
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3 Milo, writing 40 years latter wrote at in about 1797. Careful work by Laura Anderson suggests Oran was
actually born on the date indicated. However, the possibility that Oran and Almon were born exactly two
years apart is not likely.
4 Platt Rogers was a land surveyor and developer on the western shores of Lake Champlain. He may have
been influential in getting Rutland County residents to invest in the corridor.
5 Leckie, Robert A Few Acres of Snow: the Saga of the French and Indian Wars, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., New York. 1999. Especially pages, 279, 288, 289, 291, 300-301, 309-310, 344, 346, 350-353, 355.-
356, 364. The Seven Years War (also known as the French and Indian War) was fought from 1756-1763).
A key component of General Edward Braddock's plan to evict the French from North America was to
reduce the French bastion at Crown Point on Lake Champlain.
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who resided in the Bouquet Valley. By 1806, Ruluf is listed as serving as a Lieutenant in
the New York Militia.
At times, they were on the verge of starvation. At times, they were relatively prosperous,
but severe winters-unusually cold winters took their toll. Tragedy struck as their first
born, Milo 1st, died in infancy. Sarah Minerva (22 Sep 1802), Carlo (6 Nov 1804), Emily
(22 Sep 1811). The war would have added significantly to their difficulties between
1812 and 1814. Milo (6 Mar 1814), and Lucina (l1 March 1816) were born in Essex
County, NY. Thus, three sons, Erasmus, Harwin, and Milo 1st were lost in quick
succession prior to 1814, and buried in the small graveyard in Elizabethtown, Essex Co.,
NY.
Scarcely eight years into their marriage, the War of 1812 would have had disastrous
consequences in Essex and Rutland counties. Realizing the importance of controlling the
sea coasts and Lake Champlain, the British moved troops into these areas. Certain
strategic locations became hotly contested, and battles were fought in and around the
villages of Bennington Vermont, Crown Point, and Fort Ticonderoga. It was probably
during this period that the family records6 were burned by the British. Milo wrotethe
dates of (my brothers deaths) I cannot give in consequence of a fire that burn up the
records of my fathers family.
Ruluf was virtually pressed into service as part of the engineers and carpenters that
moved with the fledgling troops constructing bridges, roads, temporary habitations and
fortifications for the US Army. His veteran status was instrumental in his acquiring land
in Ohio. These bottom lands on the southern shore of Lake Erie were reputed to be
rich and well irrigated by silty, but perennial streams. Known as the Firelands, these
lands were extended to US citizens during the War of 1812 who had lost homes, barns
and other properties as a result of the British scorched earth policy.
Ruluf remained in Elizabethtown until the end of the War. This is confirmed by
mortgage records filed in Elizabethtown, Essex Co., NY. By 1816, Ruluf had headed
west.7Ruluf worked at Dunkirk, NY on shores of Lake Erie for about 18 months,
acquiring the money and resources he needed to provision to the settlement in Ohio.
Lucina was born, 11 March, 1816 in New York before their departure.
Aside from the incident in which young Milo (3-4 years of age)8 fell asleep in a rowboat
(skiff) and floated far into the Erie, there were no incidents recorded of their residence in
Dunkirk.
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6 Not only were the records of his family burned, perhaps, but the Rutland County Courthouse was also
burned.
7 The 1816 date could be confirmed by the birth of Lucina Andress in Dunkirk, Chautauqua Co., NY, but
so far, no records have surfaced.
8 Laura Anderson writes that Milos age was probably closer to three at the time of the incident. Milo
wrote, When five years old, my parents moved to Dunkirk, state of New York, where they resided one and
a half years. During that time there was a circumstance occurred, that seems to me to show the protecting
hand of the Lord over me. I went to the shore of Lake Erie and got into a skiff on the shore and went to
sleep, when the wind arose and took the skiff on the lake, and it was not seen until nearly out of sight. I
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Ruluf and his family, now numbering eight in all, in the company of the Simeon Durand,
Samuel Parker, John Dennison, Seth Morse, Joseph Swift, Leonard Calvin, Hugh
Alexander, Clark Baldwin and Levi Shepard,9 traveled west along the Erie Canal route.
The trip westward to northern Ohio in 1817 was not without adventure. Having a wagon
laden with goods and no way to move his family safely and comfortably through the
muddy terrain and thick deciduous forests, of Northern Ohio, Ruluf and Azubah decided
to send his family by ship. Ruluf arrived in Sandusky to learn that his family had not yet
arrived and that they had been blown by fierce winds about Lake Erie for more than a
week.
Once joyfully reunited, Ruluf and his family set about clearing land along the
Brownholm and Vermillion Rivers, at Henrietta, Huron County (later, Lorain County),
OH. Here they constructed their first, rugged log home to shield them against the cold
winds that blew across Lake Erie.
Despite having served as an officer in the Essex County Regiment during the War, Ruluf
was probably not as well educated in letters as some of his Henrietta neighbors. Among
others were; Josiah William, Lambert Blackman, William Carter, Levi Fuller, Luther
Harris, Uriah Hawley, Aaron and Daniel (Dyon?), Samuel, and Zachariah Higgins,
Chester King, Asahel and Samuel Parker, Charles, Nathan, and Sheldon Smith, Perez,
Jared, and William Starr, and Joab (Juab) Squires. Many were highly educated-from
some of the best stock of New England. Nevertheless, we may safely assume that because
of Rulufs skills as a carpenter, and joiner, he was in great demand to work on sawmills,
bridges and other structures in the community. He may have been too busy to hold
public offices. Routinely engaged on major public and private projects, he left much of
the farming to his older sons, Oran, Almon, and abundant chores to Carlos, and Milo. If
they were typical of early pioneers in the area, shortly after arriving they planted apple
trees, wheat, corn, flax, beans, and other staple crops. Together, they planted a large
vegetable garden, constructed a split-log fence around the perimeter of their farm, dug a
well, constructed a barn, carpenter shop and other facilities on their own property-not to
mention contributing labor to stores, schools and government buildings. Everyone in the
family was expected to work and do their share. There was little time for frivolity. After
all the chores, there was always wood to be chopped and sold as cords of firewood. Labor
was unremitting and toil from sun-up to sun-down was the order of the day.
Nevertheless, the family grew in number and prospered, allowing for modest amounts of
schooling during the cold winter months. During the summer, as work permitted, Ruluf
instructed his sons in the skills of carpentry, animal care, drayage, plowing, and
harvesting.
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was then picked up still sound asleep. I have always thought that the Angel of Peace then watched over
me.
9 Not only did early families travel together for mutual protection, they labored together to construct
homes, barns, schools, and churches. They often worshipped together and their families intermarried.
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Rulufs family had already outgrown their modest log home and Ruluf and the boys
constructed a fine frame home of lumber cut at Stars mill.10 A rifle probably adorned
the stone fireplace that graced the center of the home, as Indians and occasional wolves
had to be reckoned with.
Into this large (10 surviving children) and prosperous family in Brownholm, Huron Co.,
OH, Eveline Charlotte was born 7 Oct 1817, and Harriet, 20 Mar 1822.
Though they were Congregationalists and probably worshipped with others on a regular
basis (or at least on holidays), Ruluf and his wife were challenged by the conditions of
life along the frontier.
Many civic buildings were constructed from Elyria to Norwalk during the period 1820 to
1835. It is likely that Ruluf worked on most of them. For instance, he constructed the
first bridge across the Vermillion River, near Birmingham, OH in 1820.11
Henrietta was on one of the main thoroughfares through northern Ohio. News was
exchanged freely with each immigrant. It was of no small concern that the Mormons and
Campbellites were actively proselyting in the area by 1835. Much to Rulufs
consternation, young Milo was attracted to the Mormon religion and, after buying out the
rest of his time from Ruluf, headed West in the company of Nelson Higgins, Orson
Hyde, Parley P. Pratt and others. At one point, Ruluf heard that his son, Milo Jr. was
passing though the Norwalk region. When Ruluf learned that Milo and his companions
had enquired at his inn12 regarding best roads to take, Ruluf set off in the company of two
other armed riders to stop him. Ruluf learned too late that he had been misled by their
quarrys questions and that Milo and his companions had taken another route west to
Tiffin. This incident may have been the last time Milo might have seen his father and
mother alive.
Rulufs other children remained in the area, marrying prominent citizens of the region
extending from Elyria to Sandusky, where they engaged in farming, commerce, and
industry.
Azubah died in East Norwalk, Huron Co, OH at the end of December, and was buried in
the family plot on 1 January 1832. The grave site lies only a short distance from the
highway.
Eventually, Ruluf married Katherine Bryant (sp) and lived in East Norwalk where he had
constructed an inn. The inn was not far from a mill he may have helped construct.
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10 Star is also written as Starr. According to Laura Anderson, Perez Starr, the owner of the mill, was a
cousin of Martin Harris, and Emmer Harris, Martins brother who lived in Brownholm and Florence, OH.
Perezs brother, Jared Starr, eventually joined the LDS Church and moved West with the Saints.
11 According to Laura Anderson, Commissioners of Huron County paid $150-$200 for the bridge, and the
citizens paid the r