Date Confirmed via Newspaper ~ Rev. Ruth in Alaska

Rev. C.W.. Ruth (husband's grandfather) standing center, Skagway, Alaska ~ 1905

Newspapers are one of the family historian's best tools. Rich with dates and facts, making our ancestors come to life. Also, they verify events, we know or don't know. When someone was born, died and married. Did they move to another location? Do we find them as being famous or even more fun ... infamous. 

One of my favorite descendants to research is Rev. Christian Wismer Ruth (known as Rev. C.W. Ruth).  He was my husband's paternal grandfather. From the time he was a young man, Christian was a traveling preacher. I have documented his career from the late eighteen hundreds, to his death, May 27, 1941. 

Christian was born into the Mennonite faith in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on September 1, 1865. In 1884 he became a preacher with the Evangelical Christian Church. He then reorganized the church as the Holiness Christian Association. In 1908 Christian, and about half of the congregation, joined the Church of the Nazarene.

Over the years, I have been in contact with researchers around the globe. Some with information about the churches, some about Rev. C.W. Ruth. They have kindly furnished important facts to complete Christian's timeline. Some have even gifted us with special photographs.

Last year we came into possession of the above picture. Here are known facts shared:

• the two men are C.W. Ruth and E.L. Wilson
• Peniel Mission, Skagway, Alaska
• date circa 1905

Periodically, I set aside time for "C.W. Ruth" newspaper searches. This morning hit pay-dirt! While using the Library of Congress "Chronicling America" site found the following.

• The daily Alaskan. [volume] (Skagway, Alaska), 29 Sept. 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014189/1905-09-29/ed-1/seq-1/>

From the article we have the following:

• C.W. Ruth and E.L. Wilson
• Peniel mission, Skagway, Alaska 
• date September 1905

Thanks to a newspaper website, I believe we have verified our photograph.