Rubie Jemima Pultz Weik 1889 – 1973 is my grandmother who was born on September 14, 1889, in Woodburn, Clarke, Iowa. Her parents were George Edward Pultz and Kate Anna Smith. She was the fifth child born out of thirteen children.
Rubie’s early childhood was spent in Iowa with her brothers and sisters. George Alvah 1882, baby Frank 1884-1884, Ina Grace 1885, Carrie Rosalie 1887, Edward Glenn 1891, James Harrold 1894, and Waunita Susan Pultz.
Her father George and first brother Alvah came from Woodburn, Clarke, Iowa to Kansas in a covered wagon in 1897. They came to homestead between Keats and Riley, Kansas. Kate and six younger children followed by train. George and Kate’s first home in Kansas was a frame house, two rooms above a full basement. The basement was used for the kitchen.
George was a farmer and after they got settled in Kansas, they lost their firstborn son Alvah to pneumonia in 1900. They put down their roots and farmed the land in Riley County, Kansas. Kate and George had more children, Lloyd Wilson 1901, Willard Zee 1903, Kenneth Leo 1906, and Wilma Jean Pultz 1909. Thirteen children in all were blessed to this family.
My grandmother Rubie learned from her parents to be active in their community. There was always plenty of activity in such a large family. Siblings married and started their families. The family helped farm the land, so they were all assigned their chores to complete. At the end of June when the winter wheat harvest was finished, there would be a gathering of relatives to celebrate their bountiful year. George and Kate always had their family close by and enjoyed the grandchildren. They would always celebrate birthdays, and births as well as celebrating with their sons going to war or returning from war.
Rubie was eighteen years old when she meant and married Otto Richard Weik (my grandfather). They went to Clay Center, Clay, Kansas to obtain their marriage license. They were married on February 20, 1908, by a Probate Judge, Otto was twenty-three years old.
Rubie and Otto began their life as farmers as both their parents. They settled down in Leonardville, Kansas, and began their family. They had four sons and three daughters, Leo John 1908, Edward Hugh 1909, Don Charles 1910, Lola Mae 1912, Elsie Elizabeth 1914, Ina Marie 1920, and Merle Otto Weik (my father) 1922.
Rubie and Otto had moved to another farm on the other side of Manhattan, Riley, Kansas and at that time they had stock animals and horses. It was on this farm one day Otto was working with a horse and the horse kicked him and injured him severely. The damage he suffered could not be healed and at forty-one years old he died on June 16, 1926.
Rubie now had to continue farming and raise seven children by herself. My father was only three years old when his father died. Rubie did the best that she could, and the children helped farm the land. I am sure relatives came in as well to help her. I remember my father telling me the story of when they were out in the fields, they would often put him in the back of a wagon because he was too small to help. She could then watch him and farm at the same time. She finally sold the farm and moved into Manhattan.
Rubie saw her boys go off to WWII, some were in major battles. My father was even missing in action for a while but returned safely. She was glad when the war was over, and they all came back home. I can remember so many times that we came from Illinois to Kansas to see her and other relatives when I was a child, mostly in the summertime.
Rubie never remarried and enjoyed her grandchildren, family, and friends for the remainder of her life. At the age of eighty-three years old on June 3, 1973, Rubie passed away quietly. She and her husband are both buried in the Sunset Cemetery in Manhattan, Kansas.
One of my favorite things about her was she loved a good joke. My father and his brothers always shared a cute joke with her and she would just laugh and shake her head! She managed to raise a family, continue on with farming as long as she could, and was a good friend and neighbor to all who knew her.
Thank you for reading my blog post.
Brumley Family Branches 