Volume 9 , Issue 49

Pioneer Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh

In 1916, Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh was retired and living in the village of Dacoma, Woods County, Oklahoma after having served all with "consecrated zeal and devotion" for nearly half a century as a clergyman of the United Brethren Church. He retired from the active work of the ministry in December, 1914, after having been a member of the Oklahoma conference of the denomination for the year that marked the admission of the state to the Union.

Raudebaugh was a native of the old Buckeye State and a scion of one of its sterling pioneer families, and he represented that state as a valiant soldier of the Union during the Civil war, in which two of his younger brothers likewise took part.

Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh was born on a farm near lancaster, the judicial center of Fairfield County, Ohio, and the date of his nativity was September 29, 1842. He was a son of Rev. Abraham and Susana (Simons) Raudebaugh, both likewise natives of Ohio and representatives of worthy pioneer families of that commonwealth.

Rev. Abraham Raudebaugh was born on 19 September 1820, and was reared and educated in his native state, where he became a prosperous farmer and an able and honored local minister of the United Brethren Church, his work in the ministry having been initiated in 1854 and terminated with his death, which occurred at Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, in August, 1859.

Abraham Raudebaugh
Abraham Raudebaugh's marriage to Miss Susana Simons was solemnized in 1841. Susana was born in the year 1822, having survived him by more than a score of years and having passed the closing period of her life at Lawrence, Kansas, where she was summoned to the life eternal on 18 January 1882.

Of the ten children of Abraham and Susana Raudebaugh, Rev. Samuel H. was the first born; Susan died in infancy; Peter O., was a resident of Herington, Dickinson county, Kansas, where he established his residence in 1866, was a gallant soldier of the Union in the Civil war, as a member of Company K, 65th Ohio volunteer Infantry; Perry F., maintained his home in the City of Seattle, Washington, served in the Civil war as a member of the 196 Ohio volunteer Infantry; Katherine resided in Huron county, Ohio; Jane, wife of Frank Wilson of that county; the next two children were twin daughters who died in fancy; Miss Rosa Ann Rebecca resided at Herington, Kansas; and Abraham W. died at the age of ten years.

Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh was educated in the schools of Fairfield and Hancock counties, Ohio, in his early years. and supplemented by an effective course in a well ordered normal school in Allen County, Ohio. As a young man he put his scholastic attainments to practical test and utilization and was for several years a successful and popular teacher in the schools of Putnam county, Ohio.

On 5 December 1862, he enlisted as a private in company K, 65th Ohio volunteer Infantry, his brother, Peter O., having become a member of the same company. Mr. Raudebaugh enlisted as a recruit to this regiment, which was at the time attached to the Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. O. O. Haward. Raudebaugh participated with his command in 16 important battles, besides many skirmishes and other minor engagements. He took part in and was captured at the battle of Stone's River, but by feigning death he contrived to make good his escape. He was in the battle of Missionary Ridge and in all the incidental engagements of the Atlanta campaign, from that of Rocky Face Ridge, on the 8th of May, 1864, to the battles of Atlanta and Jonesboro, terminating the summer's campaign, on September 4 of that year.

At the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864, he was captured by the enemy, and for four months and one day he was confined in the Andersonville Prison, from which he was released on the 31st of March, 1865.

After the war Mr. Raudebaugh purchased a farm in Putnam County, Ohio, where for two years he devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits and to teaching in the district schools during the winter terms. In 1867, after careful study and other earnest preparation, he entered the ministry of the United Brethren church, of which he had become a member when a mere boy. Mr. Raudebaugh entered a soldier's claim to a tract of land in Oklahoma prior to the admission of the state to the Union, and he perfected his title to this property in 1891.

Raudebaugh was thrice wedded. On 2 October 1862, he married Miss Sarah E. Godfrey, who was born November 29, 1842, and whose death occurred February 14, 1870. Of this union were born four children: Ruth Jane was born November 1, 1866, and died May 4, 1887; Mary Ann was born November 22, 1865, and died on the 4th of the following month; Laura E. was born February 14, 1869, and died on the 14th of the following month; John henry was born February 5, 1870, and lived in the city of Toledo, Ohio.

On 26 May 1870, Raudebaugh wedded Mrs. Caroline W. Baker, who was born July 22, 1834, and who died on February 4, 1873. The one child of this union being Grace maria, who was born November 27, 1872, and who became the wife of Elijah Quisno, of Port Clinton, Ohio.

On 17 August 1873, Raudebaugh was married to Mrs. Amelia A. Mugg, widow of Wheeler Mugg. Amelia had one duaghter by her first marriage -- Grace B., who was born May 11, 1869, and who became the wife of Adam Vollmer, a representative farmer of Woods County, Oklahoma, their two children being Hallie L. and Graham T. [found in the 1916 A Standard History of Oklahoma, Volume 4, by Thoburn.]
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