updated: May 28, 2005
The family of
Charles A. Rubright and Amelia Trauseau
Lycoming Atlas 1873, Directory listings for Charles ,
Charles A. Rubright Obituary, Amelia Trauseau Rubright Obituary,
Family Outline of Charles A. Rubright, Sources
Pictures for the Corning Painted Post Historical Society Collection
Charles Andrew Rubright was born in Mulhausen, Germany May 14, 1842, first known child of Bernard (Bernhard Rupprecht) Rubright and Marie Chirstian (Mary C.) Lauderbach. In 1846, he immigrated with his parents to Jarrettsville, Maryland, and moving on to Williamsport, Pennsylvania between 1856-1859 with his mother, siblings and step father, Daniel Dorman where he became very prominent in the community.
Charles became an apprentice bricklayer to the firm of Phillip Hoffman and eventually had his own brick manufacturing-contracting business, Rubright & Dorman. He was also involved in the dry goods business having owned Rubright-Hill and Company.
Lycoming Atlas 1873 at the J. V. Brown Library, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
(Dates and information often differ in other news articles about Charles)
On August 21, 1861, Charles entered the 106th Pa Vol. Inf., Co. F as a private from Williamsport, in E. D. Baker's brigade, Sedgwick's division, Sumner's Corps. On June 22, 1864 he was captured and taken prisoner at Petersburg, Virginia, eventually ending up in Andersonville Prison where he remained until his release on April 20, 1865 and mustered out of the service June 7, 1865.
Photo of Charles on the day of his release from Andersonville, also in the Corning Painted Post Collection. There is also a painted portrait of this photo hanging in the Benjamin Patterson Inn.
For more information on Charles Civil War experience see
(I have in my possession two diary's kept by Charles during the war. The first 1861-1863 is a transcription done by James Jezorski who had purchased, copied and resold this diary. The second is scanned copies from the Auburn University files. This diary was lost on the battlefield and returned to Charles after the war by the Confederate soldier that found it, John M. Turk. I also have his pension records from the war)
After his release from Andersonville, Charles returned to Williamsport and married Amelia Trauseau in Montgomery, Pennsylvania on December 5, 1865. (Amelia is a descendant of Abram Trauseau, a Huguenot patriot that served in the Revolutionary War.) They settled in Williamsport and had three known children, Carrie Mabel, William Charles and Ruthaford Dorman Rubright. About 1879, Charles moved to Corning, New York and started the Corning Brick and Terra Cotta Works with his half brother, Harry O. Dorman. He became a very prominent citizen of the community. Charles retired from brick business in 1898 and lived at 137 Cedar Street until his death February 16, 1915. He is buried at Hope Cemetery in Corning, New York. Amelia died November 14, 1914 in Corning, New York and is also buried in Hope Cemetery. I have yet to locate and photograph the tombstones.
Obituary for Charles A. Rubright
Sunday Grit- Local Edition- Williamsport, Pennsylvania
February 21, 1915 page 18
Charles A. Rubright died at his home in Corning, N.Y., Tuesday night after a short illness. He was nearly 73 years old. He was born in Muhlhausen, Germany, May 14, 1842. In the fall of 1845 his parents Mr. and Mrs. Bernhart Rubright and their two sons and one daughter came to the United States and settled near Jarrettsville, Hartford County, Md. There Bernhart Rubright died in 1850 and his widow subsequently married Daniel Dorman
In 1856 the family moved to Williamsport. In July 1861 Charles A. Rubright, a boy of 19, enlisted at Williamsport in Company F, One Hundred and Sixth regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers, for service in the civil war. He was soon promoted to be the chief of engineers of the regiment. At the battle of Gettysburg, in July 1863, where he had command of the brigade engineers, Second brigade, Second division, Second Army Corps, he and his men were surrounded and captured, but they regained their liberty and continued to fight. Capt. Rubright re-enlisted on the field in the same regiment in March1864. On June 22, 1864, while with Gen. Grant's army in front of Petersburg, Va., Capt. Rubright and almost his entire regiment were captured by the Confederates and taken to Libby prison in Richmond, Va. Thence they were taken to the Belle Isle military prison and early in July 1864, were transferred to Andersonville, Ga. where there was a large Confederate prison pen. At Andersonville they were confined for about nine months and a half or until the close of the war in 1865 where they suffered unspeakable privations and even horrors.
After his released from Andersonville, Capt. Rubright returned to Williamsport and he and his half brother, H. O. Dorman were in business for a series of years as brick manufacturers and also as contractors and builders. In 1879 they went to Corning and were similarly engaged, the firm of Rubright & Dorman establishing the Corning Brick and Terra Cotta works on the north side of the Chemung river in what was then Knoxville and is now the Sixth ward of the city of Corning. Charles A. Rubright was manager of the business which was subsequently sold to Morris E. Gregory who now conducts it as the Brick Terra Cotta and Tile Company.
Capt. Rubright retired from active business a number of years ago. At the first city election in 1890 he was chosen one of the aldermen, serving one term. Later he served two terms as a member of the Board of Health of the city.
He was a charter member of the Reno Post G. A. R of Williamsport and was one of the organizers of W. W. Hayt post no. 276, G. A. R. of Corning of which subsequently he became a member and then commander. For a period he was a patriotic instructor of the G. A. R. in the public schools of Corning.
In December, 1865 at Montgomery, Pa., he married Amelia Transue. He left a daughter, Mrs. William J. Heermans of Corning, and a son C. William Rubright of Evansville, Ins; also a brother and sister, Christopher Rubright and Mrs. Caroline Keiffer, both of this city. His funeral took place in Corning on Friday.
(From his pension records, there is no rank as Captain. I am assuming by becoming the commander of the G. A. R. post, people just called him Captain)
Obituary for Amelia Trauseau Rubright
This is from a clipping found in the Charles A. Rubright collection at Corning Painted Post Historical Society
No name of paper or date listed
Corning, Nov. 16- The funeral of Mrs. Amelia Rubright will be held from 137 Cedar street Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, the services being in charge of the Rev. J. R. Adams, of the First Methodist Church. The interment will be made in Hope Cemetery.
Mrs. Rubright's death followed a fracture of the hip which she sustained two years ago, which had since resulted in chronic ill health, although the immediate cause of death was Bright's disease. She was born in Easton, Pa., 72 years ago. She married to Captain Charles A. Rubright at Montgomery, Pa, December 5, 1865. After living in Williamsport, Pa; for some time Captain and Mrs. Rubright came to Corning 36 years ago.
Mrs. Rubright was an active member of the First Methodist Church. She was a woman of marked refinement, and amiable disposition and her loss will bring much grief. She was a direct descendant of Abram Transue, a Hugenot patriot who served in the Revolutionary War.
Besides her husband those surviving are one daughter, Mrs. William J. Heermans, of this city; one son A. William Rubright of Evansville, Ind. and one sister, Mrs. Eliza Huntington, of Williamsport, Pa. One son, Rutherford Dorman Rubright, died on April 11, 1911
Directory Listings for Charles A. Rubright
Boyd's Williamsport Directories 1867-1912
1867- Rubright, Charles A.- bricklayer; 135 Elmira
1869-1879- Rubright, Charles A.- grocer; 2 4th cor Court; h 182 Pine
1870-1871- Rubright, Charles A (C. A. Rubright & Co. Samuel Transeau; flour, groceries, provisions, boots, shoes, queens ware also brick manufacturer; 132 W 4th; h 182 Pine
1871-1872- Rubright, Charles A.- Rubright & Hill Co.; h 127 Pine
1873-1874- Rubright & Hill Co.- general dealers; 132 W 4th
Rubright, Charles A.- brick yard; foot Franklin; h 118 do
1875-1876- Rubright, Charles A.- supt.; foot Franklin; h 35 Franklin
1877-1879- Rubright, Charles A.- agent; h 41 Franklin
1879-1880- Rubright, Charles A.- agent; h Wilson cor Grove
1881- Charles has moved to Corning at this time.
Descendants of Charles Andrew Rubright
1 Charles Andrew Rubright b: May 14, 1842 Mulhausen, Alsace, Germany d: February 16, 1915 Corning, New York, Steuben County 1:45 am
... +Amelia Trauseau b: April 1842 Easton, Pennsylvania d: November 14, 1914 Corning, New York, Steuben County m: December 05, 1865 Montgomery, Pennsylvania
..... 2 Carrie Mabel Rubright b: February 20, 1867 Williamsport, Pennsylvania d: November 30, 1939
........... +William J. Heermans b: January 1864 New York d: Unknown m: Abt. 1888
............. 3 George Arthur Heermans b: October 30, 1888 New York d: February 1974 Corning, Steuben Co., New York
................... +Ella Roe b: Abt. 1889 New York d: Unknown m: Abt. 1914
..................... 4 Mary Heermans b: Private
..................... 4 John Rubright Heermans b: December 23, 1926 d: June 28, 2002 Corning, Stuben County, New York
............. 3 Marion Heermans b: March 1893 New York d: Unknown
..... 2 William Charles Rubright b: December 02, 1868 Williamsport, Pennsylvania d: Unknown
........... +Margaret Spencer b: Abt. 1875 Indiana d: Unknown m: Abt. 1898
............. 3 Margaret Rubright b: Private
..... 2 Ruthaford Dorman Rubright b: March 09, 1876 Williamsport, Pennsylvania d: April 20, 1911 Brooklyn, New York
If you think you may be related to this family and have any other information please contact me
1873 Lycoming County Atlas
Census records 1850-1930
Civil War pension records
Corning Painted Post Historical society
Several newspaper articles from Williamsport and Corning
Information supplied by John Rubright Heermans
Obituaries
