Individual Details
Watson Marvin Ruberts
(27 Nov 1850 - 5 Mar 1934)
Watson M. Ruberts
One of Yolo county’s prosperous and progressive fruit ranchers is W. M. Ruberts, who came to California in 1879. He was born in La Salle county, Ill., November 27, 1850, and while a small boy accompanied his parents to McDonough county, in the same state, where he lived until he reached the age of twenty-eight years. At this period he determined to seek his fortune in the far west, and with his family journeyed forth, settling in Woodland, Cal., where he resided about a year. Later he removed to Rumsey, Capay valley, where he purchased twenty acres, eight of which he planted to grapes, subsequently setting out on the remainder apricots and pears. He now has only eight acres, having sold off all but this amount.
Shortly after locating on this land the Southern Pacific Railroad Company bought the upper end of the valley and proceeded to improve it, building a station and subdividing the land into ten and twenty acre tracts which they planted to fruit. Owing to the superior shipping facilities thus established, the value of the surrounding land increased immensely and this section became on of the leading fruit belts of that state. Not the least to profit by the change, Mr. Ruberts prospered rapidly, and in one season he and a neighbor shipped an entire car of raisin grapes.
Mr. Ruberts was married in LaHarpe, Hancock county, Ill., in 1878 to Miss Hattie Edgington, a native of Des Moines, Iowa. Four children were born to them, namely: George, a machinist at Willows; C. Arthur, an electrical engineer of Bakersfield; Charles Irvin, a contractor of Coalinga; and Richard, an electrical engineer employed in Yolo county and residing in Rumsey. Mr. Ruberts is a stanch Republican, well versed in the political issues of the day, and is a citizen worthy of the esteem and popularity which he enjoys.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, page 360.
One of Yolo county’s prosperous and progressive fruit ranchers is W. M. Ruberts, who came to California in 1879. He was born in La Salle county, Ill., November 27, 1850, and while a small boy accompanied his parents to McDonough county, in the same state, where he lived until he reached the age of twenty-eight years. At this period he determined to seek his fortune in the far west, and with his family journeyed forth, settling in Woodland, Cal., where he resided about a year. Later he removed to Rumsey, Capay valley, where he purchased twenty acres, eight of which he planted to grapes, subsequently setting out on the remainder apricots and pears. He now has only eight acres, having sold off all but this amount.
Shortly after locating on this land the Southern Pacific Railroad Company bought the upper end of the valley and proceeded to improve it, building a station and subdividing the land into ten and twenty acre tracts which they planted to fruit. Owing to the superior shipping facilities thus established, the value of the surrounding land increased immensely and this section became on of the leading fruit belts of that state. Not the least to profit by the change, Mr. Ruberts prospered rapidly, and in one season he and a neighbor shipped an entire car of raisin grapes.
Mr. Ruberts was married in LaHarpe, Hancock county, Ill., in 1878 to Miss Hattie Edgington, a native of Des Moines, Iowa. Four children were born to them, namely: George, a machinist at Willows; C. Arthur, an electrical engineer of Bakersfield; Charles Irvin, a contractor of Coalinga; and Richard, an electrical engineer employed in Yolo county and residing in Rumsey. Mr. Ruberts is a stanch Republican, well versed in the political issues of the day, and is a citizen worthy of the esteem and popularity which he enjoys.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, page 360.
Events
| Birth | 27 Nov 1850 | La Salle, Illinois, United States |  | ||
| Marriage | 2 May 1874 | La Harpe, Hancock, Illinois, United States - Hattie Edgington |  | | |
| Census (family) | 1880 | West Cottonwood, Yolo, California - Hattie Edgington | | ||
| Residence | 1892 | Rumsey, Yolo, California, United States | | ||
| Census (family) | 1910 | Guinda, Yolo, California, United States - Hattie Edgington | | ||
| Census (family) | 1930 | Guinda, Yolo, California, United States - Hattie Edgington | | ||
| Death | 5 Mar 1934 | Yolo, California, United States | | | |
| Burial | Capay Cemetery, Esparto, Yolo, California, United States |
Families
| Spouse | Hattie Edgington (1857 - 1934) |
| Child | George B Ruberts (1878 - 1937) |
| Child | Arthur C. Ruberts (1882 - 1962) |
| Child | Charles Irvin Ruberts (1888 - ) |
| Child | Richard Watson Ruberts (1893 - 1974) |
| Father | Milton Byron Ruberts (1803 - 1885) |
| Mother | Sarah E. Terry (1826 - ) |
| Sibling | Louisa Ruberts (1848 - 1893) |
| Sibling | McDonough Ruberts (1855 - 1880) |
| Sibling | Gilleath E. "Gilla" Ruberts (1857 - 1914) |
| Sibling | William J. Ruberts (1860 - 1870) |
| Sibling | Daniel Rosecrans Ruberts (1863 - 1944) |
Notes
Marriage
GROOM BRIDE CNTY DATERUBERTS, WATSON M EDGINGTON, HATTIE HANCOCK 05/02/1874 VOL/PAGE 4/ 125 LIC # 6129
Census (family)
Watson M. RUPERTS Self M Male W 29 IL Farmer KY ILHattie RUPERTS Wife M Female W 22 IA Keeping House OH TN
George B. RUPERTS Son S Male W 1 IL IL IA
Milton T. RUPERTS Nephew S Male W 20 IL Farmer IL IL
Residence
California, Great Registers, 1866-1910," Watson Milton Ruberts, 1892Name: Watson Milton Ruberts
Event: Voter Registration
Event Date: 1892
Registration Date Year Range:
Event Place: Rumsey, Yolo, California, United States
Age: 41
Estimated Birth Year: 1851
Birthplace: Illinois
Page: 63
Film Number: 978598
Digital Folder Number: 005030299
Image Number: 00076
Census (family)
SELF Watson M Ruberts M 59y IllinoisWIFE Hattie J Ruberts F 50y Iowa
SON Erwin C Ruberts M 22y California
SON Richard Ruberts M 16y California
Mabel Morrison F 21y California
Census (family)
Head Watson M Ruberto M 79 IllinoisWife Hattie Ruberto F 70 Iowa
Death
Watson Milton Ruberts, 83, a retired orchardist, who has been a resident of Rumsey for 56 years, died at 3:25 o'clock Monday mourning at his home in Rumsey. He had been a semi-invalid for the past four years, and became critically ill Saturday.He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Hattie Ruberts, who was brought to the Woodland Clinic hospital Friday, where she is ill.
There are also four surviving sons: George of Wyoming, Arthur of Medford, Oregon, and Richard and Ervin, both of Coalinga. Kraft Brothers have taken charge of the body and funeral arrangements are pending word to be received from the brothers.
Endnotes
1. Genealogy papers mailed on Ruberts, Mathews and Taylor families. (Los Angeles, CA: Robert D. Mustain,
2. Tom Gregory, History of Yolo County, California (Los Angeles, California: Historic Record Company, 1913, page 360. (Ruberts Bio transcribed by Bea Barton, http://www.calarchives4u.com/Biographies/yolo/yolo-huck.htm)).
3. Illinois State Archives & the Illinois State Genealogical Society., Illinois Statewide Marriage Index 1763 - 1900. (
4. Capay Cemetery, Esparto, Yolo County, California, Internment.net, contributed by Fred Kemmerle online [http://www.interment.net/data/us/ca/yolo/capay/index.htm], accessed Mar 2006.