EDWARD C. RUCHERT.
Edward C. Ruchert, a prosperous and wide-awake young farmer operating two thousand acres of wheat and pasture land, with residence on section 19, township 12 north, range 42 east, Garfield county, is a son of Fred and Minnie (Garphard) Ruchert, both of whom were born in Germany. In 1877 they emigrated to America and for eight years resided in Wisconsin but at the end of that time removed to Oregon, whence in 1889 they went to Assotin county, Washington. The father took up a homestead there and for some time engaged in its development but at length removed to Idaho, where he and his wife resided for ten years. They then came to Garfield county, Washington, and here the mother passed away in 1915, while the father makes his home with his son, Edward C.
The last named, who is one of a family of eight children, all of whom survive, received adequate educational advantages, attending the public schools. His father also trained him carefully in farm work and at the age of eighteen years he found employment as a farm hand. In 1910 he began operating land on his own account and he now farms two thousand acres, part of which is pasture land, while the remainder is given over to the growing of wheat. His successful management of such extensive farming interests is possible only because he is systematic in his work, enterprising in his methods and because he utilizes the most improved farm machinery.
In 1915 Mr. Ruchert was married to Miss Anna Boyd, a native of North Dakota. In politics he is a strong republican and he is now filling the office of deputy game warden, in which capacity he is making a creditable record. Although he has been dependent upon his own resources for advancement he has already gained a measure of success that many a man twenty years his senior might well envy. He is strongly imbued with the characteristic western spirit of enterprise and self-reliance and is justly accounted one of the leading citizens of Garfield county.
JAMES C. ROBERTSON.
For more than a third of a century James C. Robertson has been identified with the farming interests of Garfield county and now carries on general agricultural pursuits on section 25, township 11 north, range 41 east, where he owns three hundred and seventeen acres and cultivates part of this tract or about one hundred and fifty acres. He started out in life empty-handed, so that whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his persistent efforts and intelligently directed industry. He was born on Prince Edward Island, Canada, September 30, 1862, a son of John and Mary (Steel) Robertson, who are mentioned in connection with the sketch of their son, John Robertson, on another page of this work.
James C. Robertson spent the first ten years of his life in Canada and in 1873 accompanied his parents to California, where the family home was maintained until 1882. In the meantime the father died and the mother, accompanied by her family of four sons and a daughter, then came to Washington. James C. Robertson had been a pupil in the public schools of Canada and of California and was a youth of fifteen years at the time of his father's death. Being the oldest of the children, much of the responsibility of the farm work devolved upon him and he bravely met the task that was a heavy burden for young shoulders. In the spring of 1882 he came to Washington, making the trip in advance of the family. He journeyed northward with an uncle and on the 10th of May they arrived at Pomeroy. That fall the mother and his brothers and sister came and in connection with his brothers, Samuel N. and John, James C. Robertson began farming in a partnership relation that existed for twenty years. Unusual harmony existed between the family, the tie that binds them being very close. The brothers persistently and energetically continued the work of improving their fields and, as the years passed on, success in substantial measure rewarded their efforts. At length they divided their interests and James C. Robertson is today the owner of three hundred and seventeen acres of land, part of which he has brought under a high state of cultivation, his fields returning to him a gratifying annual income.
