Richard Rudy

Narrative:

     Richard Rudy was born on 21 Mar 1870 in Caseyville, Union Co., Kentucky.^8,9,10
     He appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Caseyville, Union Co., Kentucky, in the household of his parents, James Henry Rudy and Mary Ann Savage.¹⁷ He appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Caseyville, Union Co., Kentucky, in the household of his parents.⁵
     Richard moved to Paducah on 1 May 1888.¹⁸
     His first job in Paducah was as a runner at the Citizens Savings Bank. He later became assistant cashier, then cashier, then vice president there.^18,19,20
     He began courting his future wife some forty years before they were married.²¹
     Richard appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Paducah, McCracken Co., Kentucky, at 232 North 7 St., enumerated 8 Jun 1900, in the household of his sister Fannie, her husband, Charles B. Hatfield, a teacher, and their three children. There were also three boarders listed in the household.²²
     He became a director of the Southern Textile Company, the Arcadia and Claussner Hosiery Mills, and of Paducah Newspapers, Inc.¹⁸ He was chairman of the Board of Public Works from 1811 to 1914, and served for a while as president of the Family Service Society. He was president of th Paducah Park Board at the time of his death.¹⁸
     Richard appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Paducah, McCracken Co., Kentucky, at 232 North 7 St., enumerated 26 Apr 1910, in the household of his sister Fannie, her husband, Charles B. Hatfield, by then a manager at a machine company, and their three children. His brother Fred was also listed in the household.²³
     Richard appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Paducah, McCracken Co., Kentucky, at 730 Jefferson, enumerated 15 Jun 1920, in the household of his sister Fannie and her husband, Charles B. Hatfield, by then a traveling salesman at a drug company. His brother Fred was also listed in the household.²⁴
     In 1920 he was named president of the bank, after the death of his predecessor.^18,25,26,27
     He was credited with a substantial role in the building of the Paducah-Ohio bridge, which was dedicated 8 May 1929.¹⁸
     Richard appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Paducah, McCracken Co., Kentucky, at 730 Jefferson, enumerated 15 Apr 1930, reporting he owned a home valued at $10,000, and did not own a radio. His widowed sister Fannie was also listed in the household.²⁸
     Richard married Reubie Fowler Cobb, daughter of Joshua Clark Cobb and Manie Saunders, on 21 Feb 1932 in Paducah, Kentucky, at the parsonage of the First Presbyterian Church, with Rev. F. H. Olert offciating.^11,12,13
     Richard left a will dated 27 May 1933 stating he was of Paducah, Kentucky, in which he named the Citizens Savings Bank of Paducah as his executor, and specified that no inventory of the estate should be filed. I directed the executor to sell his stock in Claussner and Arcadia Hosiery Company, his lots on West Broadway in Paducah, and his Ballard County farm to pay his debits, taxes, costs of administration, and cash bequests. He left his brother Charles $200 and cancelled a note for $5,000 Charles owed him. He left his sisters Fanny and Retta $300 each, and his niece Lillian Minnich $400. He left his brother Fred $500, his fire arms and wearing apparel, and his farm five miles west of Paducah. He left A. R. Meyers, C. M. Hand, Charles A. Gockel, William Womble, and J. D. Mocquot, in equal shares, his stock in the Citizens Savings Bank of Paducah.
     He left to his wife all diamonds he owned, and all his household and kitchen furniture, and for her lifetime the store building occupied by J. A. Rudy & sons, the gasoline filling station in Loneoak, and the income from all the bonds, stocks, and other income-bearing property he owned. At her death, the store building was to go to three of his nephews, and the filling station, stocks, bonds, and other property was to go half to his two sisters and two brothers and half to two nieces.²⁹
     Richard died on 4 Jul 1933 at age 63, from an attack of acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis suffered on an Illinois Central Railroad train, while he was being taken to Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, for treatment by specialists.^14,15 He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery Mausoleum, Paducah, McCracken Co., Kentucky.¹⁶
     His will was probated on 7 Jul 1933 in McCracken Co., Kentucky.²⁹