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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Siskiyou Challenge pedals, paddles and runs in and around Ashland ... Meeting about Nevada Street bridge options Thursday evening ... Former Washington superintendent to replace Hummel ... Siskiyou Challenge pedals, paddles and runs in and around Ashland ... Meeting about Nevada Street bridge options Thursday evening ... Former Washington superintendent to replace Hummel ... AS IT WAS As It Was: The Ruch family tragedy overcome by town's founder Comment By Dawna Curler Southern Oregon Historical Society DailyTidings.com By Dawna Curler Southern Oregon Historical Society Posted Apr. 26, 2016 at 6:19 PM By Dawna Curler Southern Oregon Historical Society Posted Apr. 26, 2016 at 6:19 PM » RELATED CONTENT • As It Was: America Butler's diary a window into 'women's work'... • Ashlander helped KKK-backed politician in 1922 • Exhibit tells history of Chinese in Southern Oregon • As It Was: Ashland Hotel covered an entire city block » Social News Ruch is a thriving little community in Southern Oregon's Applegate Valley. It is named for Casper "Cap" Ruch (ROO-sh), who established a post office and store there in the 1890s. While some may know the Ruch family were early pioneers, few are aware of the heartbreaking tragedy that marred Cap's childhood. Cap's parents, Fritz and Anna, were Swiss emigrants living with their six children near the current community of Applegate in 1875. That spring Fritz bought a half interest in a mining claim. Two days later he poisoned himself with strychnine. There is little explanation for the act other than his wife, Anna, saying he'd been having "spells," and a neighbor suggesting that lately Fritz hadn't been acting "right." Overcome with grief, two weeks after Fritz's death, Anna drowned herself and their 4-year-old son, William, in a five-to-six-foot deep mining reservoir. Several emigrant families, also from Switzerland, took care of the children, including 10-year-old Casper. This sad story is just one of countless examples of suicide documented in historical records. Modern statistics show suicide as the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., demonstrating that depression, despair and mental illness are unfortunate ties we still have with our past. Sources: Black, John and Marguerite, Ruch and the Upper Applegate Valley, an Oregon Documentary. Medford, OR: Webb Research Group, 1990; Miller, Alan Clark. "Peter Britt: Pioneer Photographer of the Siskiyous." MA Thesis, Trinity College, 1972; American Association of Suicidology website, http://www.suicidology.org . As It Was is a co-production of Jefferson Public Radio and the Southern Oregon Historical Society. As It Was stories are broadcast weekdays on Jefferson Public Radio and are available online at asitwas.org . By Dawna Curler Southern Oregon Historical Society DailyTidings.com By Dawna Curler Southern Oregon Historical Society Posted Apr. 26, 2016 at 6:19 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501