The pottery interests constitute one of the most important sources of revenue to the citizens of White Hall and Mr. Ruckel is a prominent representative of this line of activity, controlling one of the important productive industries of the town. From a humble financial position he has worked his way upward and is well entitled to the praise which the term of self-made man implies. His birth occurred in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, on the 22d of February, 1835, his parents being George and Hannah (Creveling) Ruckel, the former of German lineage and the latter of Scotch descent. From Pennsylvania the parents removed to Michigan, but after remaining in that state for a month went to Ohio, settling in Akron. They became residents of that place about 1846 and there continued to reside until called to their final rest. The father had engaged in farming near Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and after his removal to Ohio he carried on the same pursuit.

A. D. Ruckel spent his early youth in the state of his nativity and then accompanied his parents on their removal to the Buckeye state. He was reared under the parental roof and acquired his education in the public schools. he remained a resident of Akron until 1870, when he removed to White Hall and here became connected with the pottery interests as a manufacturer. he entered into partnership with M. C. Purdy, with whom he remained for five years and between 1875 and 1878 was a partner of A. F. Vedder in the drug, hardware and grocery business. Later he turned his attention to the milling business, in which he continued for five years, but not finding that as profitable as he had anticipated he again began the manufacture of stoneware in 1883. he is now operating one of the leading industrial concerns of the town, having a large plant, which is still conducted and wherein employment is furnished to about thirty workmen. In connection with his son Mr. Ruckel is also engaged in the retail coal business. His has been an active and useful career, in which he has displayed sound judgment in the control of business affairs and keen discrimination in determining the outcome of any business proposition. He is now practically living retired, leaving the active management of the pottery business to his son, but for many years Mr. Ruckel has been classed with the most progressive and substantial citizens of White Hall.

During the period of the Civil War Mr. Ruckel displayed his loyalty to the Union cause by enlisting as a member of Company H, Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for four months. He then returned to Ohio and went into a private armory at Hamilton, that state, where he engaged in the manufacture of breech-loading rifles for the United States. His political allegiance has always been given to the republican party since he cast his first presidential vote for Fremont in 1856. He has ever kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day and is a stanch advocate of the party platform, believing that it contains the best elements of good government. He was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian church and attended both the Methodist and Presbyterian Sunday schools. he was at one time a member of the Masonic fraternity, but is now actively affiliated with the craft.

On the 8th of October, 1868, Mr. Ruckel was united in marriage to Miss Emma Adams, a native of Akron, Ohio, and a daughter of Enoch Adams. the Adams family were Scotch Yankees and were stanch abolitionists prior to the Civil war. At an early day the representatives of the name moved from Portland, Maine, to Cleveland, Ohio. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ruckel has been born but one child, Carroll A., who was born April 9, 1872, in White Hall. The son has always been associated with his father in business and in 1893, upon his marriage, was admitted to a partnership on the 9th of October of that year. He wedded Nora Mytenger, a daughter of the well known merchant of White Hall of that name. Like his father, Carroll A. ruckel gives his political allegiance to the Republican party and he belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and to the Travelers' Protective Association. He is a young man of excellent business ability, a thorough master of the trade of pottery manufacture and in the control of the enterprise displays careful management, consideration for his employees and most honorable dealings with his patrons. Both father and son are classed with the representative business men of White Hall, honored and respected because of what they have accomplished and by reason of the straightforward honorable methods they have ever followed. In the year 1902 Mr. Ruckel paid a visit to his old home at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and there saw his first teacher, Mary Worman, now a widow living in that city. His residence in White Hall covers thirty-four years, during which time the town has profited by his co-operation in many measures for the general good through his progressive citizenship, which has found expression in the assistance which he has rendered along many lines of improvement and progress in his chosen locality.