Source: News-Journal, February 15, 1940

Ademar Rufle Called by Death. Ademar Rufle passed away at 12:20 today after an illness of several years from heart ailment. He had been bedfast for several months and death was not unexpected. Funeral arrangements have not been made. Mr. Rufle was one of the oldest men in active business in North Manchester and had owned a jewelry store here for many years. Mrs. Rufle died several years ago and there are three daughters who survive, Mae, Anna and Emma.

Source: News-Journal, February 19, 1940

RUFLE FUNERAL HELD SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Ademar Rufle, whose jewelry store is one of the oldest businesses in North Manchester, died Thursday at the age of eighty. He was buried Sunday afternoon in Oaklawn cemetery following funeral services at his residence conducted by the Rev. Manfred Wright assisted by the Rev. Noah McCoy and the Rev. Homer Ogle. Services at the grave were conducted by the Knights Templar. For forty-eight years Mr. Rufle has been a familiar figure in North Manchester. Not until October 14, 1938, did his health force him to give up active control of his store. After many long months of illness he passed away peacefully as his daughters were helping him back into bed at noon after he had spent the morning in his chair.

Mr. Rufle was born in Goshimo, Switzerland, on November 29, 1859, to John and Anna Isch Rufle. When he was six years old his parents moved to Lengnau, Switzerland. He returned to Goshimo at the age of eleven to become an apprentice to Melchoir Meyer, a watchmaker. He remained with Mr. Meyer five years and three months, then returned to the family home at Lengnau. From there he traveled in the Rhine Valley and in Alsace-Lorraine, selling watch materials.

In 1877, Mr. Rufle, in company with several other young watchmakers, started to America. They spent Easter Sunday in Strassburg, then proceeded to the coast. It took them seventeen days to cross the Atlantic on the steamship, "The Netherlands." Mr. Rufle went to Kenton, Ohio, where he joined his father who had come to America several years previously and was engaged in watchmaking there. Mr. Rufle was employed as a watchmaker in Kenton, Larue and Dunkirk, Ohio. At Dunkirk he met Miss Jane Packer, whom he married in 1879. For a time he was located at Oswego, Michigan. He opened a jewelry store in Wabash in 1891. Fifteen months later, February 3, 1892, he moved to North Manchester where he remained. Only once did he return to his native land, going to Lengnau in 1900 to visit his mother.

He was a member of the Methodist church, the Masons, the Wabash Commandery and the North Manchester Merchants' Association. He is survived by Esther Emma, Mae B. and Anna Hazel at home. Two sons preceded him in death, Frank, dying in infancy and Fred Ademar Rufle who died in 1900. A sister, Mrs. Minnie Spahr, of Lengnau, Switzerland, died February 5.