Fred Ruchert is one of the sturdy and enterprising men whose nativity is in the Fatherland, but whose spirit and energy have led to this prosperous country. His estate lies two and one-half miles east from Lapwai and he is numbered with the substantial and reliable men of the community.
Fred Ruchert was born in Prussia, on July 15, 1842, being the son of Charles and Minnie (Croppe) Ruchert. The father was a carpenter, born in Prussia in 1801, and died in 1874. He was in the German army. The mother was born in 1808, and died in 1873. Our subject was educated in the schools of his own country and then farmed there until 1872. At that time he decided to come to the United States and accordingly we see him in Door County, Wisconsin, soon working with his brother in the timber. He bought a piece of land the second year, cleared it and settled to farming there for fourteen years. Then he sold out and came to Wallowa County, Oregon, paying attention to farming there also. Later he was in the Grande Ronde valley and there farmed and raised stock until 1898. He sold again and settled next time in Anatone, Asotin County, Washington. He did well in the stock business there until he was burned out by some jealous companies. Then he was forced to leave that section and purchased land in Nez Perces County as mentioned above.
In Germany, on October 2, 1872, Mr. Ruchert married Miss Minnie, daughter of John and Minnie Grabbart and the next day they started for the United States. Mr. Grabbart was an attendant on a wealthy duke in Germany. Mrs. Ruchert was born in Germany in 1849, and has one brother and three sisters, Morris, Karalina, Austina and a baby. Mr. Ruchert has the following brothers and sisters: Theodore, who participated in the Danish, Austrian and Prussian war in 1864. in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-72; Charlie, Christ and Sophia. To Mr. and .Mrs. Ruchert there have been born eight children: Frank, Lizzie, Albert, Otto, Eddie, Emma, Henry and William.
Mr. Ruchert was in the Austro Prussian War. In political matters he is allied with the Republicans and always takes an intelligent interest in political matters. He and his family are adherents of the Lutheran Church.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903