Page News & Courier

Heritage and Heraldry

The Roudabush Family of Page County, Part I
Article of August 16, 2001

 

Among the masses of emigrants from the Palatinate of Germany in the early 18th century was a man by the name of Hans Heinrich Raudenbusch. Born in Steinsfurt, Germany around 1712, he was the grandson of Hans Peter Raudenbusch.

The earliest professional miller to whom the Raudenbusch lines can be traced at present, Hans Peter (also the Courtier of Steinsfurt, Baden-Wurttemberg) had been born prior to 1600 and continued to operate a mill throughout the 30 Years War (1618 – 1648). For this amazing feat, the Kurphaz Government paid homage to him by giving him the flourmill. Hans Peter died October 17, 1657 in Reihen, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

It is interesting to note that this family profession would carry on for over 300 years and well into the 20th century!

Alas, I digress, back to Hans Heinrich - he arrived (apparently with other family members) in Philadelphia on September 30, 1732 aboard the good ship Dragon. It is uncertain if he arrived with his wife or, that soon after arrival, he married Anne Maria Becker. Nevertheless, by 1743, he was warranted 150 acres along the Great Conawago Creek in York (now Adams) County. Seven years later, Heinrich/Henry was warranted yet another 200 acres nearby.

According to a very good descendant maintained website (geneology/hhr.htm), Henry’s reasons for settlement in this area appeared to be "religious in nature." Specifically, "Henry was a member of the Church of the Brethren (German Baptist or Dunkard), and one of the first churches of that denomination in America was established around 1741, also near the Great Conawago Creek. Henry was one of the founding members. This congregation still exists and is known today as ‘Mummert's Meeting House.’"

A constable in 1757, supervisor of highways in 1761, overseer of the poor in 1768, Henry was an active member in the community in Berwick Township, Pennsylvania. Though his sons may have served in a militia organization or even an regiment of the line, when the American Revolution came around, Henry remained firm in his religious beliefs as a Brethren and pacifist and refused to take the Oath of Loyalty. Henry died on February 5, 1784.

One of Henry’s sons, Jacob, is the key tie to the line of Roudabush families that later came to the Shenandoah Valley. A brother of his – John – also came to Virginia but the last name was changed in his line, beginning with him, to RUEBUSH. Though John died while living near Hagerstown, his widow and children settled near Frieden’s Reformed Church near Mt. Crawford in Rockingham County.

But back to Jacob - born in Adams County ca. 1752, he married by the 1770s to Anne Rickstacker and lived in Berwick Township through 1795. Moving to Rockingham County, Virginia, Jacob was listed in reference to a deposition being taken December 2, 1806 as living "at the sign of Cross Keys."

As a sidenote that may tie to this family, on his way home from the Ohio Valley at some point, George Washington stayed several days in Rockingham County at the home of a family known as "Rudiborts."

Jacob did not stay long in Virginia. By 1810 he had moved his family to Strabane Township in Pennsylvania. Another eleven years later, he moved yet again to Washington, Carroll County, Ohio. A member of the Whig Party and member of the Disciples of Christ Church, he died in 1837. He and his wife were buried near the farm that they built at Washington.

The Roudabush Family of Page County, Part II
Article of August 30, 2001

 

When last we were engaged in this topic, Jacob Roudabush, Sr. had moved on to Ohio. One son, (also named Jacob) after accompanying his father to Strabane, Pennsylvania, opted to go come back to Rockingham County in 1818. Jacob II’s wife, whom he had married in 1808 in Rockingham County, was Mary Magdalene Whitzel. Her parents, Peter and Mary Tutwiler Whitzel, remained in the Valley and probably had something to do with the return of Jacob II’s family.

Jacob – also a Roudabush miller like many others before him - died near Conrad’s Store (Elkton) on July 4, 1848. His wife would follow before 1860. In all, Jacob and Mary saw the births of 11 children. Born August 10, 1826, the 8th child - Peter William Roudabush – also a miller by profession, would become known as the immediate progenitor of the Page County lines. Peter ran many mills including, but not limited to, one in Greene County, a mill near Honeyville, and a mill near the Peter Printz home in Ida.

In December 1853, Peter married Elizabeth Ann Koontz (the daughter of John J. and Mary Bingman Koontz – John J. Koontz was the grandson of the famous Elder John Koontz). From 1854 to 1872, Peter and Elizabeth had seven sons and three daughters.

During the Civil War, the Page County line of the Roudabush family did not serve. At the beginning of the war, Peter was exempt for 1) being a miller and 2) being "over age 35." Additionally, the oldest child was only 7. However, Peter’s brother, John Hiram Roudabush (age 34) resided in Augusta County and joined Co. H, 14th Virginia Cavalry. Apparently, three of Peter’s Rockingham County cousins served in Co. I, 7th Virginia Cavalry in the famous Laurel Brigade. It is unclear as to which family line these men were descended.

Clearly, at the very least, the names of two of Peter’s children show allegiance to the Commonwealth’s decision during the war. Major Ashby Roudabush and Virginia Jackson Roudabush revealed names prominent in the Valley in the war. In regard to M.A. Roudabush - there is an interesting story to note. It seems that, early in the war, then Lieutenant Colonel, Turner Ashby was riding with his regiment near one of the family mills. Ashby saw the new child (born Aug. 22, 1861) and asked if the boy had yet been named. When he learned that it had not – he pronounced that the boy be named "Major Ashby," for the boy could not outrank him.

However, there may be a tie to the naming of M. A. Roudabush and the July 3, 1861 death by brutal wounds of Turner’s brother, Richard. Richard was a captain when mortally wounded and Turner, having himself been appointed to lieutenant colonel on July 17, 1861, and so terribly disturbed by his brother’s death, when naming the young Roudabush, may have been wishing that they name the boy to honor his brother who might have also been promoted to major had he lived. How appropriate it would be that Major married a woman by the name Virginia Belle (McAllister)!

As an additional note, the first of Major Ashby Roudabush’s sons was appropriately named for the family profession – "Miller."

Over the years, there have been many changes in spelling to the original name of Raudenbusch – Roudabush, Raudabush, Radabush, Roudebush, Ruebush and Rubush.

Copyright 2008, Michael Habersack, Sr. All rights reserved. No content may be copied or stored / rebroadcast electronically without my expressed and written consent.