Portrait and biographical album of Ingham and Livingston counties, Michigan, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties ... the governors of the state and of all the presidents of the United States.

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

known, the first (erman families who came there
to make their homes, or indeed, wllo settled in
what was then the territory of Michigan. John
Valentine Ruehle, Sr., was a distinguished citizen of
Baden, Germany, having been an officer in the
War with Napoleon, and also serving as IBurgomaster of his native town for a number of years.
Ile was a man of intelligence and energy, bound
to succeed wherever placed.
Shortly after his marriage, I'eter Sclleider removed to Saline, Waslhtenaw (County, but so(n returned to l)etroit where he again engaged in
ousiness, living part of the time on his farm which
is now incorporated in the city. There l-e enlgaged
in dailrying, stock-breediiing, nmanufacturing and
lbilding. He remained until 1 870, when lie sold
out all his interests and removed to 7White Bear
Lake, Minn., ten miles north of St. Paul. There,
witl three of his sons, lie engaged in farming on a
large scale and carried on his agricultural interests
very successfully until they were checked by his
leatl which occurred D)ecellber 31, 1878. Trl
death of his wife ad occurred tllhree months before
his decease. They left a family of seven children
comprising four sons and three daughters, who are
as follows: Frederick, the subject of our sketch,
who is the oldest menlmer of the family now living;.John Ilenry, Peter and Charles William, Mary,
Sophlia and Caroline. Peter Sclneider was a
charter member of the old Washington Lodge of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of l)etroit, the first lodge that was organized in this
State, and an active member of the old Fire l)epartment of Detroit and of the Detroit Scott (Guards,
and was an ardent Free Soil Wllig.
)ur subject received both a common school and
academic education in l)etroit and afterward graduated from Bryant and Stratton's Commercial College, of the same city. When he had finished his
education he went to Chicago, and was there em
ployed as a traveling agent, and later became a
shipping clerk for a wholesale grocery and commission house. Before leaving home he had become a member of the l)etroit Scott Guards, an old
military organization that had been first organized
by his uncle, J. V. Rueile, Jr.,*in 18401, lie being its
first Captain, afterwardMajor in the First Mieti

gan Infantry in the Mexican \War, and later a
Iieutenant-Colonel in the Sixteenth Infantry in
the War of the Rebellion.
()ur subject remained in (Clicago as a shippilng
clerk until the first call for troops made by President
Lincoln, Apr1il 15, 1861, on which day lie enlisted.
lie was not an untrained soldier for lie had previously drilled with the l)etroit Scott (-Guards and
with the Ellswortll Zouaves of (Chicago and was
familiar with military drill. The next day after!lis enlistment at Chicago lie received a telegfram from thle Secretary of tle company in l)etroit, of which lie was still an honorary membler,
stating that the whlole complany had enlisted, and
that he (tlle writer) llad saved one place 'for 1r.
Scelllider. "Would lie (come)" ()u subject ilnmcediately had his (llCicago enlistment. callncelled an(l
I wired Tback that lie would conme to l)etroit by the
next train, whichl lie did. The call was for three
nmothls' volunteers. The Chicago firm for whom
he liad been working assured hlim that his salary
sllould go on, which they paid him, and if lie came
back lie should have his position again. Young
Schneider entered the company as a private and
was soon after sent to the front, his company being
the second to offer its service in this State, following the Detroit Light Gu'ards by only twenty
i minutes. This early response to the call for volunteers rgained his company the option of second place
in thle First Regiment, or first place in the Second
Regiment, and it was decided to take the first position in the Second Regiment, whichl was being
formed simultaneously witll the First Regiment.
In the meantinme tlhe War Department had ordered
tllhat only one regiment should ble mustered from
Michigan for thlree months. All others must enter
for three years, or for the duration of the war,
and thus his company was the first that enlisted
for the three years' service.
Mr. Schneider was mustered into the United
States service on May 25, 1861. Prior to that time
he was promoted to be Company Clerk and from
that post to Corporal. He was advanced froni that
position to Sergeant.an(d a:s such was nustered into
tle lnlited States service ill (om)any A, of the
Second Miclligan Infantryl. lie served with his
regiment through the entire war,i participatingr inl