Was a farmer and miller. He had flour mills in Morris and Pontiac. He also raised cattle and sheep.116 Andrew Jackson Hartle worked for him after his first wife died. William fed the livestock the mash left from making whiskey. It is said that William hanged himself. The story is that he sent his son-in-law, Smith Shelton, to Chicago with 2 carloads of cattle. Shelton received over $1900 from the sale, but refused to hand over the money. William owed creditors and went to his father to borrow the money. His father refused. William drove his buggy home, unhitched the mule, took a rein and looped it over a hickory tree limb, attached it to his neck and gave the mule a kick.

Committed suicide

SUICIDE - The community was startled on Sunday by the intelligence that William Rudd a prominent farmer and property owner who lived two miles west of the city, had committed suicide. The rash act was committed between 11 and 12: on Sunday forenoon and was accomplished by riding a mule under a limb of a tree and affixing a rope to the limb and one end of the rope around his neck and the mule driven from under him and he was left suspended.

Financial embarrassment and long continued ill health were probably the cause of the suicide.

Mr. Rudd leaves an invalid wife and four children, who together with his aged father and mother are overwhelmed with grief in their terrible berevement.

Whatever Mr. Rudd’s faults may have been, it can truly be said that he was an affectionate husband and an indulgent warm-hearted father and that his offenses were against himself and not against his neighbors.117

Funeral Notice—The Funeral Services of W. A. Rudd will be held at the Christian Church, on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1875, at 11 o’clock, a.m. The friends of the family are requested to attend.