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| FRIENDSHIP CEMETERY McDONOUGH COUNTY, ILLINOIS |
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| Author - Marcia Farina |
| Calculating from the tombstone inscription, Lotta Bel was born April 15, 1883. Her mother, the former Ida C. Williams, was the daughter of Patrick McCorkle Williams and Lucetta Pope. Nesburt (often found as Nesbert) Ruggles was born and raised in Kentucky, the son of Moses and Ann Ruggles.
Nesburt took his family to Kansas in the early 1890s, but had returned to Illinois by 1896. The 1900 census listing for Lotta Bel and her younger siblings is unique and may give us some insight as to the character of this young woman. Perhaps these three children remained in Tennessee Township in order to attend school there. Nesburt, Ida and two of their sons were counted in St. Mary's Township, Hancock County, in 1900. In 1910 they were again counted as residents of Tennessee Township. Before 1920 most of the family had migrated south to Hempstead County, Arkansas. The following is pure speculation: we suspect that Lotta was married - ever so briefly before her life was cut short, to Harry Grant Cunningham of Salem Township, Knox County, Illnois, son of Theodore Cunningham and "Phebe" Wren.
 Forrest D. Ruggles Latherow & Lovenia H. Ruggles Sembach |
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enumerated about June 5, 1880, dwelling #72
Ruggles, Nesbert, white, male, 25, married, farmer, born KY, both parents born KY
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enumerated June 8, 1900, dwelling #125 Ruggles, Lotta B [or Lottie B], head, white, female, Apr 1883, 17, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, at school, attended school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English, rented her home Ruggles, Forrest D, sister, white, female, June 1890, 9, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, at school, attended school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English Ruggles, Lovenia H, sister, white, female, Apr 1893, 7, single, born KS, father born KY, mother born IL, at school, attended school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English |
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