Lewis M. Ruddick
1836 - 1910
A Mendocino County, California pioneer

Father of a large pioneer Ukiah, California, family.  Made two trips to California.  The first was via the Isthmus of Panama and the second was overland by wagon.  Too young to leave for the California gold fields in 1849 he had to bide his time until the middle 1850's.  After trying his hand for a time in the Sierra gold fields of Calaveras/Amador Counties he came to the Ukiah Valley and in 1857 homesteaded a piece of property located on the east side of the Russian River southeast of the current City of Ukiah on what is now identified as Cunningham-Ruddick Rd.  His ranch became the stopping over point for the Ruddicks who moved west from Indiana to northern California, Oregon and Washington.  This ranch has remained in the Ruddick family continously since its founding.