One of our volunteers, Nancy Mitchell a member of the Ruple family, on the
North Olmsted First Families tree provided us with a photograph of George Ruple
and Reuben Elliott on Motorcycles. The picture was taken in the early 1920’s. The
road they were sitting on is brick so we believe they were on Lorain Rd. This picture has been passing around the families involved an their friends like a wildfire all week.
We contacted the American Motorcycle Museum to see if we
could find out the year and brand of cycle. Here is their very quick reply: “Thanks for emailing the Motorcycle Hall of
Fame (in Pickerington Ohio) with this photo – very cool! I have compared the images with several
motorcycle books and I believe the Ruple bike is a 1913 Indian Single and the
Elliott bike is a 1911 Indian Single”. “That
said, I have also sent this photo to a friend who is a motorcycle historian and
is very good at picking out details I miss! So I will let you know if I hear
otherwise about these machines”. From the Museum Collections Manager.
Enough for the cycles (Love’em) we usually talk about
people.
George William Ruple was the son of Samuel and Elmina (James) Ruple
and was born on 23 July 1892 and passed away peacefully in his bed on 7 March
1952. George was married to Emily Samland on 26 Nov1919 they had one child. George and Emma are interned in the Coe Ridge
Cemetery with his parents. The Ruple family
has a long line of Peace Officers. George was a policeman in North Olmsted and built a house across the street from the police station.
Reuben Elliott was the son of Will N. and Bertha (Demaline)
Elliott. He was born on 27 January 1894. Reuben married Helen May (Briggs) on 14 Oct
1919 they had five children. Helen passed away 28 December 1942 and Reuben passed away 10 August 1965. They are both interned in Butternut Ridge Cemetery.
Reuben W Elliott Joined the ONG in Cleveland Ohio on 18
July 1917 Hq Co I Engrs ONG to 30 Sept 1917; Co E 112 Engrs to Disch. Wag 5 Sept 1917; Pvt. 30 Sept 1917; Pvt1cl 1
Oct 1917; Corp 20 Oct 1917; Mr Engrs sr gr 23 Nov 1917. Meuse-Argonne; Ypres-Lys;
Defensive Sector. AEF 23 June 1918 to 14 Apr 1919. Hon Disch 17 Apr 1919 His soon to be wife Helen Briggs joined the (Crile Nurses). Nurse 6 May 1917 fr CL. BH 4 Cleveland O to June --/17; BH 4 AEF to Apr --/19; Demob Sta to disch AEF ExJune --/17 to 3 Apr 1919. Reserve nurse relieved from active duty 27 May 1919; not disch
I found out that Reuben and Helen grew up across the street from each other they were childhood sweethearts. They got married after they came back from the War
