REV. WILLIAM H. H. RUBLE. Rev William H. H. Ruble, in addition to looking after the spiritual welfare of his fellows, devotes much of his attention to tilling the soil in Harrison Township, of which section he has been a resident for nearly twenty years.. He was born in Bradley County, Tennessee, in 1841, a son of John G. and Esther (Fine) Ruble, the latter a native of Washington County, Tennessee The father died when our subject was but thirteen months old and it is not known in what State he was born. He was a farmer and about sixty years old at the time of his death. He served in the War of 1812, and during the latter part of his life was a class leader and prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Ruble was of Dutch origin. After his death the mother of our subject married John Frizzell and spent the remainder of her life in Tennessee, dying in Marion County in 1875, after having been an earnest and worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. She was a daughter of Elisha Fine, who died in Washington County. Tennessee, where he followed farming. He was also of Dutch origin. Mr. and Mrs. Ruble were the parents of six children, as follows: Vinett E., Malinda, Melvina, deceased; David died while in the army; Franklin died in Crawford County, Missouri.
Our subject had limited educational advantages in his youth, having spent much of his time in assisting on the farm, and could not read when twenty-five years of age. He then joined church and had a great desire to become a minister, but was prevented on account of his limited schooling. He immediately began to learn to read and by diligence and perseverance became a well-posted man. He was married in Marion County, Tennessee, April 5, 1861, to Miss Nancy Pickett, a native of Marion County and the daughter of John A. and Ruth Pickett. Mrs. Ruble died on April 22, 1881, in Boone County. She was an excellent wife and mother and her loss was deeply felt. Ten children were born to this union as follows: John F. died in infancy; Sarah L.. married Horace McElroy, of Boone County; Perztta A., wife of Thomas Cobb, of Marion County, Arkansas; George W., a prominent physician of Bellefonte; Jesse L., of Indian Territory; James William, Thomas L., Esther M., Nancy H . F. and Ruth Ann. On the 28th of July, 1881.
Mr. Ruble married Rosetta Watkins, a native of Gilmore County, Ga., and the daughter of Henry and Lucinda Watkins, natives of Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Watkins moved from their native State to Benton County, Arkansas, and later to Boone County, where Mrs. Watkins died in June, 1887. Mr. Watkins is still living and is engaged in farming. He was a soldier in the Confederate Army. To Mr. and Mrs. Ruble have been born six children, five now living: Odus and Otis, twins, the former deceased; Pearl L ., Arizona Virgia, Rosetta Myrtle and Vinett Elbert. On the 2d of September, 1864, Mr. Ruble enlisted in Company C, Sixth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, Union Army, and was discharged June 30, 1865, after operating in Tennessee and Georgia. He was never captured or wounded, and after the war returned to his family in Marion County, Tennessee There he followed farming until 1875, when he came to Boone County and for four years was on his present farm, three miles north of Harrison, where he had 154 acres with about 125 under cultivation. He was bailiff for a number of years while residing in Tennessee. In the year 1885 he was made a deacon in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and in 1890 was made an elder in the same. Since then he has supplied several appointments, and during 1892 and 1893 filled the pulpit of the Harrison circuit. He has been engaged in church work for quite a number of years and is an active and incessant worker for the Master. Mr. Ruble is a member of Phil. Carney Post, G. A.R., and is chaplain of the A. F. & A. M., Polar Star Lodge No. 224, Lead Hill and Bellefonte Chapter. He is a Knight Templar at Harrison and has taken twelve degrees in Masonry. Politically he is a Republican.