After leaving in Dec. 1964, Henry was offered a job back in Fort Wayne, Indiana to build coaches for $3.50/day in the Pennsylvania car shops but he declined as his health wasn’t good. He returned to Crestline, Ohio to the place of his carpentry apprenticeship, Messrs. Stine & Wilson.
Just a few months later, on June 8, 1865, Henry married Miss Sarah A. Bushey from Shelby, Ohio and set up housekeeping at the site of what later became the Crestline Catholic Church (corner of Main and Thoman Streets). They had a son named Harry Ruckle in 1867 and daughter Estella Blanche in 1869. Poor Harry got diphtheria and passed away when he was 10 years old (1877). Then they had another son named George Ralph in 1879, who also got diphtheria and passed away when he was only 7 years old (1886).
Henry and Sarah only had one child to reach adulthood- their daughter Estella. When she was 25, she married a doctor (Daniel V. Summers) on June 7, 1894. Daniel and Estella had 2 children, Henry Hugh (1895) and Helen Wentz (1897). Just a few years later, Henry’s wife Sarah passed away in 1907; she was 65. Then Estella’s husband, Dr. Summers, passed away when he was only 54 (1917) but Estella lived until 1947, at age 77.
Henry worked in carpentry for about a year after he was married, then in 1866 he decided to run a hardware, tin, and stove store in Crestline with Mr. T. B. Burgert. After awhile, Mr. Burgert left so Henry’s brother David joined him. Then his brother retired so Mr. Geo. W. Pierce partnered with Henry. At some point, they met a man named Geo. W. Thompson, general agent of Lyconning Insurance Company of Pennsylvania who convinced them in 1875 to sell the hardware store, travel to Dayton, and open a mutual insurance agency together. Mr. Pierce was appointed special agent for the Lyconning Insurance Company so Mr. Thompson convinced Henry to move his family to Cleveland to sell insurance with him. Henry’s wife didn’t like Cleveland so he quit and moved his family to Shelby in 1876.
After his adventures in Cleveland, Henry was hired by Rev. D. I. Foust as a bookkeeper for Buckeye Mutual Insurance Company in Shelby. In 1880, Rev. Foust and a number of other men including Henry organized the Mutual Fire Underwriters Association. Elected directors were Henry, Dr. W. R. Bricker, T. H. Wiggins, W. A. Shaw, F. A. Dubois, A. Bushey, D. Cummins and E. S. Close. Dr. W. R. Bricker was elected President, E. S. Close Vice President, Rev. D. I. Foust General Agent and Henry was the Secretary.
Henry continues, “The business was up-hill work since so many of the Mutual Fire Companies failed about this time throughout the state.” Henry made $20 a month. A few years later Mr. Hildebrant took over the local fire insurance agency so Henry got the Plate Glass business and made $40-$50 a month.
From these endeavors he drew a small salary which helped because the Plate Glass business wasn’t going very well. He writes, “ After we began to get on our feet, the stock companies began to try to put us out of the game, but we continued on and paid no attention to them and went along as best we could, growing slowly each year. We tried to do a square business and as far as we could learn, we gave satisfaction. We were always prompt in adjusting our losses and tried to deal fair with our patrons.”
In 1896, Henry purchased 37 1/2 acres of land (formerly Beaverstock farm), in partnership with Messrs. Francis Brucker, of Shelby, and Hon. J. D. Leichty of St. Joe.
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* Remember Henry met J. D. Leichty when Leichty came to Fort Wayne, Indiana to enlist for the war. Best friends since then.
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