Beeks line: Peter Ruble about 1684-1750

 I hesitate to write this post because so little is known about this man, and because there is a possibility that the Rubles are not actually part of the family line.  Although I have no absolute proof, I tend to think the line is correct.  If not, at least someone else who is sure this man is theirs may learn something.  

I have actually found very little about Peter (Hans Peter, to give his full name).  His birth date is given as February 14, 1684, in either Lauperswil, Bern Canton, Switzerland or Bayern, Germany.  He was the son of Johann Peter and Margreth Ruble.  The possibility is strong that this was a Mennonite family, forced from Switzerland to Germany by Swiss authorities (Mennonites refused to belong to the state church, or to have their children baptized there) and then forced by economics or politics, again, to flee Germany for the British colonies, usually Pennsylvania.  And indeed, there are Rubles who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1736 and in 1742, the second year being the one that Ulrich Ruble arrived.  Peter had a son named Ulrich.  Hans Ruble, who may or may not be Hans Peter, arrived in 1736.  

I found a statement that the Ruble family changed from Mennonite to Methodist, but I'm not sure what time frame that was meant to describe, or whether an older man such as Peter would have made the change.

I've been unable to locate Peter in Pennsylvania unless he was the Hans of 1736.  However, by 1744 Ulrich was in Frederick County, Virginia and Peter was likely with him.  I found a statement in "Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants" that Peter was one of the oldest settlers in the North end of Frederick and controlled large tracts of land.  But then it goes on to state that Peter saw service in the Revolutionary War.  So it may be that these statements combine the lives of two men.  Revolutionary War Peter may be a son or grandson of this Peter.  Since our man was born in 1684 and died about 1750, he didn't fight in the Revolutionary War, or even the French and Indian war.  

We know almost nothing about Peter's family.  His wife's name is given as Anna Katrina Mueller, but I've not found documentation for that.  The marriage would have taken place in Germany, as would the births of their children.  I have a birth date of 1710 for son Ulrich, and September 21, 1720 for Peter (possibly he of the Revolutionary War) but not even that much information for other sons, who may have included Robert, John, and Cunrad.  

I've not found estate records of any kind for Peter, which is strange if he indeed controlled or owned a lot of land.  There is a lot of work to be done before we can even feel that we have enough information for a sketch of his life.  These are mere hints for the most part, and I only hope they will lead us in the right direction.  

The proposed line of descent is:

Peter Ruble-Anna Katrina Mueller

Ulrich Ruble-Jane Jacob

David Ruble-Sarah Malin

Hannah Ruble-Samuel Dunham

Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight

Samuel Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese

Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge

Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks

Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger

Their descendants