Among the highly respected sons of the Fatherland who, without capital, but with stout hearts and willing hands, settled in Albany, and have won their way to retired lives of comfort and ease, is George Ruhl. He was born in the province of Hesse-Darmstadt, village of Laubach, Germany, February 12, 1830, member of a substantial German family. He learned the trade of a shoemaker and on completing his years of apprenticeship, at the age of seventeen, sailed alone for the United States, a poor boy in worldly goods but possessed of great wealth of energy and ambition. After a voyage of four weeks he landed in New York City and later was working at his trade in Albany. He continued until his health failed and he was obliged to seek out-of-doors employment. He had been careful of his earnings and had amassed a sufficient sum to purchase a farm. He made a specialty of dairy farming, and as old age came creeping on he was prepared for it with competency. He retired to Albany, where he is spending his latter years in comfort at his comfortable home on Clinton street, a happy, contented old gentleman, well known and respected. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and a Republican in politics. In their latter years he had his parents come from Germany to Albany where they spent their remaining days, dying at the ages of seventy-seven and eighty years.
George Ruhl married, in Albany, Elizabeth Damm, born in the same German town and province as her husband, daughter of Valentine Damm, who came to the United States with her parents when quite young. She died April 19, 1891, aged fifty-six years, in the communion of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He married (second) Mrs. Anna Banzhof, born in Germany. Children, all by first marriage:
- Elizabeth, born November, 1855; married John Alex, who survives her with children: Elizabeth and George Alex; an infant son John, died in infancy.
- George, see forward.
(II) George (2), son of George (1) and Elizabeth (Damm) Ruhl, was born in Albany, New York, December 23, 1865. He was educated in the public schools, and on arriving at manhood learned the blacksmith's trade. For fifteen years he was employed at his trade in the shops of the New York Central Railroad Company. With the careful forethought of the thrifty man he had accumulated capital, and leaving the railroad company he purchased a laundry, which he operated so successfully that after twelve years he retired from business, built a home on Second avenue, Albany, where he is now living. He is a man of Liberal heart and enjoys doing good in a quiet way. He is a voter of the Republican party, and a member of the Lutheran church. He married, in Albany, April 6, 1896, Frieda Zutaverm, born in Rehien-Baden, Germany, July 1, 1868, daughter of Karl and Margaret (Brunnert) Zutaverm, of Baden. Karl Zutaverm died in the prime of life. In 1882 his widow Margaret, with her two daughters, sailed from Antwerp for the United States, arrived in New York City after a slow passage, continued to Albany, where she lives at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frieda Ruhl. Lena Zutaverm, sister of Mrs. Frieda Ruhl, was born May 23, 1880; also resides with Mrs. Ruhl; unmarried. Mrs. George Ruhl has in her home some relics of the past that are highly prized; among others is a pair of stockings of purest white, knit by her grandmother in 1823, and worn at her wedding; also her wedding ring. Mr. and Mrs. Ruhl have no children.