Levi Ruhl, a son of Elizabeth (née Prosser) and George Ruhl, was born in 1808 in York County, Pennsylvania. Along with his parents and siblings, he migrated in 1814 to Perry Township, Richland County, Ohio.

Levi Ruhl and Miriam Painter married about 1831 in Richland County (no marriage record extant). Levi's brothers Jeremiah and Adam would later marry Miriam's sisters Lydia and Susannah, respectively. In the early 1850s, Levi with his wife and children migrated to Holt County, Missouri. His wife died there in 1856.

With his daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Henry Brockman, Levi Ruhl migrated in the 1870s to Kansas, and in the early 1880s to Spokane County, Washington Territory. Levi Ruhl's daughters, Elizabeth Thuma and Caroline Brockman, also settled with their families in Spokane County.

Notes

A volume of early Richland Co., Ohio, marriage records is lost.

1850 U.S. Census, District 129, Perry Twp., Richland Co., Ohio; dwelling 47, family 47, lines 33-40, p. 414 (printed), p. 827 (written), 10 Sep 1850.
33. Levie Rhule, 43, farmer ($4,000), Pa.
34. Mariam Rhule, 39, Virginia.
35. Elisabeth -----, 13, Ohio.
36. George -----, 11, [Ohio].
37. Rachel -----, 9, [Ohio].
38. John -----, 7, [Ohio].
39. Mary -----, 5, [Ohio].
40. Caroline -----, 3, [Ohio].
• Comment: Although the ages of Miriam Ruhl and her children are off by a few years, the birth order appears to be correct.

1860 U.S. Census, Nodaway Twp., Holt Co., Missouri; dwellings 185-186, families 185-186, lines 38-40 and 1, and lines 2-8, pp. 30-31 (written), 13 Jun 1860.
38. Benj'n. Thuma [head], 31, farmer ($1,400; $960), Penna.
39. Elizabeth -----, 28, Ohio.
40. Eva J. -----, 3, Mo [Missouri].
1. Unity A. Thuma, 1, Mo.
2. Levi Rule [head], 53, farmer ($5,400; $1,760), Penna.
3. George -----, 26, Ohio.
4. John -----, 21, Ohio.
5. Mary -----, 19, Ohio.
6. Caroline -----, 15, Ohio.
7. Catherine -----, 23, Va. [George's wife].
8. Levi F. -----, 6/12, Mo. [George's son].

1870 U.S. Census, Nodaway Twp., Holt Co., Missouri.

1875 Kansas state census, Solomon Twp., Cloud Co.; p. 1 / p. 168, 1 Mar 1875.
6. John H. Brockman, 34, farmer, Mo. [Missouri].
7. Mary O. -----, 34, milliner, Ohio.
8. Fannie C. -----, 8, Mo.
9. David R. -----, 5, [Mo].
10. Levi Ruhl, 62, farmer, Penn.
11. Cerelda Brockman, 54, housekeeper, Ken[tucky].

"Mr. Levi Ruhl, of Cloud county, Kansas, spent several weeks in our midst visiting relatives. He is the oldest son of grandmother Elizabeth Ruhl, who resides with Wm. Ruhl, Esq., at New Point, and is now in her 95th year. Levi Ruhl is 68 years of age." ("Home News," The Holt County Sentinel, Missouri, 23 Jun 1876, p. 3, col. 2.)

1880 U.S. Census, E.D. 368, Pleasant Twp., Pawnee Co., Kansas; dwellings 90-91, families 90-91, lines 21-24 and 25, p. 48B (printed), p. 10 (written), 11 Jun 1880.
20. Brockman, John H., 42 [head], farmer; born in Missouri, parents in Va.
21. ----- Mary O., 38, wife, keeping house; born in Ohio, parents in Pa.
22. ----- Fannie, 13, daughter, at home, Missouri.
23. ----- David, 10, son, at home, Missouri.
24. ----- Elma J., 3, daughter, at home, Kansas.
25. Ruhl, Levi, 73, widowed, farmer; born in Pennsylvania, parents in Pa.

"—Mr. Levi Ruhl, father-in-law of our worthy postmaster, sold his two claims this week for $650. The lucky man was Mr. Lane, of Holt county, Missouri." ("Harmony Issues," The Larned Chronoscope, Larned, (Pawnee Co.,) Kansas, 24 Jun 1881, p. 3.)

1885 Washington territorial census, Spokane Co.; n. p. [image 51/92], 1 Feb 1885.
10. Levi Rhul, 77, Pennsylvania.
• Note: Jno. Brockman's household enumerated two pages earlier [image 49/92].

1887 Washington territorial census, Spokane Co.; n. p. [image 46/97], 4 Apr 1887.
20. John H. Brockman, 50, farmer, Missouri.
21. Mary "A." Brockman, 46, milliner, Ohio.
22. David Brockman, 17, Missouri.
23. E. Jane Brockman, 10, Kansas.
24. Levi Ruhl, 78, Pennsylvania.

Reviewed 1 January 2022.