Marshall Rugg

RUGG, READ, NEWBURY, REDFIELD

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/16/2011 at 21:26:24

MARSHALL RUGG. It is doubtless owing to the industrious and persevering manner in which Mr. Rugg has adhered to the pursuits of agriculture that he has risen to such a substantial position in the farming affairs of Grundy County. His life has been spent in the confines of the county for many years and as a natural result he is much interested in the progress and development of the section and has done his full share in making it the magnificent farming region that it now is. That Mr. Rugg is one of the wealthiest and largest land-owners in Grundy County is evidenced by the fact that he owns five hundred and eighty broad acres, located on section 19, Grant Township.

Born April 18, 1846, in Heath, Mass., our subject is the son of James and Maria (Read) Rugg, whose sketch will be found on another page of this Record. The education of young Marshall was conducted in the common schools, and when a lad of eleven years he accompanied his parents on their removal to the west, locating in Waterloo, this state. The family resided in that city for two years, and for the six years following made their home on a farm two miles out of town.

Marshall Rugg remained under the parental roof until attaining mature years, when he began to make his own way in the world by first driving a team in Waterloo. After a twelvemonth thus engaged he returned home, and rented and farmed his father’s estate for four years. In 1871, when ready to establish a home of his own, he was married to Miss Mary E., daughter of William and Ruth A. (Newbury) Redfield. The lady was born in Steuben County, N. Y., while her parents were natives respectively of Scotland and Pennsylvania. The latter were farmers by occupation, and Grandfather Redfield was a stone mason in Scotland, where he died. The grandmother came to the United States in company with her son, the father of Mrs. Rugg.

To our subject and his wife has been born a family of six children: Arthur E., Florence Belle, Mina, Jay, Myrta C. and Ruth. The elder members of the family have been given fine educations, Florence having attended the State Normal at Cedar Falls, and Arthur was a student at Waterloo College. After his marriage, our subject purchased eighty acres of land from his father, which forms part of his present fine farm, and since that time he has devoted his energies to tilling the soil and to the development of the resources of his estate. He is the proprietor of five hundred and eighty acres, and in carrying on his fine farm does not lose sight of the stock-raising industry, as the beautiful animals on his place abundantly testify. He also buys, feeds and ships stock, and in this branch of industry has been very successful, and is one of the largest stock-raisers in Grundy County.

In social matters Mr. Rugg is a member of Cedar Falls Lodge No. 32, A. O. U. W. In politics he is a Republican and has held a number of local offices. He was Township Clerk for two terms and was elected Township Trustee in 1893. In all positions he has been faithful to the trusts reposed in him, and as a business man and neighbor he commands the high regard of a host of lifetime friends.

Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record
of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, Iowa
1894