Southwood Park in Fort Wayne in Allen County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Rudisill

1801-1858

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 18, 2024

1. Rudisill Marker

Inscription.
Henry Wolff Rudisill did more than any other person to create the culture of Fort Wayne. On Christmas Eve 1830 he arrived by sleigh in the tiny, muddy village as the hired land agent for developers Barr & McCorkle. Fort Wayne’s first Lutheran, the bi-lingual Rudisill called upon his fellow Germans to emigrate to Fort Wayne to develop the village. Eventually he operated an office in Hamburg to direct Germans to the city and they came in droves so much so that in 1880 the local German newspaper boasted that fully 2/3s of the inhabitants were first or second generation Germans. Rudisill served as postmaster, founder of St. Paul’s and Trinity English Lutheran Churches, operated the town’s first saw mill, grist mill and tannery.

Artwork – Raul Perez
Concept and Text – Jim Sack
Production – The Baldus Company

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1830.

Location. 41° 2.997′ N, 85° 8.956′ W. Marker is in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Allen County. It is in Southwood Park. It is at the intersection of West Rudisill Boulevard and Indiana Avenue, on the right when traveling east on West Rudisill Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 827 W Rudisill Blvd, Fort Wayne IN 46807, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Foster (here, next to this marker); Charles Mulford Robinson (approx. ¼ mile away); Georg Kessler (approx. ¼ mile away); Adolf Janicke (approx. ¼ mile away); Illsley / Illsley Place (approx. ¼ mile away); Dr. Robert and Susie McKeeman House (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Lincoln Log Cabin (approx. half a mile away); Harrison Hill Neighborhood (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Wayne.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . Henry Rudisill - Founder of Fort Wayne Lutheranism. (Submitted on June 11, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 18, 2024

2. Rudisill Marker

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 18, 2024

3. Rudisill Marker

Grave of Henry W. Rudisill image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, March 7, 2025

4. Grave of Henry W. Rudisill

Photographed by Tom Bosse, March 7, 2025

5. Grave of Henry W. Rudisill

Grave of Henry W. Rudisill & Family image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, March 7, 2025

6. Grave of Henry W. Rudisill & Family

Credits. This page was last revised on April 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 11, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 506 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 11, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 15, 2025, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.