HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
A STUDY OF DIFFERENTIAL MATING IN A 
PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY 
BY 
WILHELMINE E. KEY, Ph.D. 
tu 
Eugenics Record Office, Carnegie Institution of Washington 
Published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington 
Washington, 1920 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON 
Publication No. 296 
Paper No. 32 of the Station for Experimental Evolution at 
Cold Spring Harbor, New York 
PRESS OF GIBSON BROTHERS, INC. 
WASHINGTON. D. C. CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Abstract 5 
I. Introduction 9 
II. Material and Methods 11 
III. Survey of the Strains; their Founders 13 
IV. Line A 16 
V. Line B 25 
VI. Line C 29 
VII. Line D 35 
VIII. Line E 51 
IX. Line F 52 
X. Line G 62 
XI. Continuation of Line E 71 
XII. General Summary of Lines 77 
XIII. Heritability of Socially Effective Traits 78 
1. Calculating Ability 78 
2. Aggressiveness 82 
3. Perseverance 84 
XIV. Statistics 86 
1. The Population Considered 86 
2. Comparative Efficiency of the Several Lines 86 
3. Comparative Fecundity 88 
4. Comparative Survival 89 
5. Differential Migration 89 
XV. Relative Effect of Environment and the Blood 91 
XVI. Marriage Selection 94 
XVII. Immigration 97 
XVIII. Conclusion 100 
Reference 102 
3 ABSTRACT. 
The object of this investigation was mainly twofold: First, to de- 
termine the mode of evolution of the various lines of a great network 
with reference to traits which have direct bearing on social efficiency; 
second, to study the variation in the grade of these traits and the re- 
lation of this variation to the types of mating. An answer was sought 
to the following questions: By what process does marked defect, such 
as lack of number-sense, or aggressiveness, disappear from some lines 
and persist in others? What measure of improvement is directly 
effected through selected matings? The data collected were further 
used to draw conclusions concerning comparative fecundity, compara- 
tive survival, differential migration, and various contentions of our 
immigration problem, and, finally, our conclusions were considered in 
their bearings on the present-day program for race betterment. The 
study comprises 1,822 individuals, nearly half of whom are in the 
direct line of descent from two pairs of German immigrants of more 
than a century ago. The remainder were considered in connection 
with the strains into which the descendants of these couples married. 
The research began with 4 young people, patients at the Institution 
for the Feeble-Minded of Western Pennsylvania, at Polk, Pennsyl- 
vania. When the wide variability of the material with reference to 
socially efficient traits became apparent, the study was extended to 
all so-called normal lines of the two networks, and a further attempt 
made to grade the individuals in calculating ability, aggressiveness, 
and perseverance. 
The first network, comprising lines A to E, was founded by an honest, 
aggressive, plucky, persevering, far-sighted man and his amiable easy- 
going wife, who was totally lacking in sense of number and proportion. 
This network breaks up into widely divergent lines. 
Line A, founded by the slow, stupid, non-aggressive, but persevering 
eldest son and an irritable, sexually immoral wife of average mentality, 
increases its aggressiveness, perseverance, and calculating ability by 
marriage into stocks showing these traits. The condition of all rep- 
resentatives of these lines, with one exception, is average or above the 
average with reference to these traits. The exception is furnished 
by a marriage into a degenerate line of the same network. 
Line B was founded by a non-aggressive, non-persevering son with 
some calculating ability. His wife was able, but sexually lax. Their 
only child, a daughter, appears to have escaped the serious defects of 
both parents and has founded a line showing fair aggressiveness, per- 
severance, and calculating ability. Sex morality is characteristic of 
this line. 
5 6 
ABSTRACT. 
Line C was founded by the most able member of the fraternity and 
his able, aggressive wife, who came from stock showing these traits in 
good measure. Subsequent marriages into good stock has brought 
about complete elimination of the defects of the founders and cor- 
responding economic worth. 
Line D, founded by a son who resembled closely the founder of Line 
A, has, through marriage into sex-offending, alcoholic, criminalistic 
stock, broken up into very degenerate branches. Aggressiveness and 
perseverance remain low, and in many instances the original number 
and proportion defects reappear. All living representatives of this 
line, with one exception, are at large and a hindrance to the moral and 
economic growth of their communities. 
Line E, founded by the youngest son, furnishes an instance of the 
persistence of defect through disadvantageous mating for five genera- 
tions. All members of this line have been markedly defective, most 
of them to the point of imbecility; living representatives, with but one 
exception, are receiving custodial care. 
The second network, comprising the lines F and G, was founded by 
two sisters who were noted for their strength and stature, good nature, 
and mental slowness. Through marriage into widely differing stocks, 
Line F appears to be breaking up into incipient strains, some of which 
are marked by imbecility, others by eccentricity, and still others by 
increasing social efficiency. In Line G a condition of marked mental 
retardation, where average mentality was not reached until early mid- 
dle life, is being replaced in some branches by a normal rate of mental 
growth. Where this acceleration occurs there has been mating with 
stocks which show normal rate of mental development. Thus the 
effect of marriage selection is made clear in serving to dissipate defect 
in some lines and thus increase their social efficiency and to concen- 
trate degeneracy and defect in others. 
The behavior in inheritance of calculating ability, perseverance, and 
aggressiveness would indicate that the occurrence of various grades 
is due to a segregation of determiners for these traits. A study of 
comparative fecundity and survival shows a decided decrease in 
fecundity in all lines, which, however, is no more marked in the socially 
efficient than in the inefficient lines. The survival ratios, on the other 
hand, increase for the successive generations of the efficient lines, while 
they decrease for the inefficient lines, thus illustrating Nature’s method 
of eliminating the unfit. 
With reference to migration, the tendency of the normal to push 
out into new sections of the country and under adverse conditions de- 
velop its resources, leaving the slower and more dependent to be sup- 
ported at public expense, is amply illustrated. The lines A, B, and C, 
taken collectively, have only 3 living representatives at the original place 
of settlement; 42 are still within a radius of 50 miles, while the remain- ABSTRACT. 
7 
der, numbering nearly 200, have migrated as far as North Dakota, 
Idaho, Alberta, and California. In the defective and degenerate 
lines D and E only 3 have migrated beyond eastern Ohio; 16 are in 
towns which are from 50 to 80 miles distant. The rest are all concen- 
trated at the original places of settlement, or in nearby villages. Thus, 
by far the greater number of socially fit have moved out into other 
sections of the country, and there, under more severe conditions, are 
developing its resources, adding to its wealth, and contributing to its 
education and moral growth. The socially unfit, on the other hand, 
have been left behind to become a drag on economic improvement 
and a burden on a charitable public. 
A study of the reactions to social environment in the degenerate 
branches and analysis of cases which were given improved opportuni- 
ties shows the variation in efficiency to be due, not to the adverse con- 
ditions of congested city life, nor primarily to the isolation of the 
backwoods, but to the cumulative effect of the mating of defect with 
the defects of other bad strains; and low efficiency has rarely been 
due to a lack of opportunity, but is to be traced rather to a native in- 
ability to take advantage of even a favorable social and economic 
environment. 
The study throws interesting light on matters of dispute in our 
immigration problem. Amalgamation and assimilation have been 
complete, but these processes consist in the marriage of individuals 
of high potentiality with the better native stocks and the adoption of 
their standards and ideals, while those of low potentiality have gravi- 
tated toward native inferior stocks and by their marriage brought 
about a diversification and intensification of original defects and cor- 
responding low standards. 
Pauperism does not appear until the third generation, and then only 
in certain lines, where it increases in ensuing generations. It is thus 
not due to any difficulty in coping with strange and adverse conditions 
such as confront the newly arrived immigrant, but rather to an inher- 
ent inability to take advantage of favorable conditions. This inability 
is again traceable to the mating of low grades of a trait with low grades 
of the same or similar traits. 
The whole history points to the necessity of devising more careful 
tests for the sifting out of our immigrant population, and to the wisdom 
of supplementing these by studies abroad which shall serve to locate 
notorious strains, and studies here which shall follow up cases that 
threaten to found bad strains. It reemphasizes the usefulness of 
segregation for the markedly defective and of some colonization 
scheme, together with sterilization, for certain types of the socially 
unfit; and finally, it suggests the advisability of a board of control 
with authority to prohibit marriages of a cacogenic sort. HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS. 
A STUDY OF DIFFERENTIAL MATING IN A PENNSYLVANIA 
FAMILY. 
I. INTRODUCTION. 
To the student of eugenics, as well as to those whose chief interest 
is the practical application of its principles, there appears to be urgent 
need of further research into the mode of inheritance of socially effective 
traits. In this field, methods of study that handle characters in the 
mass, without regard to the varied potentialities of the strain to which 
the individuals belong, can avail but little. The vital questions for 
those who seek to make eugenics a practical science will always be: 
Given two parents of known ancestry, with reference to certain traits; 
how will these traits be distributed in their offspring? By what pro- 
cess may traits that represent lower efficiency be eliminated from the 
strain and such traits established as make for higher efficiency? The 
laws derived from mass studies afford no answer to these questions. 
For their ultimate solution there is needed analysis of the types of 
matings in families for successive generations and observation of the 
effects of matings on the inheritance of such fundamental characteris- 
tics as directly affect the efficiency of the individual. 
This analytical method of study has been followed with success in a 
number of researches. We have in such histories as those of the 
Edwards, Jukes, and Kallikak families an account of great strains of the 
socially fit or the unfit as they have been determined by hereditary 
causes. In the more recent studies of the Hill Folk and the Nam family, 
published by this Office, closer analysis was made of the individual 
and the strain to which he belonged. Evidence was given there of the 
establishment through selected matings of pure lines of degenerates. 
The present research has been carried along similar lines with the 
added attempt to make a roughly quantitative estimate of certain 
socially effective traits as their transmission was followed from gener- 
ation to generation. 
We have here the story of two pioneer families traced through five 
and six generations from their earliest planting on American soil. 
An effort has been made to express the social efficiency in terms of the 
leading traits of their members and to view their economic worth as a 
reaction between these traits and the environment. There are no 
eminent men and women in these families, no notorious criminals; 
9 10 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
they belong for the most part to our great middle class. Still, their 
history shows the establishment of lines which vary greatly from the 
standpoint of social efficiency. The history of each line has been 
traced as it moves up or down through matings made under the eugenic 
conceptions of the time. Moreover, since these families trace back to 
immigrants of more than a century ago, they furnish concrete cases 
bearing on the contentions of our immigration problems. 
The study began with four young people, patients at the Institution 
for Feeble-Minded at Polk, Pennsylvania. It had not proceeded far 
before the wide variability of the material became apparent, especially 
with reference to sense of number and proportion, general mental 
ability, and such traits as aggressiveness and perseverance. The 
investigation was then carried back to the founders of the families and 
extended to include all individuals of their normal lines so far as they 
could be determined. The whole has been viewed as a complex experi- 
ment in marriage selection, whereby strongly contrasting lines have 
arisen. Their evolution, it is felt, suggests an answer to our question 
as to the means by which original defects, on the one hand, persist in 
a family, or, on the other hand, are made good by traits which insure 
increased social efficiency. 
No one can feel more keenly than the author how far she has fallen 
short of her ideal in this work. It is offered simply as an imperfect 
attempt along relatively new lines, and in the hope that it may serve 
as stimulus to more exhaustive and critical studies in the same field. 
Grateful acknowledgment is made to Dr. J. Moorhead Murdoch, 
Superintendent of the Institution for the Care of the Feeble-Minded of 
Western Pennsylvania, Polk, Pennsylvania, for according the author 
exceptional facilities for this extensive research as well as generous 
interest in each step of its advance, and to the staff of officers and 
teachers for cordial cooperation at all times. She also wishes to express 
her continued indebtedness to Dr. Charles B. Davenport, Director of the 
Eugenics Record Office, who has given new direction to an earlier interest 
in the study of heredity and who has followed the course of these in- 
quiries with encouraging suggestion and helpful criticism. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
11 
II. MATERIAL AND METHODS. 
The data for this research were gathered during the summer, autumn, 
and winter of 1913-14. By far the greater number of families studied 
are scattered through the rural communities of Western Pennsylvania 
within easy reach of the Institution for the Care of the Feeble-Minded, 
Polk, Pennsylvania. It has thus been possible to be in and out of the 
many households as a familiar visitor and to gather first-hand much 
evidence on the points involved. 
The population of these communities has remained comparatively 
stable since their founding over a century ago. It has included, too, 
a considerable proportion of intelligent people to whom the eccentrici- 
ties and defects of the inferior lines have been of interest. Sayings 
and doings have been treasured up which throw much light on the per- 
sonalities of earlier times. In the better lines an interest in genealogy 
has materially helped in the investigation. 
A system of vital records had been in operation in this State only 
seven years, but wherever records of wills and deeds and registers of 
charitable agencies are accessible they have been consulted and the 
data checked against the results of personal interviews. In a few 
instances information has been given by letter; but here great pre- 
cautions were taken to establish the reliability of the informant and 
the data checked by extensive cross-reference. 
In estimating the character and abilities of the members of this net- 
work, chief reliance has been placed on what may be called the social 
test. This test has obvious faults and limitations, but in the present 
instance it appears to be the only one available. No tests have yet 
been devised which satisfactorily gage the personality or measure 
many of the traits most essential to human progress. The application 
of those already in use was impracticable in most cases. While it 
would no doubt have contributed to the standardization of estimates 
so far as the present generation is concerned, the fact that it could not 
be applied to the majority of persons made it seem unwise to apply it 
in any case. 
The social test has reference to social efficiency. Briefly defined, 
the socially efficient individual is one who bears his own weight and 
does something more for the welfare of his fellows. To speak in bio- 
logical terms, he is one who, through reasonable adaptation to his 
environment, succeeds in maintaining himself and contributes his share 
to the maintenance and further development of that environment. 
The power to do this involves the interplay of many factors, and it is 
well to bear in mind that the complex organization of society makes 
possible an almost infinite variety of combinations of these factors to 
attain the end desired. It is possible, however, to enumerate certain 
essential factors. To be socially efficient, the person must be in the 12 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
main physically sound and mentally able—that is, capable of under- 
standing the nature and possibilities of his environment; he must show 
some degree of aggressiveness and perseverance in his course of action, 
and possess moral standards which bring his course of life into proper 
relation with the efforts of others. In applying this test we have had 
regard to the balance of all these factors, but because certain of these 
essential traits, namely, calculating ability, aggressiveness, and per- 
severance, noticeably present or absent in the founders of the 
various lines and their evaluation in relation to extraneous influences 
less difficult than in the case of many other traits, especial attention 
has been directed to them. In this way, two great networks have been 
outlined, numbering, all told, 1,822 individuals. 
In surveying such an extensive network it is obviously out of the 
question to balance accurately all the factors which go to the making 
of the complex individual. But far from giving up such an under- 
taking as futile, it has been found profitable to attempt to group these 
individuals into classes with reference to these traits or types of re- 
action. It is felt that in the absence of such objective measurements 
as modern psychology is attempting to develop, a balancing of evidence 
as to these reactions in a fairly uniform environment gives results which 
are valuable for human genetics in its present state of development, 
and may even point the way to the more critical methods of the future. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
13 
III. SURVEY OF THE STRAINS; THEIR FOUNDERS. 
In the latter part of the eighteenth century there came to a fertile 
section of western Pennsylvania a German immigrant, Aaron Rufer1 
by name, with his wife and three small children. They acquired there, 
either by purchase or grant, 400 acres of land, which they cleared in 
great part and farmed successfully for a period of 30 years. 
Aaron was shrewd, honest, plucky, persevering, and progressive. 
He never learned to read or write English; he signed his will with a 
cross; but it is said that he had a fair education in his native tongue. 
The conditions of his will, drawn up in 1828, only a few years before 
his death, show prudence and foresight. That he had, in addition to 
these qualities, great strength and physical courage, is indicated by 
the story that in his old age he once caught a live otter and in spite of 
its biting and scratching carried it to the village half a mile away. 
Nothing is known of his ancestry, but all available accounts would 
lead us to regard him as a fair specimen of that splendid pioneer type 
which has been so important a factor in the development of this coun- 
try’s resources. 
Hardly as much can be said of his wife. “Aaron had married her 
for the dowry she brought him,” is asserted by some, while one infor- 
mant insists that since she had become pregnant by him without the 
intention of marriage, he “stood by her” and “set matters right” by 
making her his wife. She was totally lacking, it would seem, in any 
sense of number and quantity, for before Aaron went to work in the 
morning he had to measure out the proper amounts of meat and 
vegetables for the family dinner. This done, his wife would “get a 
sort of a meal.” Their log cabin was built with two wide openings 
hung with sacking, so that a horse might drag in the logs which fed the 
great open fire, and in the absence of doors the family pig ran in and 
out and warmed itself, first on this side, and then on that—a condition 
of affairs decidedly below the standards of the pioneer community. 
Furthermore, with her lack of neatness and accuracy, Aaron’s wife could 
neither sew, spin, nor weave acceptably. Aside from these defects, 
however, she is said to have been a pleasant and obliging neighbor and 
a faithful, hardworking wife and mother. 
From Aaron and his defective wife were derived seven children, 
who may be designated as Isaac (II—I, Chart A), Jared (II—3, Chart A), 
Ellen (II-7, Chart A), Stephen (II—9, Chart A), Darius (II—11, Chart 
A), Dorcas (11-13, Chart A), Herman (11—14, Chart A). 
When Aaron died, about 1830, he was able to leave to each of the 
four youngest a farm of 50 to 70 acres of cleared land without incum- 
brance. He also bequeathed to his daughter Ellen $50 and to Isaac and 
JA11 names in this history, surname as well as Christian, are fictitious. 14 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
Jared each $2, “with what he has got”; and appointed a guardian “over 
the old woman, Herman, and Dorcas.” 
The eldest son, Isaac (II—1), was a faithful, plodding, non-aggressive 
man with little ability to plan and calculate. He married an aggres- 
sive woman of average ability to calculate, but who lacked nervous and 
sex control and came from a family showing alcoholism and nervous 
instability. Their six children (III—1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9) were very diverse, 
and through their marriages gave rise to branches widely divergent in 
respect to these traits. They will be considered in Line A. 
The second son, Jared (II—3), had, like his brother Isaac, little abil- 
ity to plan and calculate and was besides shiftless and dishonest. 
The wife was fairly aggressive and persevering, but sexual looseness on 
her part brought into this family two illegitimate sons of known 
paternity. They bore the name of Jared Rufer and were brought up 
as his own. The posterity of these children furnishes some con- 
clusions on the relative value of blood and environment. They will 
be considered under Line B. 
The third child, Ellen (II—7) is said to have had in fair measure cal- 
culating ability, aggressiveness, and perseverance. She married early, 
removed to another State, and became lost to the rest of her family. 
The third son, Stephen (II—9), showed fair ability to calculate. He 
was nonaggressive but overpersevering in tasks set him by others. He 
married a shrewd, aggressive, persevering woman belonging to a strain 
showing the same traits. The defects of his mother have not appeared 
in later generations of his line. They wrill be considered in Line C. 
The fourth son was Darius (II—11), nonaggressive but faithful and 
plodding, with low ability to calculate. He married the aggressive, in- 
dustrious sister of his brother Isaac’s wife. Their children, who were 
very diverse and married into different strains, cause this line (D) to 
break up into divergent branches, some of which are decidedly de- 
generate. 
The remaining children of Aaron, Dorcas (11-13) and Herman (II- 
14), “didn’t know anything at all.” With commendable foresight 
their father thought to provide against their marriage by appointing 
a guardian, who was to see that his wishes were carried out. Dorcas 
never did marry and was kept by her brother Stephen until her death. 
Because Herman had been left a good farm, designing people arranged 
a marriage with him in order to provide a home for a woman who was 
deficient mentally and sexually lax. They were the progenitors of 
Line E. Their four children were all defective in ability to plan 
and calculate, though some showed a degree of aggressiveness and per- 
severance. Two died without marrying; the remaining two married 
into lines belonging to the second network shown on Chart B, an 
account of which is given in the following paragraph. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
15 
About the time Aaron and Mary Rufer came to this country, 
another couple, whom we will call Thomas and Martha Riel, also of 
German descent, settled in an adjoining county, where they owned a 
small farm. Both were very tall and possessed great physical endur- 
ance. Thomas belonged to a good fraternity, but had certain vagrant, 
irresponsible tendencies, which made him slip away and leave to his 
wife the care of the farm and the bringing up of their twelve children. 
These children, too, were noted for their great strength and stature, 
and this in some measure was combined with extreme shyness, good 
nature, and mental dullness. Four of them died without marrying, 
and six married into fair strains, which are, in the main, socially effi- 
cient. Their history is not included here. Two daughters (Chart B, 
II-2, 4), among the dullest and slowest of their fraternity, but pos- 
sessing great strength and endurance, married into defective stock. 
Their descendants show certain characteristics in marked contrast to 
the former network and will be considered under Lines F and G. 16 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
IV. LINE A. 
Founded by Isaac (II—1), eldest son of Aaron and Mary Rufer, born 
about 1791, in Germany. He was defective in sense of number and 
quantity, never able to read or write, but was, however, industrious 
and capable in rough work. He married, much against his father’s 
will, II—2, who was from another part of the State. She is described 
as a “very devil,” sexually immoral, violent, vindictive, with no 
interest in helping her husband and children in any way. When her 
father-in-law carried out his threat of disinheritance she waited until 
his barns were filled with the year’s harvest, then set fire to them and 
burned them to the ground. She came from a strain showing much 
alcoholism and nervous instability, but no marked mental defect. 
Although Isaac worked very hard for the farmers around him, he never 
managed to own anything, owing to his wife’s wastefulness and indo- 
lence. She also took $500 in preference to a farm of 75 acres and a 
yoke of oxen, which might have come to her from her father, and spent 
the money on herself. For want of warm clothing in the winter, 
Isaac caught colds, developed tuberculosis, and died. His wife went 
to live with other men, and their children were scattered. 
Of the children, two sons (III—1, 2) did not grow to manhood, or were 
so early lost track of that they are dead to the rest of the family. Those 
remaining were: 
Stephen (III—3), moderately aggressive, very persevering, able to 
plan and calculate; 
Sophia (III-5), of “limited mental capacity,” but chaste, fairly 
aggressive, persevering and capable in practical things; 
Maria (III—7), of low mentality, sexually immoral, with very little 
ability to plan and calculate, though fairly aggressive; 
Jared (III-9), industrious, but slow and stupid, non-aggressive. 
Two members of this fraternity are thus seen to be decidedly supe- 
rior to the other two. We will now take up these four in turn, consider 
their characteristics and those of their consorts at greater length, and 
trace their descendants to the present generation. 
The eldest child was Stephen Rufer (III—3), born 1816, died 1889. 
Dissatisfaction with his treatment by the family who sheltered him led 
him to go with his sister to his mother’s people in a distant part of the 
State, whence he returned in 1853 to S., which is 5 miles from the old 
Rufer homestead. He learned to read and write, took a course in 
book-keeping, and was able to keep accounts; had habits of industry 
and sobriety; was a cobbler and farmer, and exceedingly pious. Had a 
too simple trustfulness, which made him fare ill in a sharp business deal. 
His wife (III-4) was famous in the community for her nursing and her 
great strength. She is described as a great, strapping woman, who 
could stoop from a bushel measure and shoulder a sack of grain, a feat OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
17 
impossible to most men. She was decidedly superior to her husband 
in shrewdness and aggressiveness. In the course of time they saved 
enough to buy a farm of 30 acres and put up a very decent frame house 
on it. Both Stephen and his wife lived to a good old age, and had the 
respect of their community for honesty, industry, sobriety, and 
neighborliness. Their boys were considered very queer and backward, 
refusing to talk like anyone else, but “finally came out pretty well in 
spite of this.” Of their two daughters, one was able, the other deficient 
in ways which will be described later. Considering the children of 
III—3 and III-4, in order of birth we have: 
IV-2 bom 1841. Came with his parents to S. when 12 years old; 
attended the winter term of school there until 20 years old and worked 
on the farm in the summer; enlisted in the Union Army September 
1861; was wounded on the battlefield of Fair Oaks, where he lay 
uncared-for for two and one-half days; discharged June 5, 1862, and 
returned home, where he resumed farming. This he has followed with 
some interruption until a few years ago, the greatest change being to 
canal-boating for four years. He is known for three things: his 
profanity, his benevolence, and his proneness to make bad bargains. 
“He can swear like a trooper, but has got more real religion than his 
psalm-singing miracle-working brother.” Although twice married, 
he has never had any children of his own, but has made his home a 
refuge for many persons whose names appear in this history. He is 
continually making bad bargains, going to auctions and buying things 
which he can not possibly use, at absurd prices, or getting taken in on a 
deal in real estate. He draws a pension of $75 a month, and his 
neighbors say “he would make more money staying at home and 
lying abed than doing as he does.” Has lately1 gone with his second 
wife in a new venture in land in the South. He is aggressive, with fair 
ability to calculate, but lacks judgment and perseverance. 
His brothers were: IV-4, born 1843, and IV-5, born 1845. Both 
showed fair ability at school and were of moderate aggressiveness and 
perseverance. Enlisted and lost their lives in the Civil War. 
His sister (IV-7), born 1847, died 1912 of old age. Was brought up by 
her parents. Described as silly and queer, incapable of learning 
anything at school and always owned it frankly, saying, “I just took 
after Pap’s folks; the little I learn one day I forget by the next.” At 
37 she became the second wife of an old man (IV-6), who was rather 
slow and stupid, but had no marked mental defects. He died when 
their only daughter was 2 months old, and she returned to live with her 
parents. At their death she received as her share a fine orchard. Al- 
though a fair housekeeper and seamstress, she knew nothing whatever 
of “figuring or making a deal.” She allowed her brother to wheedle 
her out of the title to her land, and, when she was no longer wanted in 
xAt the date of this study, 1913-14. 18 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
the household of her immoral alcoholic daughter, died broken-hearted 
in the county home. 
This daughter (V-l), born 1884, has married a very defective mem- 
ber of the inferior Line D of this network. She was always regarded 
as “silly and queer,” but of better mentality than her mother. Was 
able to learn by dint of great effort, which she rarely put forth. Ad- 
vanced to the sixth grade in school and at 17 married her third cousin 
(V-2) belonging to the degenerate Line D. He went to school scarcely 
at all; is boorish, ignorant, irascible; working very irregularly at 
teaming, section work, or other odd jobs. Both husband and wife 
drink heavily, quarrel frequently, and make their house a rendezvous 
for the worst characters in the neighborhood where they chance to 
live. They move often, sometimes under coercion, and at present 
occupy a dilapidated house in E. Visitor found the family gathered 
in the dirty, disordered living-room, whose only furniture was an old 
couch piled with rags, a cupboard with sagging doors, and two or three 
rickety chairs, soiled clothing, and a few broken playthings scattered 
about. A view of three adjoining rooms disclosed a similar condition 
of squalor. The husband smoked and buried himself in the evening 
paper, vouchsafing little more than an occasional growl of correction 
or remonstrance to the wife’s voluble account of themselves. She is 
nervous, fairly plausible, childishly fond of stir and commotion. 
Three timid, backward girls are the only ones left of nine V-l has 
borne in the past 11 years. Of these, the first died at 5 months of 
spinal meningitis, the fourth at 18 months of dropsy, the last two have 
died mysteriously of “blood-poisoning” when a few days old, while the 
two others died and were buried by the parents in the night and with- 
out ceremony. The three living are: 
VI-1, born 1902; small for her age and shy, appearing to be about 7, 
large mouth and teeth, retreating forehead and chin, rather vacant 
expression. In second grade at school, reads a little and knows a part 
of the table of fours. 
VI-3, born 1906; appears to be 4 or 5 and resembles her sister in 
looks. Has never been to school. 
VI-5, born 1908; at 3 could neither walk or talk, but now runs about, 
talks, and can count to 6 or 7. A rather attractive child, though dirty 
and uncared-for. 
This branch is by far the most deficient of the line; all other branches, 
save that engendered by the sexually-immoral daughter of Isaac, 
showing a decided upward trend. 
The second daughter (IV-9) of Stephen Rufer, born 1850, died 1878; 
was an average pupil in school, and became a thrifty, capable, fairly 
intelligent woman. Married IV-8 upon his return from the Civil 
War and lived on a small farm. A severe cold, caught after the birth 19 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
of her second child, was followed by tuberculosis. IV-8 is of very 
moderate ability and belongs to stock showing average aggressiveness 
and perseverance, and, moreover, in this branch much irascibility. 
Their children number five (V-3, 5, 7, 9, 11). 
V-3, born 1868, a woman of average mentality, aggressiveness and 
perseverance, with good business sense. Has married a man who is 
slightly alcoholic and somewhat her inferior in the traits mentioned, 
but who belongs to a strain showing these traits. They own a good 
farm and conduct a meat market. They have two children. The 
son (VI-10) is an electrician, occupying a responsible position in a dis- 
tant State. The daughter (VI-11) received normal training, taught 
several terms, and is now well married. 
V-5, bom 1870; dull and backward at school, but kindly, honest, 
hard-working, with some mechanical ability. Married, 10 or 12 years 
ago, IV-12, who belongs to Line D of this history. Worked a farm 
until, his wife’s health failing, they moved to town, where he is fireman 
at a State school. Living comfortably in a good frame house for 
which he is paying with some help from his wife and step daughter. 
Has no children. 
V-7, born 1872; an average pupil at school, but developed no special 
abilities and is inclined to be nervous and domineering. Married V-8, 
said to be of good family, and living on a farm. Their three children, 
VI-13, age 8, quick in her studies and already very deft with her needle; 
VI-14 and 15, ages 5 and 3, are bright and being carefully brought up. 
V-9, born 1874; fairly good pupil in school, though unsettled in 
occupation until he was married. Has become a switchman on the 
railroad. His wife V-10 is capable and of good family. Three 
children (VI-16, 17, 18) are progressing well at school. 
V-ll, born 1877; died at 7 years, of diphtheria. 
The youngest son (IV-10) of Stephen Rufer, born 1852, has lived all 
his life on the 30 acres originally purchased by his father, which he 
now operates as a truck farm, selling his produce in nearby towns. Is 
pleasant spoken, active, loquacious, and fairly intelligent. Makes a 
considerable show of his piety, going even so far as to claim the power of 
working miracles; yet his customers maintain that in spite of his 
“sanctification” he gets the better of them in all sorts of ways. It is 
claimed, too, that he worsted both his father and sister in getting 
possession of the homestead. Has married IV-11, whose family is said 
to show no marked constitutional defect but heart trouble. Her 
father had much ingenuity as a blacksmith. She is illiterate, but alert, 
practical, hospitable, taking an active interest in the church and the 
social affairs of the simple rural community where they live. Her 
house apparently has known few changes in a generation; little furni- 
ture, and that faded and worn; the yard a tangle of tall grass and 20 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
roses running wild; picturesque on the whole, rather than orderly or 
neat. The children of this couple were not sent to school very regu- 
larly, since the parents have little faith in “book-learning.” They are: 
V-12, born 1879, died at 2 years, diphtheria. 
V-14, born 1880, has some mechanical ability and was able to pro- 
gress at school; has always been wavering and uncertain in purposes 
and plans; he has wandered about a great deal and been slow in settling 
to any regular occupation; married, first, V-13, and had to flee the 
country because he forged her father’s name; has been a carpenter, 
and a fireman, and now lives with his second wife temporarily on a 
rented farm near his parents. No children by either marriage. 
V-16, born 1882, a big, good-looking fellow with the trusting, easy 
good nature of his grandfather, and showing only moderate judgment, 
determination, and ambition, has several times attempted work in the 
machine shops in G, but given it up when it was hard or when there 
was danger of his taking cold; is at home unmarried and doing most 
of the work on his father’s farm. 
V-18, born 1883; a girl, illiterate, but obliging, industrious, alert; 
she has married V-17, who belongs to a large, strong, fairly aggressive 
family; he is a blacksmith, fond of fine horses, and works a small 
piece of ground set out to small fruit and vegetables; appearance of 
place and standards of living on a par with those of the parents. The 
children of this couple: VI-19, born 1907, and VI-20, born 1908, 
appear active and of average mentality. 
V-20, born 1885; the most capable and aggressive member of this 
fraternity; he went to school very little, “he wras so anxious to get a 
business of his own”; has much mechanical skill and shrewd practical 
sense, and has acquired an interest in a sawmill near M; his mother is 
very proud of the fact that he has charge of the entire plant, books and 
all, and says she would defy any of his old friends with their fine school- 
ing to get the better of him in a business transaction. Has a daughter 
by a former marriage and has since married V-21, belonging to an 
intelligent, progressive family. They have two sons and a daughter 
(VI-22, 23, 24), all reported healthy and of normal mentality. 
V-22, born 1888; of fair ability in school and always steady; he has 
married V-23, a sister of his brother’s wife (V-21), and has one son and 
two daughters of good mentality; is described as energetic and ambi- 
tious, having great pride in the possession of good stock and fine horses, 
and has recently bought a farm of his own. 
V-24, a girl born 1897; pleasant, practical, and helpful, but unam- 
bitious as far as school is concerned; still in the eighth grade. 
Let us return now to the second generation and consider the chaste 
Sophia, elder daughter (III—5) of Isaac Rufer. She went with her 
brother to another part of the State, and was brought up by her mother’s OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
21 
people. She is said to have been of limited mental capacity, but was 
chaste, hardworking but rather slow, and capable in practical affairs. 
She married III—6, a thirfty, industrious farmer in that section, whose 
family has been traced back three generations to a prosperous mer- 
chant in an eastern metropolis. Of their four children, two (IV-12,13) 
died in childhood. The surviving daughter (IV-15) left a son (V-27) of 
average ability, and an illegitimate daughter (V-25), who has little 
foresight or perseverance. The surviving son (IV-17) was a farmer, 
thrifty, hardworking, fairly intelligent, with good business sense. 
He married into a strain showing these traits. Two of the children 
(V-31, 32) from this marriage died in infancy: a son (V-28), who was 
strong and mentally alert, died at 13 of measles; the remaining children, 
one son (V-29) and three daughters (V-34, 37, 39) are fairly intelligent 
and progressive. The youngest has recently married. The remaining 
three have promising families and are among the better citizens of the 
communities in wdiich they live. They have well-cultivated farms or 
follow various trades. 
In his marriage to Sophia, III—6 was considered to have married 
beneath himself. Other lines of this family show, in contrast to this 
average ability of his branch, superior intelligence and certain special 
abilities. Several members have had marked success in business: 
two were able attorneys, one is president, another secretary and 
treasurer of a large savings bank, two others have been prominent in 
the iron and steel industry. A branch of the family, which removed to 
a western State, is successful in business and the teaching profession. 
It would thus appear that while marriage into a superior strain has 
resulted in general improvement for the Rufer family, it has entailed 
relative deterioration in efficiency for the strain into which marriage 
took place. 
Let us return now to trace the descendants of III—7, the sexually 
immoral daughter of Isaac Rufer. She was born in northwestern 
Pennsylvania about 1820 and remained in this part of the State; was a 
coarse, licentious girl, who knew nothing but how to keep house in a 
crude fashion. Married III-8, a fairly capable man, whose family is 
described as “queer and none too good.” His first wife was bed- 
ridden for several years before her death. Ill—7 did the housework 
and had two children by him before his first wife’s death. They 
stopped at the parson’s and were married on the way home from the 
funeral. Their children will now be considered in order of their birth: 
IV-19 was born about 1842. Has been able to farm in a fashion, 
but had little ability to learn in school and never showed any business 
sense. Married a woman belonging to Line F (III-38).1 She is said 
to have been an illegitimate daughter of II-2, Chart B; her father’s 
1 Error in Plate. Dotted line should run to III-38. 22 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
family being of good mentality. Was far superior to her half-brothers 
and sisters, sensible, obliging and a neat housekeeper. Their eight 
children (V-40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54), who will be considered at 
length under Line F, show ability above their father’s. The/sons are 
in the employ of the railroad as carpenters and contractors. The 
daughters are good housekeepers of fair intelligence, with well-kept 
families. 
IV- second son of III—7, born about 1845, is ignorant, shiftless, 
and a ne’er do well, but not so stupid as his elder brother. Never 
went to school much and was working as a day laborer when he fell in 
with IV-22, a student of an academy, whose family was far superior to 
his, including successful teachers and professional men. Their 
marriage was a forced one. He managed to work quite steadily dur- 
ing his wife’s lifetime, but after her death, which was from tuberculosis, 
reverted to his old ways, taking little responsibility for his family. 
The girls went to work among strangers at an early age, while the boys 
have drifted about, trying first one thing and then another. All show 
fair capability in school work, and but little inclination to profit by it. 
V- born 1874, had little schooling, but grew to be a large, fine- 
looking, plausible woman. At 13 went to work on a large farm in a 
neighboring State, where the son of her employer (V-57) fell in love with 
and married her. His family are extensive land-holders and among the 
most intelligent and progressive in this prosperous section. Certain 
members exhibit much nervousness and excitability, and he belongs 
to this group. He often goes to pieces over his work, and his con- 
versation is so rapid and shows such quick change of topic as to suggest 
the flight of ideas of the insane. One brother died of spinal meningitis 
and another is highly nervous, but there is no instance of other serious 
nervous disease in the immediate family. The large farm where this 
couple live is admirably cultivated, house and out-buildings are modern, 
well equipped, excellently kept. V-56 is looked down upon by the 
other members of her husband’s family, whose standing in the com- 
munity is far superior to hers. She is charged also with infidelity and 
falsifying. Their children are: 
VI- born 1898;handsome, well-developed girl, just finishing eighth 
grade; average ability in number; 
VI-63, born 1901; strong, fine-looking, excellent in number, in eighth 
grade; 
VI-64, died, 14 months, spinal meningitis; 
VI-65, born 1909; attractive and alert and making good progress in 
school; 
VI-66, died, 14 months, spinal meningitis. 
The second daughter (V-58) of IV-21 (born 1876, died 1898 of pulmo- 
nary tuberculosis) was a fairly bright girl of good reputation. Taken to OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
23 
live on a neighboring farm, she was courted by her second cousin, 
who belongs to Line D. Her father opposed the marriage, saying he 
“was too smart to be a Rufer, but not smart enough to be anything 
else.” They eloped, however, to New York, and were married. Two 
children (VI-70, 71) died young of tuberculosis. 
The third daughter (V-61) of IV-21, born 1878, died 1898, pulmonary 
tuberculosis; had an illegitimate son (VI-69), who was quick, responsible, 
and at 18 is the yardmaster in a steel works. V-61 later married 
V-62, who drank, and abused and finally deserted her. Their first- 
born died at birth. Their daughter (VI-71), born 1897, lives alone with 
her maternal grandfather in a dilapidated log house. Never went to 
school more than a few weeks in any year, and was so stupid and in- 
corrigible that the teacher was always glad to be rid of her. She could 
scarcely read or perform the simplest problems. At 16 is pretty, 
plausible, but wild, profane, sexually immoral, running the country- 
side. 
V-67, the youngest daughter of IV-21, bom 1880, caught cold and 
died at 14 years. 
The sons of IV-21 and IV-22 are: 
V-63, born 1882; capable if he cared to be, but drinks, is a rover, and 
not a man of his word; has a good wife, and for the last 3 years has 
managed with fair success a small farm near that of his eldest sister; no 
children; 
V-65, born 1884; like his brother, rough, unsettled, alcoholic, at 
present working on the section; has separated from his wife, by whom 
he had two little girls (VI-72, 73); both are pretty, bright, and fond of 
school; VI-72 is kept by her uncle; VI-73 lives with her father and his 
so-called housekeeper. 
The remaining children of the sexually lax Maria (III-7) were: IV-23, 
who “became feeble-minded after an attack of scarlet fever” and died 
in childhood of flux, and a son (IV-25), who has fair ability to plan and 
calculate; owns a small farm which he works successfully. He is ec- 
centric and irresponsible; since his wife’s desertion has consorted with 
various women, among them IV-4, Chart B, belonging to Line F. 
Her daughter (V-3, Chart B) has been attributed to him. 
There remains to be considered the youngest son (III-9) of Isaac 
Rufer, who is said to have been slow and stupid, nonaggressive, but in- 
du strious. Owned a f ew acres of land and supported his family by working 
for neighboring farmers. His marriage to his double cousin, belonging 
to Line D, will be considered at length later. She was superior to her 
husband in ability and aggressiveness. Two of their children were 
decidedly above the average in these traits, and two somewhat below. 24 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
Summary of Line A. 
Line A shows considerable diversity as to the strains into which 
its members marry. Union of its founder with a woman who was 
fairly able mentally but aggressive in evil and sexually lax, and be- 
longed to a neurotic strain, produces a very diverse family whose 
differences are further accentuated by environmental influences. 
Their mentally deficient sexually immoral daughter mating with a 
sexually loose man had children showing lack of sex control in the pro- 
portion of 2 out of 3. Later unions of these with members of strains 
showing superior ability to plan and calculate bring about advance so 
far as these traits are concerned but a persistence in the lack of sex 
control. The two members of generation III who were superior in cal- 
culating ability and perseverance but still low in aggressiveness mar- 
ried into strains showing at least an average of these traits, and the 
condition of subsequent generations with reference to these traits is 
considerably improved, except where the sole defective daughter, 
through marriage into a weak strain, carries on the line for deficiency 
in calculating ability and perseverance. The remaining members of 
this line show a good average of social efficiency considerably above the 
condition of the family three generations ago; while in several cases 
the combination of mechanical ability and special calculating ability 
with aggressiveness is bringing the individual possessing the fortunate 
combination marked success. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
25 
V. LINE B. 
Founded by Aaron’s second son, Jared Rufer (II—3), born about 
1793; died about 1852. He received from his father a good farm of 70 
acres, but was shiftless, incapable, with pilfering propensities, lacking 
in sense of number and quantity, and known to have stolen lumber. 
Used to turn his cattle into his neighbors’ pasture after dark. His 
wife (II—4), wKo died before him, had a sense of number and quantity; 
was otherwise of normal mentality and superior to her husband in 
aggressiveness and perseverance. Nothing is known of her family. 
She was sexually immoral, so that at least 2 of her 3 children are 
attributed to other men. It is asserted on good authority that the 
resemblance to the supposed fathers, in regard to both physical and 
mental traits, was so close as to leave no doubt of their paternity in 
the minds of all who knew them. The only child of whom Jared 
was the father was III—13. An account of her descendants will be 
followed by a brief history of those of her half-brothers, since they 
furnish several interesting comparisons. 
Ill—13 had sense of number and quantity, ability to plan and cal- 
culate, and moderate aggressiveness. At 18, married III—12, of Irish 
descent, and went to the Middle West with him, where he engaged in 
mining. He had 3 brothers and 1 sister who were small farmers and 
who have left families of fair ability, showing no instance of marked 
nervous or mental defect. During the gold fever of 1849 he tried his 
fortune for 2 years in California and upon his return died of cholera. 
The widow supported their 4 children by sewing, and late in life 
married a prosperous farmer (III—14). Her children by III—12 were all 
able to progress at school, but were forced to leave early in order to 
earn a living. 
The eldest (I V-36) served in the Civil War and later was apprenticed 
to a cabinet-maker, and went then to the Far West, where he married 
a woman whose family is not known; is now, at 73, an alert, active man, 
owner of a ranch and a cabinet-maker’s shop, which are leased by his 
three sons (V-73,74,75). His eldest son (V-70) diedat8years of scarlet 
fever. His only daughter (V-71) married a rancher in a neighboring 
State. All are known to possess fair intelligence and practical ability, 
but are only moderately ambitious and progressive. None of them 
has children. 
The eldest daughter (IV-38) of III—13 earned a living at domestic 
service until her marriage to a young farmer (IV-39) of Irish extraction, 
whose family were farmers and mechanics of ordinary ability. They 
removed to Kansas, where they lost their farm through depredations 26 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
of tornado and locusts, when they returned to Pennsylvania; IV-39 
died 3 years ago, but IV-38 is still living, a capable, wide-awake woman 
taking an active interest in questions of the day. Their seven children 
all made fair progress in school; showed few special abilities and are 
only moderately ambitious; all, however, are self-supporting, self- 
respecting, “getting on slowly.” 
The eldest (V-76), a successful rancher in Idaho, has an only daughter 
(VI-74) married, with two children of average ability. 
The next (V-78) working with his eldest son (VI-75) in a steel mill. 
Six young children (VI-76 to 81) are making good progress in grade and 
high school. 
The third (V-80) has not been strong since his enlistment during the 
Spanish-American War; he earns a living as caretaker. 
The elder daughter (V-81), unmarried, has a good position in a 
wholesale house. 
V-82 is well married and living in comfort near her mother; has 
two promising little daughters (VI-82, 83). 
The sixth (V-82) is unmarried and an electrician. 
The seventh (V-85) is employed in an automobile plant; is married, 
with one little daughter. 
The second daughter (IV-40) of III—13 resembles her sister (IV-38) 
in appearance and leading characteristics. She married IV-41, the 
brother of this sister’s husband, and is living in comfortable circum- 
stances on a farm. Her four children (V-87, 89, 91, 93), too, ail had 
fair school ability and showed little variation in characteristics and 
abilities. 
The eldest (V-87) is the wife of a successful minister (V-88); they 
have six children (VI-85 to 90), who are being well educated. 
The second (V-89) is a railroad carpenter; recently married. 
The third (V-91) has married a “country squire,” and has a son of 3 
(VI-91). 
The fourth (V-93) works his father’s farm; is married, and has a 
son of 2 years (VI-92). 
The youngest daughter (IV-42) of III—12 married and removed to 
the West, where her only daughter (V-95) has two daughters 
(VI-93, 94) reported as making excellent progress in school. 
The illegitimate sons of Jared Rufer’s wife (II-4) were: III—15 and 
111-17; they took their foster-father’s name and were brought up as 
his own. The father of III—17 (born 1814, died 1870) belonged to a family 
which has since acquired most of the 400 acres of land originally owned 
by Aaron Rufer and much besides. They are shrewd, hard-working, 
and progressive, qualities which showed in III—17 also. He went to 
school and became a very thrifty, energetic, intelligent man. On his OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
27 
father’s death the small homestead passed to him, badly run down and 
incumbered with debt. He married III-18, who 'was of German ori- 
gin; she was very active and strong, too. Together they cleared their 
farm of debt and added more land, so that at his death, which occurred 
at 56 years, they owned a fine farm of 150 acres. Afterwards his wife 
continued to live on it and work it in part. She lived to be 95 years 
old and retained her faculties and strength to the last, so that, even a 
few months before her death, she thought nothing of walking a dis- 
tance of 3 or 4 miles and attending to the family marketing. Their 
children were: 
IV-46, born about 1838, died 1911. He farmed all his life, part 
of the time in Wisconsin, part of the time in this State. He was a 
very quiet, reticent, hard-working man, strictly honest in his business 
dealings, but, both in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the burning of a 
barn belonging to a man with whom he had a difference was traced to 
him. In Wisconsin he served a term in the penitentiary for the offense. 
He married, but never had any children. 
IV-48, born 1843, died 1912, cancer of the liver; married IV-49 (who 
belongs to a decent, self-respecting, but unambitious family) to whom 
she was superior in ambition, intelligence, and strength of character. 
He was a section foreman most of his life near K, where they owned a 
very comfortable home. Of their four children, V-99, 100, twins, 
died at 2 weeks of inanition; two sons (V-97,101), mechanics of some 
intelligence, are steady and hard-working, maintaining their families 
in comfort. Each is married and has three children (VI-95 to 100), 
active, alert, making good progress in school. 
IV-50, born 1845, is reported to have been of fair ability as a young 
man, but has drank heavily for years and now is rated hateful and 
devilish, impossible as a neighbor or business partner. When he 
has had a few drinks from the hard-cider barrel in his cellar he becomes 
very excitable and assaults the neighbors and his family. His wife 
(IV-51), who is a sister of IV-47, has repeatedly left him because of his 
abuse. The farm which he inherited from his father is neglected and 
encumbered with debt. The only surviving son (V-103) is known as a 
drunkard and wife-beater. He works around here and there at any- 
thing for a living. His wife, who came from Missouri to Pennsylvania 
in answer to his advertisement, is described as “lacking”; she has left 
him repeatedly, but always returns. Two children reported of excel- 
lent mentality, musical, are ahead of their grades in school. IV-52, 
born about 1848, is fine looking, clever, and an excellent businesswoman. 
Has a daughter (V-105) married, with two children. A son (V-107) 
roams around and is settled to no particular kind of work; has a wife 
but no children. A second son (V-109) of this same woman has been 
lost track of. 28 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
Ill—15 was the son of Jared’s wife and a rough, irascible, profane 
Irishman who belonged to a neurotic family. He was able to progress 
at school, but was irritable and showed little ambition; earned a fair 
living by teaming. Went West with his half-sister and married 
there a woman of unknown family. Continual domestic friction, 
attributed in part to his nervousness, led to his suicide a few years 
later. His two daughters (IV-44, 45), remembered as promising little 
girls, have since been lost track of. 
Summary of Line B. 
The mating of II-4 with II—5 and II-6, men of very different type 
and belonging to stocks with radically different leading traits, seems to 
have told decidedly in the traits of the two sons. In the one case 
nervousness and irresponsibility; in the other, shrewdness, energy, and 
ambition to accumulate property are the leading characteristics. 
In the latter case the gain has not been permanent, such defects as 
alcoholism and irascibility showing themselves, though it has not been 
possible to analyze the matings of subsequent generations with sufficient 
minuteness to learn the hereditary factors. Most of the descendants 
of 111-17 are settled in the same community as the degenerate and 
defective Lines D and E of this network. They hold themselves 
decidedly superior to members of these lines, and their defects— 
alcoholism, irascibility, quarrelsomeness—are in contrast to the 
defects which characterize these lines. The descendants of III—13, 
who constitute line B proper, present great uniformity, and the line is 
noteworthy for the non-appearance of the defects of its founders. 
Jared’s daughter (III—13) seems to have escaped, on the one hand, the 
shiftlessness and number defect of her father and the sexual looseness 
characteristic of her mother. Marriage into stock that was free from 
these defects has insured their elimination in subsequent generations. 
None of these stocks shows aggressiveness, perseverance, or special 
abilities of any marked degree, and the line to which they have con- 
tributed shows accordingly only a fair average of these traits. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
29 
VI. LINE C. 
Line C was founded by Stephen (II—9), the third son of Mary and 
Aaron Rufer. He was born in Germany 1795, died 1883. Generally 
recognized as the best of the fraternity. He was a man of great 
strength and vitality; never ill a day in his life, though he grew to be 
very simple and childish before his death. He was the only one of 
Aaron’s sons who had a sufficient sense of number and proportion 
"to cut cord-wood.” He could read and write, though he had received 
little instruction. He was noted for his piety and always carried a 
hymn-book on his visits, so that he might indulge in song-singing, his 
favorite diversion. In 1828 he married 11-10. Her father had settled 
on 400 acres in a neighboring county about the same time as Aaron 
Rufer settled in this country. The two used to neighbor back and 
forth, and while each owned only one ox they put them together to 
make a team. 11-10 was considered the moving spirit in all of her 
husband’s undertakings, being greatly superior to him in initiative, 
calculation, perseverance, and skill. She belongs to a strain whose 
history shows much energy and ability to get on in the world. At her 
instigation, Stephen traded the land, which he had from his father, 
for 80 acres nearer her own people. She directed in great part and 
helped in the work out of doors; kept a clean, orderly house; made 
butter which she carried to the market 13 miles away and sold it at 6 
cents a pound. She knew all the steps in linen-making, from the raw 
flax to the finished garment. She lived to be 93 years old and was 
remarkable for her strength, alertness, and aggressiveness to the last. 
This couple had five children (III-19,23, 26, 28, 30), all of whom have 
been traced. 
Two of these (III—19,26) were somewhat below the average in mental 
ability; and, while by no means without calculating ability, always per- 
formed calculations with great difficulty. III-26 had great aggressive- 
ness and perseverance, and at 78 is still a shrewd, energetic woman. 
A third (III-28) showed fair ability in school, but was weak physically, 
and in later life lost his property through poor business management. 
The remaining two (III-26, 30) were decidedly above the average in 
mentality, with good ability to calculate, aggressive, and persevering. 
Let us follow the marriages and descendants of these five. The 
eldest (III—19), born 1829, died 1864 of tuberculosis. Was never strong 
physically nor able to progress far at school; was able, though, to per- 
form simple multiplications and divisions and had good practical sense. 
Married III-20, who belonged to a strain of steady, hardworking people 
showing fair mental ability, including average quickness in calculation. 
They lived in fair circumstances on a farm. Had five children: 
IV-54, born about 1856; above the average in mental ability, but 
having few school advantages received little education in her youth. 30 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
Was always very devout and self-sacrificing and at 20 married against 
her people’s wishes a wandering blind evangelist (IV-55). He has a 
very defective brother who appears later in this history, but belongs to 
a family which otherwise shows good mentality. Received some 
education at the institution for the blind. Has a fine memory, which 
enables him to recite passages of the Scriptures ad libitum, but has 
never retained a charge long. He sometimes preaches good sermons, but 
is usually unable to keep quality up even to the end of one sermon. 
This couple has shown little system and foresight in the management 
of their affairs, and the burden of supporting their five children fell 
for the most part on relatives or various charitable agencies. Of 
their children, 
The first (V-110) was a stillbirth; 
The second (V-lll), born 1878, shows fine memory and degree of 
aggressiveness. Was brought up for the most part away from home; 
took a civil-service examination successfully and served with credit. 
The eldest daughter (V-112) lived for nearly 8 years at an orphanage, 
then supported herself in domestic service until her marriage. Since 
her husband’s (Y-113) death, works by the day, while her little daugh- 
ter (VI-105), said to be of good mentality, is cared for by a charitable 
organization. An intelligent, good woman, showing some resolution 
and refinement. The second daugher (V-114) was also brought up by 
strangers; is now well married. 
The second son (V-116) was brought up by the same family that 
cared for his sister. He showed fair mentality; was given sufficient 
education to teach school. The youngest son (V-117) has remained at 
home with his parents; shows less ability than his brothers and has 
never had much plan and purpose in his life nor settled down to regular 
work. 
The second child (IV-56) of III—19, born about 1859, died 1910 of can- 
cer of the stomach; was always a faithful, sober fellow, somewhat 
retarded in school, and found number work especially hard. Worked 
on the section and accumulated enough to buy a farm of 50 acres. 
Married IV-57, who was capable in her school work and belongs to a 
family showing fair ability. Their three children showed average 
ability. V-118 is a railroad operator; one of the two daughters (V-119, 
121), is a domestic and the other is married to a prosperous farmer 
in a neighboring State. The latter has one little child. 
The second son (IV-58) of III—19, born about 1861, was quicker than 
his brother in school work, including calculation; also more excitable. 
He occasionally has drunk to excess. Married IV-59, of good men- 
tality, and now lives on their own farm of 50 acres. Their only son 
(V-122), born 1892, is single and living at home. Showed good ability 
at school work. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
31 
IV-60,61, two other sons of this couple (III—19,20) died in childhood, 
cause unknown. 
III-20 later married III—21, who is still living. An alert, shrewd, 
kindly woman, nearly 80 years of age. Others of her family are able 
and progressive. The three children from this marriage (IV-62,64, 66) 
showed mental ability somewhat superior to that of the children of 
III-20, 19, and are able, intelligent members of the progressive farming 
communities in which they live. 
The ablest of the children of II-9 was III-22, born 1831, died 1911 of 
pneumonia. He was remarkable for his fine memory, and calculating 
ability, decidedly above the average. Was a carpenter and builder, 
and owned a farm. Married III-23, whose family history, carried 
through four generations, shows no marked mental defect. Had by 
her three childern who will be described later. After her death and at 
40, married III-24, a girl of 18, who was quick and capable, but whose 
extravagance led to their separation a few years later. 
Describing now the children of III-22 and 23, we have: IV-67, the 
eldest daughter; she made good progress at school and was ambitious 
for education, but, owing to her father’s difficulties with his second 
marriage, was obliged to leave high school. She supported herself 
by dressmaking and married IV-68, who is a fairly energetic member 
of a family, in the main, well-to-do, successful in various professions 
in other States. They have two children (V-123,124) who are intelli- 
gent, with ability in music and decorative arts. Both are unmarried. 
They all live together in a home showing evidence of good taste and 
culture, in an eastern city. 
IV-69, the second child, was said to be the most enterprising of his 
fraternity. Made good progress in school, where he excelled in figures. 
Now prospering in the real-estate business in a distant State. Has 
married IV-70, who is his first cousin once removed on his mother’s 
side, and belongs therefore to a good strain, into which his paternal 
grandfather married. She is said to be active, of good mentality, and 
of fair education, though excelled by her husband in this respect. 
Of their twelve children (V-125 to 138), two are dead. Two of the 
elder daughers are well married. A third, employed as secretary 
in a publishing house, is described as having splendid capabilities. 
Two sons are successful in practical work while the remaining children 
are making excellent progress in school. 
IV-71, the second daughter, said to be mentally on a par with her 
sister, IV-67. She earned her living by dressmaking and later married 
an oil prospector. They have made and lost a good deal of money in 
ventures. Their two daughters (V-139,142) received business training 
and later engaged successfully in office-work. One of them is now 32 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
married. The only son (V-141) is with his father. They own a fine 
home and are accounted desirable citizens of the town in which they live. 
The fourth (IV-73) and youngest of the children of III—22, is de- 
scribed as good at figures, capable in general school work, but he had 
poor school advantages and early shifted for himself. Went West, where 
he now owns a ranch. Has two sons (V-143,144), ages 16 and 20 years, 
respectively, by a wife whose family characteristics are unknown; 
they are said to be capable and progressive and are likewise ranching. 
Going back to the third generation, we now take up III-26, the 
second daughter of Stephen Rufer, bom 1835. She made slow pro- 
gress at school where she had special difficulty with numbers; was 
always very active, strong, hardworking, and showed fair shrewdness in 
looking after her own interests. Married III-25, who was very intelli- 
gent. His two brothers taught successfully and his family was ac- 
counted one of the best in the community. His wife’s driving pro- 
pensities were not always comfortable for him. They had started to 
pay for a farm, when he was drafted into the Union Army and later 
died at Andersonville prison. His wife afterwards succeeded in pay- 
ing for the farm by dint of her own efforts. Their two children are 
IV-75, born about 1860, and IV-77, born about 1862. 
IV-75 was decidedly above the average in school-work, active, and 
ambitious. Married IV-76, whose family was quick mentally. Her 
sisters are decent, but her brothers, though shrewd, are alcoholic and 
sexually loose. They lived for a time on his mother’s farm, but later 
moved to Iowa and then to Alberta, where they have a farm of 330 
acres. Their ten living children are said to be above the average in 
ability. The eldest (V-145), born 1889, died 1911; an apt scholar who 
had taught successfully for several years. The second child (V-146), 
born 1891, graduated from normal school; also taught successfully. 
The others attended school regularly and are making excellent progress. 
IV-77 was brought up for the most part by her father’s people. 
Was fairly quick and intelligent; given school advantages and taught 
for years. Married IV-78, the son of a rather eccentric man. They 
are in fair circumstances, owning 18 acres and a good farmhouse. 
They have two daughters; the elder (V-158), now 26, was married under 
the eugenic law of Ohio and has a bright, healthy baby. The second 
daughter (V-160) is an intelligent, persevering girl of 13; rather shy; 
helpful at home; attending high school. 
The second marriage of III-26 was to a man belonging to a good 
family, but who was slightly alcoholic, and proved himself to be OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
33 
unacceptable in his working habits and general conduct. She divorced 
him after the birth of a son (IV-79), who is said to be shrewd and ambi- 
tious; went West and married in Nebraska, and now is reported from 
Montana, where he is prospering on a ranch. Two of his children 
are dead; nothing learned about the remaining six. 
The fourth child (III-28) of Stephen Rufer was born 1838, died 1907 
of tuberculosis. In school ability stood midway between his two sisters 
and his two brothers, but physically was the weakest of his fraternity; 
never well or strong, and of an irritable, ugly disposition, finally going 
all to pieces nervously. Married III-29, whose two brothers were 
epileptics but otherwise able. She is characterized as a bad women of 
malicious, designing disposition, who led her husband into all sorts of 
futile enterprises. She became deranged before her death and finally 
died at the county farm. 
III-28 always showed poor judgment in the conduct of his affairs. 
Because of his disabilities he was given the life lease of the homestead. 
He despoiled the timber, was forced by his wife and her people to 
invest in a hotel, and, failing in this venture, encumbered the property, 
so that what he eventually left was little more than enough to bury 
him. Their only child (IV-81), born 1881, was a low-grade imbecile, 
never able to talk properly or attend to her personal wants. Was 
cared for at home until the removal of her mother to the county farm, 
when she was admitted to this Institution for the Care of the Feeble- 
Minded of Western Pennsylvania and died 3 months later of measles. 
Stephen Rufer’s youngest son (III-30), born 1845, was brought up on 
his father’s farm and given a common-school education. Is temperate, 
energetic, persistent, fairly intelligent. Has had a checkered married 
life with III—31, who was born near C. She is a vicious woman with a 
very violent temper, who used to belabor her husband with bed-slat 
and axe-handle until he was nearly dead, so that he left her six or seven 
times. She eventually got to running after a neighbor. Her hus- 
band divorced her and when the neighbor’s wife died from abuse she 
married him. She is shunned by her family and acquaintances. Is 
living now in a neighboring town and seems to have plenty of money, 
but no one knows where she gets it. In spite of the lack of his wife’s 
cooperation, III-30 has managed to acquire a farm of 80 acres, well 
cultivated; machinery and buildings in excellent condition. His 
children are: 
IV-82, born about 1875. Assertive, ambitious, with her mother’s 
violent temper. Living on a farm about 3 miles from F. Dominates 
her husband, indoors and out. No children. 
IV-84, born about 1878. Temperate, hardworking, of fair mentality 
and intelligence; easily excited, and when aroused is very abusive. 34 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
Attended college for a time and then taught school. Has married 
IV-85 and lives in a house of his father, whom he helps in addition to 
working his own small farm. No children. 
IV-86, born 1881. Not very strong physically, but with equable 
temper and fair intelligence, discussing with interest general questions 
of the day. Has married IV-87, who is a barber, and belongs to a 
family of good mentality, and who are well connected. He is jovial, 
strong, and of good mentality. They have a comfortable home 
furnished in fair taste and ride in their own automobile. Their daugh- 
ter and only child (V-169), born 1905, is a pretty girl, a little nervous, 
but bright and attractive and being very carefully reared. 
Summary of Line C. 
In surveying Line C, one is struck by the complete absence in later 
generations of anything that can be denominated social inadequacy. 
The sole instance of marked mental defect arises in the third generation 
from the union of the weakest member of the fraternity, irritable and 
lacking business sense, with a woman having little judgment who 
later became deranged and who belonged to a strain showing epilepsy. 
Their imbecile child died young. All of the remaining marriages may 
be characterized as eugenic, with the possible exception of IV-54 with 
IV-55. Here a degree of unpracticality on both sides, coupled with a 
relative lack of perseverance, put the burden of support of their 
children for a time on others; but all have become self-supporting. 
This line is remarkable, too, for the complete absence of the number 
and proportion defect characteristic of the mother of its founder. 
The founder of the line had the sense of number and proportion, with 
some calculating ability. Marriage with ability resulted in a slight 
advance for two of his progeny and considerable advance for the remain- 
ing three. Marriage of the two inferior ones with ability belonging to 
able strains has again been followed by advance with reference to 
these traits, so that in the last two generations all children possess 
average ability or ability decidedly above the average. In this regard 
this line may be said to have realized the half-playful suggestion of an 
eugenicist of a century ago, that with proper selection (selective 
matings) a defect may be blotted out of a family, just as a careful 
gardener blots out the blemish from a flower. Aggressiveness \vas 
high in only one of the founders of this line. It appeared in moderate 
degree in at least three of five children, and in high degree in two. 
Later generations have shown a splitting-up into medium and high 
aggressiveness, which, with fairly constant occurrence of perseverance 
and good mentality, has raised all branches of this line to a condition 
insuring social efficiency somewhat above that of Line B and the 
better branches of Line A, and in striking contrast to the social inade- 
quacy of the defective and degenerate Lines D and E. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
35 
VII. LINE D. 
Line D was founded by Darius II—11, fourth son of Aaron and Mary 
Rufer. He was born about 1798, shortly after his parents came to 
America. Died September 1884. He was a slow, stupid, plodding 
sort of man, but fairly thorough in his farm work. Could neither read 
nor write, but was said to have been able to perform simple additions 
and multiplication. His wife (11—12), who came from “down Pittsburgh 
way,” was a masculine woman who usually wore short skirts and a 
man’s shirt and boots. Her sister was “the very devil of a woman,” who 
had married Isaac Rufer, and she belonged therefore to a strain show- 
ing alcoholism, bad temper, and lack of sex control. She herself is 
said to have been fond of strong drink. She was, however, strong, 
energetic, assertive, and a most excellent housekeeper. She kept the 
log house and its yard neat as a pin, and in the pursuit of her ideals 
she was a figure of terror to troublesome children in the neighborhood. 
In domestic altercations she often got the better of her husband, where- 
upon he was wont to reflect to his neighbors, “I wish’t I hadn’t a tuk 
her.” Kept the 70 acres they inherited from Aaron intact, and be- 
queathed the greater portion of it to their only son. 
Their children were very diverse in capacity. The eldest daughter 
(III-32) was lacking in sense of number and in practical judgment and 
aggressiveness, but was fairly persevering. The second child, only 
son (III-36) was inferior to his elder sister in all these traits. The 
second daughter (III—38) possessed sense of number and proportion, 
had fair practical ability, but was very illiterate, since she never went to 
school. The third daughter (III-40), said to be of low mentality, was un- 
able to count and measure properly, and incapable in practical matters. 
The fourth daughter (III-43) showed mentality superior to the rest of 
her fraternity. She was aggressive and fairly persevering, but selfish 
and grasping. Following the history of each of these, we find con- 
siderable diversity in the type of matings made and resulting diversity 
in the trend of succeeding generations. 
The eldest (III-32), a daughter, born about 1827, has always been 
regarded as very feeble-minded, lacking a sense of number and pro- 
portion and silly in her mode of talking. She devoted herself to the 
comfort of her father, but cherished the hope of marriage for many 
years. On one occasion when her father was extolling her virtues to 
the neighbors, saying, “I don’t know how I would get along without 
her,” she retorted, “Ah, but you won’t have me always, Pa.” She 
was at this time little short of 60 years of age. At present she lives 
with her sister’s son, who has put up a house near the old log house of 
her father and in the middle of the small patch of ground left her. 
She is a shriveled, little old woman, fairly neat in person, sight and 
hearing still good, but does very crudely the work necessary to their 36 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
primitive manner of life. Their kitchen is bare and dirty, chickens run- 
ning in and out of the open door, living-room crowded with farm 
machinery and broken furniture. Interest extends to her few im- 
mediate relatives. The information she can give is restricted to: 
“Billy,” (her nephew,) “he is gone away off”; “I’m the only girl that’s 
left”; “I don’t know how old I am, but I was born in buckwheat time.” 
The second (III—36), born 1829, the only son, who inherited nearly 
70 acres of good farming land from his father. He, too, was without 
sense of number and proportion, and although he went to school for 
several years, was never able to learn anything. He was too feeble- 
minded to plan his work carefully or successfully and too careless and 
slack to do well what was planned for him. The land which he did not 
sell fell into disuse, and his neighbors, out of pity, used to hire him to do 
simple tasks for them, but he could not be relied upon to use even the 
hoe properly. In his old age he went to the county home to die. 
In 1854, III-36 married III—35, born about 1830. Her immediate 
family were of fairly good repute, thrifty, poor, hardworking, and 
non-aggressive, but belonging to a strain showing lack of sex control. 
She never wanted to learn anything at school and was very wild and 
immoral as a girl, the common property of the dissolute young men of 
the neighborhood. She had one illegitimate child and was about to 
have another when her father persuaded simple-minded III-36 to 
marry her and provide against further trouble of the sort. She has 
preserved her reputation for licentiousness throughout her married 
life, and has had at least one child who is said to be “not a Rufer” 
during this time. While her brother and seven sisters found decent, 
fairly respectable partners and founded families of self-respecting 
citizens, and in most cases have bettered their conditions, she speedily 
sank below the condition of her husband’s people, taking no interest 
in her housekeeping or in the bringing up of her large family of children. 
The house was never clean, nor was the food well cooked; everything 
going without plan or purpose while the mother raced the countryside 
five days out of every week, getting entertainment for herself and her 
children from anyone on whom she could impose. She is still living 
with one of her sons in a dilapidated log house reached by a path 
through neglected fields. In spite of her great age she continues to be 
active and vigorous, but is too nearly blind to do any work; accordingly 
the filth and confusion of the place are unspeakable. The low walls 
are black with smoke, the dirt could be taken off with a hoe, and it is 
impossible to tell the original color of covers and cushions, so faded 
and soiled are they. Her mind is still fairly clear and memory good; 
she is cheerful, and has a kindly spirit toward the whole world. She 
spends her time smoking by the stove or on a rickety porch, or visiting 
the few old cronies in the village. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
37 
The children of this couple are: IV-93, born 1856, died about 1905 
of syphilis. She was a slow, stupid, incapable, licentious girl, lacking 
sense of number and quantity. Had a most rudimentary skill in 
housekeeping. Her first child was supposedly illegitimate. She 
married IV-94, who had strayed into the community. He was thought 
to be a decent man, but weak, ambitionless, and of a large imagination 
and a great conceit. He worked round by the day, but was often idle 
when work was plentiful. It is thought that his wife helped out the 
family income by immoral means. She was ill for a long time, her 
body was covered with sores, and was so foul with syphilis that after 
her death it was impossible to prepare it properly for burial. IV-94 
is now a thin, stooping man with quavering voice, trembling hands, 
and uncertain gait. Can read and write and discuss with some 
intelligence general questions of the day. His favorite theme is his 
heroism in the Civil War, in which he says he was enlisted at 13, and 
saw service from Gettysburg to Petersburg, engaging manfully in 36 
battles. He was seriously wounded in the right arm at Petersburg. 
Few credit these stories, and he has never been able to establish his 
claim to a pension. During his early life he is said to have led an ad- 
venturous existence with his uncle, the commander of a revenue-cutter, 
having had to leave home because of the abuse of his father. The 
latter was not alcoholic, “but just plain ugly.” He had no brothers 
and all his sisters died in infancy. 
The first child (V-190) of IV—93 and IV—94 was born about 1880, 
died 1909. She was thought by some to be illegitimate. Was taken 
as a child into a good family, and grew to be a fine, capable, intelli- 
gent woman. Married V-189, and at the time of the birth of her 
first child was taken with “paralysis of the heart,” which eventually 
caused her death. 
The second child (V-192), born 1882, spent much of her girlhood at the 
home of the grandson of Isaac Rufer, whose benevolence has been noted 
earlier. She was never able to progress at school. She had a daughter, 
and afterwards married the man who was, presumably, the father of 
her child. He and the child, which was kept by the Rufers, both died 
and V-192 afterwards married V-193. He is shiftless, good-for-noth- 
ing, densely ignorant. His mother is a very illiterate, slipshod, and 
immoral woman who ran away from her husband and lived with 
another man. His father had a rudimentary education, was a black- 
smith and stone-mason. He died several years ago from the effects 
of a paralytic stroke. His feeble-minded brother has recently married 
a middle-grade imbecile suffering from secondary syphilis, who was for 
a short time at the Institution for the Care of the Feeble-Minded of 
Western Pennsylvania. She belongs to a very bad family, and was 
run out of town because of her immoral relations with a negro and a 
Chinaman. It was at this juncture that her husband “rescued her” 38 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
and made her his wife. V-192 and 193 own nothing but an old horse 
and buggy. They move from one farm to another and have now gone 
to stay with his mother. Since his illness in the spring from diabetes 
mellitus they have received county aid, and are liable soon to become 
public charges, since the mother is unwilling to work. She will not 
do even her own work, as the unspeakable fifth and disorder of their 
home testify, much less help her family. 
Five children have been born to them. The eldest (VI-129), a boy 
of 10, learns with fair ease, but attends school very irregularly. The 
second (VI-130) is very inattentive and lazy; at 8 barely reads or counts 
to 100. Both of these boys have been caught pilfering. The third 
(VI-131) has bad articulation at 5, appears silly and mischievous. The 
fourth (VI-132) died at 2 months of pneumonia and whooping cough. 
The fifth (VI-133), nearly 3 years of age, is just beginning to wralk and 
does not talk at all. 
V-194 and 196, two sons of IV-93 and 94, born about 1886 and 1889, 
are described as slack, thriftless, devil-may-care fellows. They made 
little progress at school; now drink and carouse and drift about and 
keep at no regular work. They are also shifty and mixed in their 
marriage relations. V-194 “stole away” another man’s wife and 
after living with her for a number of years married her. They are 
living in A, wdiere he has been employed on the railroad for several 
years. V-196 has reported himself married to several young women, 
among them a show-girl. He lives wdth none of them. Is at present 
reported from the southern part of the State, wThere he is a flagman 
on the railroad. No children. 
The youngest daughter (V-198) of IV-93 and 94, known as “delicious 
Maud,” was a rather pretty girl, but silly and ignorant and given to 
gadding about. Married V-199, of degenerate stock. Capable when 
he cares to work, but commonly thought to be licentious and a thief. 
This woman neglected her home and children, and ran after Italians 
and “Hunkeys” who are on the railroad. It is reported that her 
husband sold her to one of them and then on evidence of her unfaith- 
fulness put her out of doors. He is at present digging trenches. He 
lives with his imbecile brother, formerly an inmate at the Institution 
for the Care of Feeble-Minded, Polk, Pennsylvania, and his two little 
sons in a shack in the woods. The wife has taken their youngest 
child (VI-136) and gone to live with another man who belongs to a very 
bad strain. The two little sons, aged 7 and 5 respectively, are small for 
their years, quiet and shy, but otherwise appear to be average children. 
Returning to the second child of III-35 and 36, we have IV-95, born 
1857. She was utterly unable to profit by school training, but was 
always a modest, pleasant-mannered girl. Married about 33 years 
ago IV-96 who comes from a good family and is superior to her in 39 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
mental ability. They have lived on various rented farms, and for the 
past 15 years have worked a small place near C. At first glance it is 
inexplicable why they are not more prosperous, for both are honest, 
hardworking, and sober. They have no children. It appears, though, 
that there is some mismanagement on the part of the husband and a 
too-great willingness to oblige his neighbors, leading to neglect of his 
own interests. His wife’s defects are also a serious factor in the case. 
She is a very short, corpulent woman, small head, rather good features, 
neat in her person, and civil in her manner, gets about with great 
difficulty, but manages nevertheless to keep house in a fashion. She is 
extremely defective in her sense of number, quantity, and proportion; 
can tell the time of the day, the day of the week, and count in a me- 
chanical fashion up to 20, but can not handle even small numbers or 
quantities intelligently. She knows, for example, that you save a 
“good piece” by taking a certain road, but can not tell whether that 
“piece” is more nearly 1 mile or 3. She remembers that she was 
married on a Wednesday, but can not tell the month or year, or whether 
it was 15, 20, or 30 years ago. She herself is “pretty old,” but not so 
old as her mother, who may be 35 (in reality 84). In trading in the 
village store she was pleased with some bulk coffee which had been 
put up in different colored sacks; her sack chancing to be red, she has 
henceforth demanded that color, regardless of the quality of the coffee 
it may contain. Her house is poorly furnished and not very clean; 
walls discolored, rag carpet faded and dirty, rusty box-stove in one cor- 
ner, pictures awry. Cottage organ and dresser crowded with a queer 
assortment of ornaments, suggestive of a child’s playhouse. There 
was a huge china dog wearing her husband’s collar, a broken lamp- 
stand, a mirror flanked by a pepper box, a shaving mug, an ancient 
Christmas bell, and a patent-medicine bottle containing a bouquet of 
soiled paper flowers. She can not make her own clothing. Her favor- 
ite occupation is sewing patch-work for quilts, of which she is said to 
have dozens; the pattern is always small squares, which, however, are 
more apt to be oblong; these are sewed with clumsy stitches into long 
strips; if they prove too long when laid on the bed, she chops them 
off, and finally, by the trial-and-error method, she is able to sew all 
together into the proper rectangular shape. With all these defects, 
she still had sufficient sense of the fitness of things to resent the too 
cordial interest in her private concerns. She is, moreover, a kindly, 
obliging person, childishly stubborn and unreasonable at times, but, 
in the main, a good neighbor and friend. Two children of this couple, 
a boy and a girl, involving extremely difficult labor, were born dead. 
The third child (IV-97) of III—35 and 36 was born 1859. He is a 
very short round-bellied man, with brawny arms, and a fat, childish 
face, china-blue eyes, toothless mouth, and a chin nearly always 40 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
stained with tobacco-juice; very hardworking and on the whole good- 
natured and easily moved to mirth. He stays with his sister most of 
the time, and works for neighboring farmers whom he occasionally 
leaves in the lurch for childish unimportant reasons. Since he lacks 
all sense of number and quantity, he can not be relied upon for many 
kinds of work; can not tell 2 from 4, or a quart from a peck; knows he 
earns a dollar a day, but has no idea how much he ought to earn in a 
week or a month. People often cheat him, but if they do, he “just 
lets it go.” He has never married, but says he may do so yet. So 
far as known he has not been guilty of sexual immorality. His con- 
versation is usually limited to, “yes, mam,” “you bet.” His ideal of 
happiness is realized when he has a pair of overalls, a straw hat, and a 
quid of tobacco. 
. The fourth child (IV-98) of this fraternity, born 1861, died about 
1900; was the only one of this family capable of learning to read and 
write, and thought to be illegitimate. She lived much of the time 
with the family of a prosperous farmer, and from there married IV-99 
and went to live in Ohio. She had one child which did not live, and 
afterwards cared for the only surviving child of her sister until her 
death. 
The fifth child (IV-100) of III—35 and 36 was born 1863, died 1897, 
septic infection following labor. Nothing is asserted against her morals. 
She was a large, heavy, inert girl with very coarse features. She had a 
rather sweet voice, but was regarded by her associates as simple- 
minded. Was never able to read or write, or keep house properly, and 
showed the same number and quantity defects as her sister and brother. 
She married IV-101, a feeble-minded man who had been epileptic 
in his youth. The marriage of these two was arranged as a practical 
joke by a friend of IV-101, who, knowing of his desire to be married, 
coaxed him away on a visit to the home of IV-100, and in three days 
they were secretly married. He was the son of a decent mother and a 
wandering, alcoholic father, whom whisky threw into violent convul- 
sions, and who came from a strain showing much vagrancy, alcoholism, 
epilepsy, low stature, and mental backwardness. This family led a 
migratory existence, while the father made a slender livelihood at 
coal-mining and charcoal-burning. The children numbered fourteen, 
of whom ten lived to grow up. Of this number, only one, the eldest, is 
known to be a woman of sterling quality; a devoted mother, and 
active in temperance and church work during the half-century of her 
married life. Her sisters have been somewhat changeful in their mar- 
riage relations, moving about a great deal, assuming little responsi- 
bility for their families. Her four brothers have marked vagrant ten- 
dencies and are irresponsible in their work and family relations. Two OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
41 
are decidedly alcoholic. They have so little interest in one another 
that they often remain lost to other members of their family for years 
together. 
IV-101 is said to be one of the worst of this fraternity. He was very 
excitable as a child and indulged by the rest of the family. He was 
incapable of making progress in school, and was fond of letting his 
imagination take him on wonderful adventures. At 25 he was “cured” 
of his epilepsy by a quack doctor. He and his wife lived in squalor in 
several towns, where he had fitful employment in the foundries. When 
he had work they lived extravagantly for two or three days following 
pay-day, starving the rest of the time. 
Of their children, the first (V-203) was still-born, the second and 
fourth (V-204, 206) were boys and died when a few days old, the third 
(V-205) is a low-grade imbecile and a patient at the Institution for the 
Care of the Feeble-Minded at Polk, Pennsylvania. Both parents were 
very fond of their children and very sad when they died, but were so 
little observant of their needs that on one occasion, a relative states, 
they actually cuddled one of them and held it to the fire to warm it a 
long time after it was dead. 
After his wife’s death IV-101 left his daughter to the care of relatives 
and resumed his vagrant existence, spending part of his time at the 
county farm, and part with any relatives who would keep him. At 
present he is staying on a farm where he gets his board and 50 cents a 
day, though his employers say he does not earn it, since he knows and 
can learn nothing about handling a horse, and can do only such rough 
work as loading stone and digging trenches. He is a stooping, under- 
sized man, with head set well down between his shoulders, shuffling 
gait, hands showing tremor and face continually twitching. Can not 
read or write, and, although he knows the denominations of money, 
shows no judgment in making the simplest of purchases. He is a great 
glutton, but is not at present intemperate in drink, though he has been 
so in the past. Is very good-natured and entirely trustworthy, so far 
as money and his work are concerned, but he lies magnificently about 
his own affairs, showing, however, some discretion in his choice of 
person to whom he tells these tales. He told his employer’s wife that 
he had bought his daughter a gold watch for a Christmas present, but 
when the story was repeated to the field-worker, the gold watch had 
become a pair of red slippers. Most of his accounts, however, have to 
do with his agility and his physical prowess. He is fond of telling how 
he whipped John L. Sullivan in 1882; how he once grabbed a roll of 
butter off a red-hot stove and knocked a man down with it. Another 
adventure he relates is that once he and another man drove a hand-car 
5 miles from their camp in order to carry a beef. Before they could do 
so they were attacked by a wild cat; they fled to camp, making the 5 
miles in 10 minutes, the wild cat following them all the way, and when 42 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
they reached the camp it was shot by their friends. While it is true 
that he has great endurance, it is also probably true that he has not 
sense enough to be afraid of anything. 
The sole surviving child (V-205) of this couple, product of two germ- 
plasms lacking practically all socially effective traits, was born 1894. 
She is a low-grade imbecile patient at the Institution for the Care of 
the Feeble-Minded, Polk, Pennsylvania. She was taken by her aunt 
(IV-98) and after her death was bound out by her uncle to some 
people, who, according to the story of her father, neglected and half 
starved her. When about 12 years old she was brought back to S by 
her aunt, and kept for short periods by various relatives on her father’s 
side. She spent most of the time with her paternal aunt, who is in fair 
circumstances, but who found the child too great a care. She could not 
dress herself or eat properly, and was on the lap of every stranger who 
entered the house. She had also slight epileptic attacks. This aunt 
was instrumental in having her taken to the county farm, whence she 
was later transferred, November 1904, to the Institution. She is 
good-natured, active, well-nourished, inclined to gluttony; sight and 
hearing good and without noticeable speech defect. She has never 
learned to read or to count to more than 5; does only the coarsest work, 
such as scrubbing and paring potatoes; is very talkative and light- 
hearted, and gives a stranger the impression of being of better mental- 
ity than she is. Her conversation is confined to immediate objects, 
since she remembers scarcely anything of her life prior to going to the 
Polk school. She has had no epileptic attacks during the last five years. 
Returning now to the sixth child of III—35 and 36, we take up IV- 
102, born 1866, familiarly known as “ Doc.” He has no marked defect 
in sense of number or quantity, but was too lazy to learn anything at 
school; has grown to be a fat, stupid, sluggish man; round face, and 
rather coarse features. Has never married. He lives with his mother 
in the dirty, disordered log house already described. They have sold 
off portions of the 70 acres bit by bit, until only 20 acres are left, and 
these are uncultivated. He occasionally puts in a crop, and then is 
too lazy to work it. When too sharply pressed by want he goes to his 
neighbors and gets them to advance a dollar on work promised; then 
he fails to do the work. During the past winter he and his mother had 
been recipients of county aid. He is said to have immoral relations 
with his cousin’s wife, and has also taken various women of bad repute 
to live with him. When threatened by the community with being 
tarred and feathered for this offense, he turns the woman out. He is very 
easily moved to laughter and will sit for hours smoking and chuckling 
over some supposed joke. He is thus lazy, stupid, dishonest, untruth- 
ful, with the libidinous instinct of his mother. 43 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
The youngest son (IV-104) of III—35 and 36 was born 1869; thought 
by some to be “not a Rufer.” His resemblance to other members of 
his fraternity would indicate this idea to be erroneous. His mentality 
may be inferred from the following characterization: He is too smart 
to be a Rufer, yet not smart enough to be anything else; has been able 
to learn to read and write a little and possesses judgment enough to 
take care of stock. Owned a small piece of land, but has never had 
sufficient calculation or perseverance to make anything out of it or to 
get on at any other kind of work. He is, however, courteous, pleasant- 
spoken, obliging, with an alert, interested manner which goes far to 
obscure his defects. He is also easily moved to mirth. Has been mar- 
ried three times. 
His first marriage was to IV-103, who was his second cousin once 
removed, being the daughter of IV-21 of Line A of this history. She 
is said to have been fairly capable and intelligent. She died of tuber- 
culosis at 42. Their elder daughter (V-207) lived to be 14 years of age 
and died of tuberculosis. She was sent to school, where she made fair 
progress. The younger daughter (V-208) survived her mother only a 
few months, dying (1898) of “cholera infantum.” 
The second marriage of IV-104 was to IV-105, sister of a man who 
has been in an institution for the feeble-minded, and of V-199, who has 
criminalistic tendencies. She had, before she married, two illegitimate 
children (twins) to a farmer for whom she worked, but there were no 
children from her union with IV-104. 
Since her death and within the last year IV-104 has married IV-106, 
whom he met while staying at the farm of his sister. His present wife 
has respectable brothers and sisters, but she had two, and possibly 
three, illegitimate children while living as a domestic. At least one 
child was bom in the Salvation Army barracks. Her marriage to 
IV-104 was also a forced one. Their son (V-208'), 5 months old, shows 
Rufer features and good nature. 
Mrs. Rufer is a pretty, soft-mannered woman, not yet 21, who is 
content to drift along with little effort for the care of her children and 
home. Lives in a shabby little house on the edge of C, where her hus- 
band earns a scant living working for his brother-in-law and other 
farmers. The appointments of the place show many incongruities; 
house swarming with flies; walls blotched where paper is torn off in 
great patches; scanty furniture in disorder, but the table had a clean 
white cloth and centerpiece of flowers. Her children were as clean as 
any need be, but their mother apologized profusely for their appear- 
ance. 
The illegitimate children of III-35 and their descendants exhibit 
some traits not possessed by her children to III—36 and their descend- 
ants. They also show some defects not characteristic of Line D. Con- 44 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
sidering them briefly, we have IV-90, bom about 1851. She was 
fathered by a chance visitor in K. She was of fair mentality, with 
ability to calculate, though she went to school but little, and since she 
never lived at home, but was cared for by her paternal grandmother 
and various families in and about K, she learned to be a fair house- 
keeper and seamstress. She married IV-91, a drunken good-for- 
nothing, whom she deserted. He had, however, ability to calculate 
and came from a family possessing this ability. 
Their four children are: V-182, who had moderate school advan- 
tages; was able at figures, and now is boss of a work train. He has 
married a fairly intelligent woman of good family. Their eldest son 
(VI-120) shows good mentality at 20; is working with his father. Their 
elder daughter (VI-121) died at 9 months of cholera infantum. The 
younger daughter (VI-122) is making good progress in the sixth grade at 
10 years. 
The second son (V-184), showing less aggressiveness and persever- 
ance than his brother, has fair ability to calculate; owns several acres 
of land and does carpentry for a living. His wife is of very moderate 
mental ability. The two older children (VI-123, 124) have made little 
progress in school, and show little plan and purpose in life. The 
youngest (VI-126) is still in school; was not studied by author. 
The daughter (V-186) was very reckless; while a girl was crazy for 
men, and had a reputation for sexual immorality; after her marriage to 
a baker, settled down to help her husband manage his business. No 
children. 
V-188 is the youngest of the children of IV-91; a young man of 30; 
has never been able to talk plainly “because of large tonsils.” Did not 
attend school or learn even to spell his name. Now lives with his 
mother, and does odd jobs for a living. There is said to be no defect 
of number sense here, his ignorance of figures being attributed to his 
stubborn refusal to attend school. 
The other illegitimate child of III-35 was IV-88, born 1854. He is 
said to be the son of a man who died in the Civil War, and whose family 
show nervousness and instances of sexual laxness. He lived very little 
with his mother, having been brought up by a respectable, hard-work- 
ing family in another county. He is fairly intelligent, but is impatient, 
irascible, and has been alcoholic. He never learned a trade, though he 
works with fair steadiness at blacksmithing, sand-grinding, and other 
kinds of unskilled labor. Has married IV-89, whose family shows some 
feeble-mindedness. She is a large, motherly woman, capable and of 
fair intelligence; she shades the truth and is said to be bad-tempered at 
times. One son (V-179) died in infancy of cholera infantum. The other 
children, three sons (V-173, 175, 177) and two daughters (V-171, 180), 
have all married young. They are all said to be very quarrelsome. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
45 
One son is alcoholic, and both daughters have always had a reputa- 
tion for recklessness and waywardness, the first marriage of the elder 
daughter having been a forced one. They all live in weather-beaten 
houses on the bluff overlooking the shops of the town where the boys 
work. The girls have delicate and rather pretty features, but are list- 
less, slovenly, bad-tempered, unintelligent. The children of all are 
uncared-for, though they appear bright and active. Homes are inde- 
scribably dirty and disordered. 
Going back once more, we now take up the third child of II—11 and 
12. III-38 was born about 1830, died 1893. She is remembered as a 
woman of calculating and practical ability, though illiterate, since she 
never went to school. Had an illegitimate child (IV-34), whose father 
was a man of very bad reputation for sexual immorality. 1Y-34 mar- 
ried, and died soon afterwards. Her only daughter’s present where- 
abouts are unknown. III-38 married Jared Rufer (III—9), whose 
father was Aaron’s eldest son, Isaac, and whose mother was a sister to 
the mother of III—38. III-38 and her husband were thus double 
cousins. He was slow and unambitious and had only a most rudi- 
mentary idea of number. Owned a few acres of land and a poor house, 
and worked very hard at anything he could find to do for a living. 
Their children were: IV-27, born 1862. Very little calculating abil- 
ity and capable of only slight advance at school; now a slow, quiet, 
reticent man of good repute who looks as though he might have tuber- 
culosis. Had married IV-28, who died at 32 of neuralgia of the heart. 
Living at present in G, where he works on the section. No surviving 
children. 
IV-29, whose general mentality and calculating ability was above 
that of IV-27. Died of tuberculosis, leaving no children. 
IV-31 was born about 1868. Slow and stupid; midway in calculat- 
ing ability between his two brothers; has shown little ambition, but 
works with fair steadiness at odd jobs. He has a tendency to petty 
thievery, surreptitiously gathering up eggs in places where he is 
employed, and occasionally takes a chicken. He has consorted at 
various times with immoral women, and has lately married, under 
the eugenic law of the State, a very obscene, boisterous, sexually 
immoral girl, barely 18. She comes of very bad stock and was epileptic 
from her second to her thirteenth year. Has attended school very 
little; can do housework in a crude fashion, but prefers to run after 
the “Hunkeys” who work on the railroad nearby. She is, clearly, a 
subject for permanent custodial care. 
The third son (IV-32), born about 1871, ran away from home when a 
boy of 12, going West, where he has won success. Returned to his 
boyhood home for a time, but resented the stigma on the Rufer name, 
saying here he was “only a damned Rufer”—he would go back West 46 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
where he was “as good as anybody.” Described as a fine-looking 
portly man, intelligent and public-spirited, owns two ranches in Idaho, 
where he is a school director. Has married there and has one son 
(V-68), reported above the average in quickness and intelligence. 
Going back once more, we take up III-40, the fourth child of II—11 
and 12, born about 1832, died 1902, inflammation of the bowels. She 
was of poorer mentality than the eldest sister; never able to count or 
measure anything properly, or to learn anything at school. Had an 
illegitimate daughter (IV-107) before marriage, who was characterized 
as being “ten times as smart as her mother.” No further particulars 
obtainable. When III-42, a middle-aged widower of good family and 
mentality, wanted a housekeeper, he was persuaded to marry III-40, 
but is said to have had ample reason for regretting his choice. He was 
intelligent, well-balanced, reticent; a fairly prosperous farmer. Her 
children (IV-109 to 112) to him all “took on the father’s side,” being, 
likewise, intelligent and well-balanced. III-40 afterwards married 
a thriftless, alcoholic, ne’er-do-well who strayed into the community. 
They had no children. 
III-43, the youngest child of II—11 and 12, was born in 1834, died 
1908, gastric fever. She was of better mentality than the rest of her 
fraternity, but selfish and unprincipled. Is remembered as a woman 
of scurrilous tongue, always scheming to get the better of her simpler 
sisters. She married III-44, who belonged to a family numbering 
eighteen. Their father was an Irish weaver, who had immigrated here 
with his wife and several small children. He died in middle age from 
paralytic stroke, and his fifteen surviving children became widely 
separated, many of them going West. III-44 was active and ambi- 
tious, with a good deal of native wit. His most serious offense against 
the community was sheep-stealing, for which he served a term. Worked 
a small piece of land which they had inherited from his wife’s father, 
and made the balance of the family income by helping his neighbors, 
and occasionally helping himself to things which did not belong to 
him. He died at 47, after having been afflicted for 5 years with creep- 
ing paralysis which began with a sunstroke and finally made him blind 
and helpless. The children of this couple are: 
IV—114, born 1853. She is illiterate and ignorant in matters of 
general interest with a poor memory for figures and dates and only 
small calculating ability, but a fair housekeeper, sensible and civil. 
Married IV-113, who wrorked fitfully at masonry and other trades. 
He is rather slipshod, always behindhand, and sometimes troublesome 
in the community on account of his drinking and thieving. At present 
bedridden with paralysis. His parents came from New England and 
belonged to a strain showing marked mental defect. IV-113 and 114 OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
47 
had fifteen children, three of whom died in infancy. Those who lived 
were not sent to school regularly, and when they came were so filthy 
that teacher and pupils used to resort to “playing house,” in order to 
have a chance of scrubbing them up. All were made to shift for them- 
selves at an early age. Their characteristics are : 
V-210, born about 1877. Generally sat in school with his tongue 
out. Got the barest rudiments of learning. Drinks now, and earns 
his living working on the railroad. Has married and has two children 
(VI-137, 138), of whom nothing was learned. 
V-212, born 1879. Said to be the best of this fraternity. Is sober 
and works with fair steadiness on the railroad, where he is at present 
foreman of the section. Has married V-213, the illegitimate daughter 
of IV-24, Line A, andIV-4, Chart B. Detailed description of children 
will follow later. 
V-214, born 1881, the ignorant, irresponsible member of Line D who 
married V-l, Line A, this history. Characterization on page 18. 
V-216, born 1882. Quick at school work “considering who she was.” 
Sexually moral. Married V-217, who works fitfully on the railroad and 
at gardening. She is a very decent, pleasant-spoken, obliging woman, 
but a very careless housekeeper. Of their two children, the eldest 
(VI-146) is very slow and dull, but good-natured and persevering. The 
younger, fairly quick; up with her grade at school. 
The next younger daughter (V-218) was born 1883. Well-behaved 
and able to progress at school. Now a trim, comfortable matron with 
much good sense. Her husband (V-219) comes from an honest, indus- 
trious strain; works in a chair factory and keeps his family in com- 
fort. Three of their children (VI-147 to 149) are dead. Those remain- 
ing are neat and well brought up, but are greatly retarded at school. 
They are: VI-150; a good boy, well behaved, but inattentive unless 
held strictly to his task by the teacher. Very little idea of number or 
proportion. At 10 has just managed to “scrape” into the second 
grade. VI-1511 is also well behaved; very small for her age, has num- 
ber sense, and is, in general, brighter than her brother. Has managed 
to make second grade at 8 years. Another girl (VI-152)1 appears very 
nearly of normal mentality. 
Reverting to the children of IV-113 and 114, we have V-220 and 
V-221. The former was accidentally killed at 8 years; the latter, born 
about 1884, is a dissolute alcoholic man, but fairly capable at rough 
work. His wife (V-222), a distant cousin, had a very bad reputation for 
sexual immorality in her early girlhood, and comes from a shiftless, 
stupid family, who, however, are said to be honest. She had married 
V-223 at 19, to whom she had seven children (VI-154 to 160), continu- 
ing her excesses all through her married life. Her husband finally put 
her away, taking all of the children but two from her. One of these 
(VI-155), the second of the family, a girl of 15, lives with her mother 
1Not shown in plate. 48 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
and V-221. She recently had a child which the mother wished to 
make way with. The attending physician interfered, threatening her 
with the law should she do so. Nothing has been seen of this child for 
several weeks, but the case has not yet been investigated. 
Two children (VI-151, 152) from the union of V-221 and 222 are both 
small for their ages, backward in walking and talking, but apparently 
healthy. 
The next son (V-224) in this fraternity was born 1886. Is alcoholic, 
but works with fair ability and steadiness at odd jobs. The family 
into which he married are noteworthy for their drinking and worth- 
lessness. They had ten children, four of whom died in infancy, while 
the four youngest were taken by a charitable society because of the 
gross neglect of their parents. The father wTas drowned, while intoxi- 
cated, some years ago, and the mother, also very alcoholic, now shares 
the poor apartments of V-224 and his wife. V-225, the wife of V-224, 
is slow, listless, silly; a very poor housekeeper, under constant treat- 
ment for ailments which appear to be largely imaginary. 
The next daughter (V-227) in this fraternity is sexually immoral and 
alcoholic, and was divorced from her first husband because of her man- 
ner of life. Her second husband, who is as bad as she, does not live with 
her at present. She is very neurotic and quarrelsome. Is often shel- 
tered for brief periods with her brother and sisters, and then drifts 
away to take up with anyone who will support her, or to be “employed” 
in various low-class hotels. Has never had any children. 
The next younger members in this fraternity are a pair of twins, of 
whom V-231 died at 18 months of cholera infantum. V-229, born 
1889, is one of the most capable members of the family. Has always 
been a modest, well-behaved girl, and graduated from country school 
at the age of 15. While on a visit to her sister she met V-230, who had 
been a waif and adopted by very decent people owning considerable 
property. He had high-school and business training, and now runs a 
launch for a large meat firm. The home of this couple is in a very good 
section of the city, well furnished and managed. The wife had a ner- 
vous collapse after the birth of her first child. Is continually taking 
medicine and now has spells when she can “fly all to pieces at noth- 
ing.” Otherwise is civil, obliging, fairly intelligent, and keeps aloof 
from her less fortunate brothers and sisters. Two children, born 1909 
and 1912, are bright and full of mischief. 
The next younger sister, V-233, born about 1892, cohabited with a 
man who had a wife living. He was abusive, alcoholic, with no definite 
occupation, but is said to have provided fairly well for V-233. She 
died a year ago, after the birth of her fourth child. The two younger 
children were taken for a time by strangers, but now all are said to be 
living together and cared for by their paternal grandmother. 
The next daughter, V-235, born about 1893, was always very dull 
and backward at school. Has married V-234, who is a brother of OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
49 
V-225. He is ignorant, alcoholic, shiftless, and fails utterly to provide 
for his wife and child. 
The youngest member of this fraternity, V-236, is quite decent, 
single and living at home; works with fair steadiness, and is the main- 
stay of his parents in their old age. 
Returning once more to the third generation, we take up the remain- 
ing children of III-43 and 44. IV-115 was born in 1855. A faithful, 
plodding man, civil and obliging, with very little education; has been 
employed for 24 years by the railroad company on the section and in 
the freight yard; at present is the baggage-man with the same com- 
pany, earning $65 a month. Is slightly alcoholic. Married IV-116, 
10 years ago. She is ignorant, morose, alcoholic, and a slattern. How- 
ever, she is kept in fair order by her husband. Their house presents 
the extreme of dilapidation; no paint, doors sagging, window-panes out, 
lace curtains ragged and dusty, extremely disordered within. The only 
child (V-237) of this couple died at 6 months, the result, they say, of 
overfeeding. 
IV-117, born about 1853. Married IV-118, the only brother of 
IV-113 who lived to grow up; two others died at one year of cholera 
infantum. The only child of this couple died at one year of the same 
complaint, and the mother’s death from pulmonary tuberculosis fol- 
lowed soon afterwards. 
IV-119 made excellent progress at school. In his early manhood 
got into a sheep-stealing scrape with his brother-in-law, for which he 
served a term. Now married and reported to be working steadily in 
a tannery. 
The sister (IV-122), born 1863, made good progress at school. A 
woman of considerable energy, intelligence, and wit. Married IV-121 
at 20. He comes from rather rough, alcoholic stock, of which he, in 
his generation, is the most degenerate member. His father is reported 
skillful and honest in the main, but unreliable in his promises to work. 
Two brothers are said to be strictly honest and truthful, policemen in a 
neighboring city. The third brother resembles his father, while his 
two sisters are of good repute. He (121) was abusive and failed to 
provide for his wife and children. When he was sent to the peniten- 
tiary for stealing she made it the ground for separation from him, 
taking the children with her. After earning her living for 8 years at 
washing and scrubbing, she married V-5, who belongs to Line A. 
They are living at present at E, where her children have attended the 
normal school. They go by their stepfather’s name. They are: 
V-239, born 1889. He has always been a well-behaved boy, devoted 
to his mother and fond of school. Took normal training in which he 
substituted trigonometry and surveying for the languages, which were 
difficult for him. Was a member of the school band and orchestra, 50 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
and was prominent in other school activities. Followed his work at 
the normal school with the Chautauqua course in physical training. 
Last year had charge of a boys’ club in the Middle West, and in the 
coming year will have charge of athletics in a Y. M. C. A. Has mar- 
ried V-240, formerly a teacher in the normal school. They have a 
little girl (VI-167) 4 weeks old. 
V-243, born 1893. A very pretty, modest girl, passing for 16 rather 
than 20. Is taking the normal course, in which she finds the languages 
and drawing preferable to mathematics. She is helpful at home and 
decidedly musical. 
V-241, 242, twins. Miscarriage through the father’s abuse. 
Summary of Line D. 
In surveying this line, one is struck by the diversity exhibited by its 
various branches,—a diversity which is comparable to that of Line A, 
although here the trend is in the main downward. Four of the five 
diverse children of the founder married into widely differing strains. 
In the second generation, marriage of the superior member (III-43) into 
a strain showing similar traits results in the presence of these traits 
in the following generation. This good effect is, however, again dis- 
sipated by marriage of the two following generations into stock which 
is deficient in these traits. Marriage of the inferior III-40 into strong 
stock obliterated the characteristic defects for at least the succeeding 
generation. The later history of these descendants has not been fol- 
lowed. The marriage of III-38 with her double cousin is interesting. 
Each belonged to a fraternity showing a splitting-up into high, medium, 
and low grades of the traits in question. Their five children tend to 
fall into three classes, much as do the fraternities to which their 
parents belonged. The most degenerate branch arises where, in the 
second generation, a member lacking calculating ability and showing 
low aggressiveness and perseverance marries a sex-offender also lack- 
ing in the traits just mentioned. Here the original defect in number 
and proportion persists in a large proportion of the offspring, com- 
bined, in some instances, with chastity and industry, in others with 
shiftlessness and lack of sex control. None of the combinations of 
these defective germ-plasms are such as to insure the presence of 
socially effective traits, and we have, as a result, vagrancy, shiftless- 
ness, sex immorality, and petty criminality. In this branch high 
infant mortality and low fecundity have resulted in rather small 
numbers in the latest generation, but those who are reproducing are 
doing so in numbers which constitute a distinct menace and threaten 
more serious problems to the community and the state in the near 
future. This is true also of the branch engendered by IV-113 and 114. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
51 
VIII. LINE E. 
This line was founded by 11-14, born 1805, youngest son of Aaron 
and Mary Rufer. He was recognized by his father as grossly defective, 
and provided with a guardian who had strict injunctions not to let 
him marry. He could never learn to count beyond 25 or spell his name 
properly, or tell a peck from a bushel. He had a comical drawl and 
was very proud of his accomplishments (?) in singing, which made him 
a sort of village clown. Because his father had left him a good farm, 
a marriage was arranged for him in order to provide for 11—15, who was 
the weakest member of her fraternity. She was very simple-minded; 
a condition brought on, she said, by having a ‘Tong fever.” One of 
her children, too, is said to have been illegitimate. Neither she nor her 
husband knew enough to raise much on the farm, or “to do with” 
what was earned at the direction of strangers. They lived, however, 
on short rations, and made shift not to sell any of their land. Their 
children numbered five, of whom three died unmarried. Those who 
died were: 
III-45 had no ability to figure; was never able to learn anything 
at school; could, however, perform simple tasks about the house. At 
14 was scalded to death through her own carelessness. III-46 was 
unable to understand figures; went to school but little; stuttered. Was 
capable in housework. III-52 was suppositively illegitimate. His 
father was mentally able, and he is said to have been as like him as a 
“near twin.” Was able to progress at school. Industrious; raised 
fair crops on his little farm, and usually had a fine team of horses. At 
30 was kicked to death by a horse. The remaining two children in 
this fraternity married into the second network, which will now be 
considered. 52 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
IX. LINE F. THE RIEL FAMILY. 
About the time Aaron Rufer settled here, three brothers, whom we 
will call Riel, acquired tracts of land in an adjacent township of the 
same county. They were of German extraction. All had large fam- 
ilies, but while two of them lived to a good and honorable old age and 
died in the fear of God, leaving to their descendants their large, well- 
cultivated farms, the family Bible, the Confession of Faith, and many 
careful injunctions as to the care of their widows, the third slipped 
away one night for parts unknown and left his wife to run the farm and 
bring up their twelve children as best she could. She was also of Ger- 
man descent. 
She seems to have proved herself fairly equal to her responsibilities, 
for she is yet remembered as a great, brawny woman, quite 6 feet in 
height, active and aggressive, whose age almost reached the century 
mark. She survived most of her children and seems to have become 
a burden on the slender resources of those who remained in this part 
of the country, for she lived at times at the county farm and finally died 
there. She became bedridden at the last from paralysis which affected 
her left side, but suffered little impairment of her mental powers. 
The children of this couple were all noted for their great strength 
and stature. They had many oddities, and their good nature made it 
possible to tease them almost beyond limit. This was especially true 
of the boys, who were thus the butt of most of the jesting which was 
current at the wood-chopping bees. If once aroused, however, any 
one of them made short work “of clearing the woods of the whole 
gang.” Two daughters belonging to this family of twelve married 
into strains already described and will be the only ones considered here. 
They and their descendants form Lines F and G in Chart B. 
Let us take up Line F, with Molly Riel (II—2), who was one of its 
progenitors. She was born about 1810, died about 1875, of pulmonary 
tuberculosis. Is described as a large, powerful woman, superior to 
her husband in energy, will-power, and common sense. All that was 
attempted in bringing up their large family and raising crops on their 
scanty acres was accomplished by her; still, inference as to her mental 
capacity can be drawn from the following story: When the census 
taker learned she had twenty-one children, he exclaimed, “twenty- 
one children!—and are they all bright?” to which she nonchalantly 
responded, “yes, quite bright, considering how many there is of them.” 
She married Matthew Rode (II—1), born about 1800. He died about 
1860. He is remembered as a lazy, shiftless man, capable at rough 
work when he cared to do it, but having no education or sense in con- 
ducting his affairs. His father was an ignorant preacher who was 
guilty of incest with his daughter. The character of his mother is 
unknown. One sister has been traced and found to be “not so odd” 
or incapable as Matthew and to have died without children. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
53 
The Rode fraternity was derived from the feeble-minded father 
(II—1) and the tubercular mother (II—2) and numbered 21, of whom 6 
did not grow to maturity. Of the latter, 4 died at birth or in early 
infancy; a fifth, born with a harelip, died young; while a sixth was 
scalded to death as a small child. They were born and brought up in 
an old plank house on a few acres of poorly cultivated land owned by the 
father. Many of the surviving children have been away from this 
section of the country for so long that it has been difficult to fill out 
their history. All informants agree, however, that the boys were all 
feeble-minded and the girls superior to their brothers. They were the 
butt of the community, the youngsters often going by to stone the 
house, just to see them all swarm out like bees from a hive. They 
showed great family affection and were very nervous and excitable, 
an injury to one being enough to throw the rest into hysterics. As 
they grew older the boys worked about for the farmers, and since they 
had no idea of money values they were often cheated out of their 
wages. It was impossible, though, to trick the girls that way. They 
were capable and knew how much they had earned and exacted full 
compensation. All of the girls married, but five of the boys did not 
marry. The reason for this, given in the terse phrase of one who knew, 
was, “they never could find anyone who was fool enough to have 
them.” They may be briefly characterized as follows: 
III—6, born about 1828. Very deficient and stuttered. Never able 
to earn more than his “board and keep.” Stayed part of the time at 
the county home and part with his sisters; was partly crippled with 
rheumatism and finally bedridden. Died 1907 at the county home. 
Ill—7, born about 1830, also lived about on his relatives, though he 
sometimes did such work as woodchopping when he could get it. Of 
slightly better mentality than his brother, but as he grew older “went 
off” of what mind he had. Would sit for hours playing with his shoe- 
string or revolving one hand round the other. Finally died at the 
county home in 1910. 
III-8, born 1835, was born ruptured and was never very strong. 
Never married and used to say in explanation of that fact, “I never 
loved anybody but Mam. Lucky for Pap that he saw Mam ’fore 
I did. If I had set eyes on her first, Pap would sure never have got her.” 
Died about 1908. 
Ill—16, born about 1845. He lolls. Can not count to 5 or spell his 
name. Does only the simplest errands. Cared for by his nephew. 
III-24, born about 1846. The most capable and quick-witted of all 
these boys. Used to cut wood on a farm, where he always seemed 
possessed to chop down a crooked, bent old tree, which his employer 
warned would strike him in falling and kill him. One day he stayed 
behind the others and felled it. His companions, hearing the crash, 
rushed to the spot and found him crushed to death just as had been 
predicted; date about 1865. 54 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
We will now take up the marriages of the sisters and the two remain- 
ing brothers: 
III—1, born about 1833. Mentally deficient and stuttered, but 
fairly steady and capable in his work, trying hard to make an honest 
living and maintain his independence. His wife is good-for-nothing, 
said to be the only representative of her family in this part of the coun- 
try. She ran away with her son-in-law, leaving to the father the care 
of their six children, the youngest an infant. The family scattered and 
lived part of the time in the county home; III-l, too, was there. At 
various times he would slip away to stay with his sister or one of his 
daughters, or persuade one of them to keep house for him. He was 
finally, in 1906, taken to the home of his son-in-law and remained 
there until his death in 1911. His children were: 
IY-2, born 1860. Few particulars obtainable. Left home very 
young, married and lived away from the rest of her family, for the most 
part in C. Now reported dead and nothing is known of her children. 
The second (IV-4), born 1862, was the daughter whose husband 
eloped with her mother. His family have a bad history of sex immor- 
ality and shiftlessness. She (IV-4) had a daughter (V-2) by him, and 
later a second illegitimate daughter (V-3) whom she “ swore on ” IV-24, 
Line A, Chart A. Spent some time with both children at the county 
home. Later the children were put out from here, the young one going 
to her father, the elder adopted by a good family in a distant part of 
the State. IV-4 is now married to IV-94, Chart A, whose first wife 
was IV-93, Line D. She is a short, round-shouldered woman with 
rolling gait, squinting eyes, and twitching features; talks in a high 
nasal drawl a steady stream of irrelevant matter, principally of her 
housekeeping, which is fair, of her scholarship, and old-time leadership 
in the district school. She relates with gusto how she once broke up 
the school because the teacher was too stuck-up to wear a calico dress 
as she had to do, and so lazy she would not “learn’m nawthin.” When 
she left the pupils followed, declaring, “if E. can’t learn nawthin, 
nobody can’t.” Still, she was never able to knit or write, since she 
always “put wrong stitches and letters in faster than anyone could 
take them out.” Her children are: 
V-2, born 1§78. As a child lived with her grandfather and at the 
county home. At 8 was taken from the latter place by a family of 
some means and refinement. Went to school until she was 16 but 
never progressed beyond the fourth grade. Was very bad-tempered, 
and in spite of excellent training refused to learn anything of house- 
keeping. At 14 ran away from her foster parents; was returned, but 
continued incorrigible, and a few years later married surreptitiously 
V-l, who is a section hand, sober, steady, plodding, with very little 
education; belonging to a family showing fair mentality and industry. 
Nothing worse can be imagined than the three-room shack in which 
this couple are bringing up their ten children. Of these, the eldest OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
55 
(VI-1), a heavy, inert girl of 19, who made little progress at school, has 
already a reputation for sexual immorality. Two younger girls 
(VI-2 3), who are modest and well-behaved, showed good ability at 
school, but left at 14 to take up domestic service. The fourth (VI-4) 
is deaf and dumb, and being educated at a State school. The fifth 
(VI-5) was quick at school work. The sixth (VI-6), slow, dull, and 
inattentive. The remaining four (VI-7 to 10) show, so far, no marked 
defect, physically and mentally. 
V- the younger daughter of IV-4, born 1883, was brought up on 
the farm of her reputed father. A pale, deceitful, bad-tempered slat- 
tern whose ill-kept home and neglected, dirty children are the talk of 
the town. She prides herself, however, on her superiority to her rela- 
tives. Has married V-212, Chart A, who belongs to a degenerate 
branch of Line D. He works on the section and is fairly steady and 
industrious. Four of the six children of this couple are of school age, 
but they attend very irregularly and are given no training whatever at 
home. The eldest was in the first grade when the family left C, five 
years ago. When they returned there last year the four eldest were 
in the first and second grades. The characteristics of the children are 
as follows: 
VI- stillbirth. 
VI-12, born 1902. Had pneumonia at 4 and is subject to ear-ache 
and sore throat. A rather pettish child, and has been caught pilfering 
at school. Still in the second grade. 
VI-13, born 1903. A very slow, indolent boy, inclined to sneak and 
play truant. 
VI-14, born 1904. A weakling, very small and slight; has not got 
beyond the primer. 
VI-15, born 1906. A very likeable, plausible chap. The teacher 
has given him great care and attention during the term he has attended 
school, but so far has failed to make “any impression on him.” 
VI-16, born 1910, and VI-17, born 1913, both undetermined. 
Going back two generations, we take up the third daughter (IV-8) 
of III—1, born 1864. Always deficient. She learned to read very little 
at school, and, though she could recite multiplication tables backward 
and forward, could never write or apply them. Made to shift for 
herself when very young. Had two illegitimate children (V-5,6), born 
at the county home, both of whom died in infancy. Worked out in 
various places and later, when temporarily in the home, ran away to 
marry IV-9, a son of the very feeble-minded brother of IV-55, Chart 
A, by his marriage to a vicious, violent, sexually immoral woman. 
He is described as a very imp of Satan and having the face of an ape. 
Was brought up by IV-1, Line A, whose name he has assumed, and 
harbored by him until this man’s second wife put him out of doors. 
Has always been cruel, lying, and thieving, with a genius for malicious 56 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
mischief. The following is an instance: Once when his foster-father 
had just finished giving the house a coat of white paint, I V-9, then a 
grown man, secured some red paint and daubed it all over so that it 
had to be painted again. This man beat his wife shamefully, and she 
came back to the home in the dead of winter, trundling their daughter 
in a little cart. IV-8 now “keeps house” for V-199, Line D, and his 
two children. Is a small, bent woman with long face and knobby fore- 
head. Keeps the house neat and is devoted to this man’s little sons. 
Her steady stream of inconsequential talk, coupled with curious judg- 
ments of people and events, mark her as plainly defective. Her little 
daughter (V-7), born 1908, was taken by the Salvation Army and 
placed by them with a family where the father drank and abused the 
child, so that his wife feared that he would kill her. A neighbor, whose 
sympathies were aroused by the situation, became so attached to her 
that they have legally adopted her and are giving her a good home. 
She is a slender, wide-awake, attractive little thing, active and helpful 
in the home. Is somewhat indulged by the whole family. She has 
pretty ways, but many little mannerisms already suggest her mother. 
IV-10, the son of III—1, born 1866, is reported as immoral, good-for- 
nothing, with even less ability to learn than his sisters. Stole and 
cohabited with various women. Later was convicted of larceny and 
sent to the Western Penitentiary, where he died about 20 years ago of 
typhoid fever. A surviving daughter has not been located. 
The youngest surviving daughter of III—1 is IV-12, born 1871, 
whose mentality is on a par with that of her brother. She was har- 
bored for a time at the county home. When she left to keep house for 
her father, fell in with IV-13, who is thought to be a bastard son of a 
woman of good family. He is alcoholic and very abusive in his family; 
is not stupid, but shows much small cunning. They had two daughters, 
one of whom died, the surviving one (V-10), born 1883, was married off 
by her mother at 13 to get her away from the father’s cruel treatment. 
She is now, at 20, an overgrown child, the mother of five children. She 
is trim and rather pretty, but without orderliness, neatness, or sense of 
obligation so far as her family is concerned. She is thought to carry 
on the business of prostitution on a small scale. 
Her husband (V-9) is the only son of a cousin of the vagrant, sexually 
immoral III—35, Line D. The antecedents of his mother are unknown, 
since she came from Germany alone and separated from her husband 
shortly after this son’s birth. He (V-9) describes himself as a physiog- 
nomist and a phrenologist, deeply interested in spiritual things and a 
natural-born musician. In point of fact, he is a big, queer-looking 
fellow, his mind seething with curious and unrelated ideas, opinionated 
and so disagreeable in his person that people hesitate to employ him 
on the rare occasions he chooses to work. The field-worker learned that OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
57 
the mother had taken the youngest child and had gone on one of her 
frequent rounds of visiting. Upon looking in at the cottage, she found 
the father away, too, and two children penned in a bedstead, whose 
rags reeked with the excretions from their bodies, while in the small, 
dark bedroom adjoining a third child was sleeping in its day clothes. 
Besides the scant furniture, the place was cluttered with posters, 
quarry implements, and musical instruments. The malodorous air 
was swarming with flies, and the remains of a meal, which apparently 
had done duty for several days, still stood on the table. This couple 
are reported very quarrelsome in the home and with their neighbors, 
and it is impossible to foretell how they will take an intended kindness. 
They are also v$ry untruthful. After a quarrel one or the other will 
leave, threatening not to return, but so far they have always drifted 
together again. Their children: 
VI-18, born 1906. Reported a lively, mischievous boy, saucy and 
untruthful, with a droll manner of talking; is not thought mentally 
deficient or backward. Staying at present with his grandmother. 
VI-19, born 1908. A queer-looking child with a broad face, squarish 
head, very small mouth and eyes, can neither walk or talk, though he 
is able with painful efforts to move about a little by holding on to the 
furniture. Neighbors say he has been kept much of his life in a dry- 
goods box with only an opening at the top large enough to let him in. 
VI-20, born 1910. A small, fair-haired slip of a child, delicate regu- 
lar features, can walk rather unsteadily, and talk a little. Is very 
quiet and listless. 
VI-21, born 1911. Plump, well-nourished, fair-haired little girl. 
Sits up, but stays exactly where you put her, and never utters a sound. 
VI-22, born 1912. Some of the neighbors attribute the docility of 
these children to the administration of drugs on the part of the parents. 
This has not been verified. 
The youngest children of III—1 were IV-14, 15. The first, born 
about 1873, is said to have died as a little girl of typhoid fever; the 
second, born 1876, died in childhood of diphtheria, is stated to have 
been neglected after his mother’s elopement. 
Continuing with the children of Matthew and Molly Rode, we next 
take up III-4, born about 1835. Pronounced feeble-minded by all 
who knew her. Married a man who was also feeble-minded and who 
died in the Civil War. She spent much time at the county home, but 
finally died at the home of IV-1, Line A. Her son (IV-16), born about 
1863, has been in and out of the home for 20 years; a toothless, gaunt old 
man with a bad cough; can neither read nor write nor give an account 
of his past. Does only roughest kind of work about county farm. 
The second daughter of Matthew and Molly Rode was III-9, born 
about 1838. Had a fair memory but little ability to calculate. Mar- 58 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
ried a man whose mentality is unknown and died in 1853 of tuber- 
culosis when her only daughter (IV-17) was a year old. This daughter 
married a shiftless drunkard. Their eldest son (V-12)isa drunken 
good-for-nothing. The two younger sons (V-13, 14) are slightly alco- 
holic and more industrious. 
The next member was III—11, who married into Line E. Their 
children will be taken up in the continuation of that Line. 
Ill—14, the next of the Rode fraternity, was born about 1840. 
Incapable of learning anything at school. She married III—15, who 
was known as the odd member of a wealthy Philadelphia family. 
Decent and hardworking; farmed and made barrel staves for a living. 
They never owned anything, but used to rent small patches of ground. 
Lived in poverty, but were always clean and law-abiding. Their chil- 
dren were taken by their father’s people in a distant part of the State 
when wife died from tuberculosis. The two sons (IV-26,28) are now poor 
and shiftless; drift about keeping no particular work. One daughter 
(IV-31) is undetermined; the other (IV-30) died at 18 of tuberculosis. 
The next member of the main fraternity who married was III—19, 
born 1842. She was the most able and aggressive of all the daughters. 
Had few school advantages, but learned to read, and could perform 
simple calculations. Has ordinary ability in housekeeping and sewing. 
Married III-20, who was of German extraction, and whose family 
has good mentality and fair business sense. He had a common-school 
education; slightly alcoholic; fairly shrewd in a business deal. They 
have cleared a small farm and live on it in comfortable circumstances. 
They have had eight children, as follows: 
IV-33 showed fair ability at school. Now owns a farm. Has mar- 
ried and has eight children, all of average or more than average ability 
in school work. 
IV-35, his brother, is alcoholic but aggressive; a lumber inspector. 
His three daughters received high-school education. 
The next younger brother (IV-37) is less aggressive and persevering. 
His four children, all small, appear to be of good mentality. 
The next two children, daughters (IV-39, 41), made good progress 
at school. The elder is married; has no children. The younger died 
at 19 of blood-poisoning after the birth of a son. 
The three youngest sons (IV-43, 45, 47) show average ability; make 
a fair living; all are married, but have no children. 
Reverting to the main fraternity, we have III-22, born about 1845. 
Little could be learned concerning her ability or that of the man she 
married. He died in the Civil War, and she soon afterwards, leaving 
an only son. He shows fair ability; has in turn an epileptic son (V-35) 
by his marriage to a reckless, immoral woman, whose family is said to 
show other cases of epilepsy. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
59 
Continuing in the main fraternity, we find III—26, born 1848. 
Showed poor ability in school, but fair practical sense and skill in 
housework. Married, first, III—25, to whom she had no children, and 
then III-27, who is identical with III—15. She kept her children in 
school, where they made fair progress. 
The eldest (IV-51) has married a drunken, treacherous man. Has 
six children undetermined, because the family recently left for parts 
unknown. 
The second daughter (IV-53) was quick-witted; a capable house- 
keeper. Died after the birth of her first child. 
The third child (IV-55), a son, is decent, but works only with slight 
steadiness. 
The next to be considered is III-32, the youngest daughter of Mat- 
thew and Molly Rode, born about 1850. A woman of low mentality, 
very slow of speech and understanding. Unchaste from her early girl- 
hood. Had four illegitimate children before she married III—34, and 
it is believed that he is not the father of the three children born since 
their marriage. He is lazy, inefficient, extremely stupid, and amply 
looks the part. He is the deficient brother of IV-55, page 30, and 
the father of IV-9, page 55. III-32 has had to spend much of her 
time with her children at the county farm because of her husband’s 
inability to make a living. Now occupies a weather-beaten little 
house which was given her, together with 2 acres of land, by one of 
her sons. Another son pays for her groceries, and a grandson (illegiti- 
mate) helps with the outdoor work. Her two eldest sons have not been 
located. 
The third son (IV-60), born 1884, ran away from home at 12 because 
of a stealing escapade in which he was involved. Lived in the far 
West, but later returned to work in the car shops, where he welds the 
flues for engines and earns $3.50 a day. Is a pale, very boyish looking 
fellow, so quiet and reticent it is difficult to make him out. Is, how- 
ever, pleasant, obliging, devoted to his mother, and ambitious to save 
enough money to buy a farm. Has married IV-61, a half-sister of his 
uncle, who is 5 or 6 years older than he, and is said to have been very 
wild as a girl. They live in a neat but very gaudily furnished house. 
Have no children. 
IV-59, born 1886, goes by her stepfather’s name (though she is not 
his natural daughter). Had an illegitimate child (V-43), who now stays 
with his grandmother. He appears very backward and dull. For the 
past 10 years IV-59 has worked on a farm and is lately reported as 
about to be married. 
The fourth son (IV-62), born 1890, is a very quiet, bashful young man 
who is employed in the railroad car-shops. Slow of comprehension, 
but steady and hardworking. Said to be deeply in love with his cousin, 
who, however, refuses to marry him because of their being cousins. 60 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
The second daughter (IV-63), born 1889, is a neat housekeeper, civil 
and obliging, and although ignorant because of her lack of school 
advantages, shows good judgment in matters which come under her 
observation. Married at 17 IV-121 after his divorce from IV-122, 
Line D. One justice of the peace refused to marry them because of 
their mental inferiority, but they went to another village and found 
someone who would. They have three sons. 
The eldest (V-44) at 12 is in the third grade. 
The second (V-45) is still in the primer, very slow, lacking in con- 
centration. 
The third (V-46), a boy of 9, is decidedly superior to his two brothers 
in quickness and application. Has been advanced to the second grade 
after two terms of school work. It is doubtful whether the retardation 
of the two elder is not due as much to poor teaching as to lack of 
native ability. 
IV-65, born 1893. Of fair mentality, but always showed little appli- 
cation. Has some success at the various kinds of work undertaken, 
but sticks to nothing. Has recently married. 
There remains to be described the youngest daughter (III-38)1of 
II—2, born about 1852. She is said by many to have been an illegiti- 
mate child. Her father belonged to a family who were mentally able 
and on the whole progressive. She is described as the “ sweetest, 
neatest, and brightest of all the Rode girls.” Married III—37, who is 
IV— 19 of Line A. They brought up their family on a small farm and 
at the same time made a home for the wife’s numerous dependent half- 
brothers. Their children, so far as they have been determined, are: 
IV-68, married and had six children. She and two of her children 
were instantly killed by a train; a third died later from injuries received. 
The three surviving sons (V-50, 51, 53) are day-laborers of very moder- 
ate skill and mental ability. 
IV-69 married, no children. 
IV- a carpenter, is a man of fair intelligence; straightforward, 
industrious, devoted to his family, owns his own house, and is regularly 
employed by the railroad company. Seven children, as follows: 
V- age 15. Likes school; quick to learn. In the first year high 
school. V-55, age 13. Learns easily and is in the seventh grade. 
V- age 11. In the sixth grade at school. V-57 died at 13 days of 
convulsions. V-58, stillbirth. V-59, age 3 years. V-60, an infant of 8 
months. 
IV-73 is a freight conductor on the railroad, earning $4 a day. Is 
earnest, intelligent, straightforward. Has married IV-74, of good 
family. Is living in a comfortable house furnished in excellent taste. 
An only daughter (V-61), born 1904, is of average mentality. 
1 Error in Plate. Dotted line should go to III-3S. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
61 
IV-75, inferior to his brother in steadiness and ability; works in a 
livery stable; has several children, undetermined. 
IV-77 is a good-looking, pleasant-spoken, plausible young woman. 
Has been married to a traveling man who made his headquarters at 
. There were charges of unfaithfulness on both sides, and after 
a year he left her. She now lives as a domestic and receives attentions 
and expensive gifts from her cousin. 
IV-79, slight, civil, fairly intelligent. Married to IV-60, a flagman 
on the railroad. Home is in a poor section of the town in which they 
live, but is neat and has many simple comforts. The children are: 
V-65, 9 years old and looks 5, but is in the fourth grade at school. 
V-66, died at 3 of scarlet fever and diphtheria. V-67, age 3; wide 
awake, active. 
IV-81, a rather slow, slovenly, silent woman. Married IV-82, a 
drayman, who is stolid, honest, hard working. Home is in a decent 
section of the town and fairly clean. Two little children (V-68, 69), 
apparently normal. 
Summary of Line F. 
It is exceedingly difficult to characterize this line. The data are 
incomplete, and the promiscuity of many of its members and the 
resulting illegitimacy have made it difficult to follow characteristics 
through successive generations. So far as facts were obtainable, they 
would appear to support the following conclusions: By reason of the 
diversity of the children in the second generation and through marriage 
into diverse strains, this line shows a strong tendency to break up 
into incipient strains of widely differing potentiality. Much of the 
threatened degeneracy is checked in the second generation by the 
failure of its most defective members to secure partners. Those who 
do marry mate with their kind, and their descendants show social 
inferiority, varying from a condition of imbecility which requires per- 
manent care to one where occasional aid enables the individual to 
maintain a pauper existence outside of an institution. Exception to 
this rule is furnished by the deficient, immoral III-32. Her consorts 
are said, in some cases, to have been of normal mentality. Her chil- 
dren are of variable capacity, and all are superior to her in respect to 
one or more leading traits. Their doubtful paternity, however, 
would preclude closer analysis. The few superior members, on the 
other hand, through marriage into fair strains, show progressive elimi- 
nation of the defects that were characteristic of the founders. 62 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
X. LINE G. 
A younger sister (II—4) of Molly Riel became one of the progenitors 
of Line G. She was born in 1820, died 1884, pulmonary tuberculosis. 
Is described as a large, powerful woman, nearly 6 feet tall, noted for 
her pluck and physical strength. When her neighbor’s child fell into 
the well she went down after it, and climbed back with its dress held 
between her teeth, while with her hands and feet she clung to the 
sides. A photograph shows her to have been a handsome woman 
with strong aquiline features and a slight droop of her right eyelid 
and the right side of her mouth, caused by facial paralysis. She mar- 
ried, first, II—3, who died after the birth of two children, and then 
II—5, who had been married before, and by whom she had a large 
family. 
The elder of the two children of II-4 by her first marriage was 
III-40, born about 1846. She is reported to have been of average 
mentality. She married (III-41) and died of tuberculosis early in her 
married life. Her only son (IV-83) died of measles. The brother 
(III-39) of III-40 was born about 1848, died at 11 years. Is reported 
as having been a bright, active boy. Was cruelly treated by his step- 
father, and one day after a hard whipping ran away. When seen by a 
neighbor his stepfather had him tied to the bottom of a wagon and 
threatened “he’d never play him that trick again.” He disappeared 
mysteriously and color was given to the suspicion that his stepfather 
had made away with him by the fact that the boy had in his own right 
a piece of land which the stepfather coveted. The whole country- 
side was aroused to search for the boy and the stepfather arrested and 
compelled to stand trial. The child’s mother was also held as an 
accomplice. Nothing, however, could be proved against them 
although the outcome was to place the whole family under the ban of 
the community. 
The second husband of 11-4 was II-5, born about 1815, died 1890, 
dropsy. A very selfish, violent, treacherous man. Always said he was 
born “east of the mountains” and an only child. Had been left an 
orphan at an early age and brought up by strangers. Was brought 
west by some of his relatives and settled in a little village, wThere he 
practiced the trade of chairmaking and later farmed a little. He never 
showed much energy or purpose except in evil-doing. He was always 
greatly feared by his family and despised by his neighbors. 
Shortly after his marriage to II-4 they moved into another county, 
where he w*as accused of and tried for the murder of his stepson in 
his rage at the lad’s disobedience and his greed for the few acres of 
land the boy possessed. During his wife’s last illness, when she kept OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
63 
moaning that she might die in peace if only she could make one con- 
fession, he never left her bedside, even to get a drink of water, so the 
secret died with her. He lived to marry the third time. W'hen this 
wife discovered that his small property had gone to his son, she left 
him. He went then to stay with a daughter by his first marriage and 
died there of dropsy about 1890. Was buried by the county. 
There are many families of his name about his early home. They 
are people of average ability, industrious, and of fair integrity. It is 
said they are no more honest than they have to be. Most of them 
manage by dint of hard work to acquire a little property and a measure 
of independence. It is not 'known that any of these bear a nearer 
relationship to him than that of first cousin. His three daughters by 
his first marriage were all very deficient, but, since nothing could be 
learned of their mother or her family, their history will not be included 
here. 
Of the children of II-4 and 5, one died in infancy, one (III-42) was 
killed at 16 by the falling of a log in a sawmill, and the third (III-47) 
was killed by a stroke of lightning at 14. The seven who survived to 
maturity were all very slow in school; some of them never progressed 
beyond the second reader and simple problems in arithmetic, but 
nevertheless have later shown practical judgment in the management 
of their concerns. Their histories are as follows: 
III-44, born 1852. A strong, active, quarrelsome girl. At school, 
where she made little progress, was always a match for the roughest 
boys. Married III-43, a man of fair mentality, but alcoholic and with 
insane tendencies, whose family show ability and were among the first 
settlers of the county. He was a widower with two daughters, whom 
she abused shamefully; she also managed him. She was so strong 
that she thought nothing of lifting a plough or carrying a barrel of 
vinegar up from the cellar. She had an intrigue with a neighboring 
farmer (III-46), who used to go on sprees with her husband, and when 
her “goings on” so preyed on her husband’s mind that he tried to 
drown himself in the well, she pulled him out much against his will. 
Eventually he set fire to a mow of hay and burned himself to death 
in the flames. III-44 thereupon drifted about with her children, 
cohabiting with various men. When the wife of her former paramour 
(III-46) ended her misery by suicide she married him, but they quar- 
reled incessantly and she did not stay with him long. For 8 years now 
she has “kept house” for a queer, stupid, alcoholic old man who owns 
a few acres of ground. Their home is a granary. It has two tiny dark 
rooms crowded with old furniture, bags of seeds and grain, walls hung 
with many enlarged pictures, chromos, and dried plants. Every 
available corner is crammed with bundles of old newspapers, and there 
if no place to sleep unless on bedding spread on the floor at night. She 64 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
is now much broken in health, suffering acutely from pain in her head 
and back. Has also had dry gangrene in her foot, which resulted last 
winter in the loss of her great-toe, and now the trouble has attacked 
the other foot. Her children are: 
IV-84, born 1870, died 1872, brain fever. “Took fits when a little 
baby, afterwards his head grew and his body did not, then brain fever 
set in and carried him off.” 
IV-86, born 1872, died 1898. Described as a chaste, bright, attrac- 
tive girl. Married IV-85, who has been employed as “handy man” 
and carpenter. She was taken with a violent pain in her head; other 
symptoms indicated appendicitis. She died within 24 hours after an 
operation. IV-85 is now married again. Is said to have no interest 
in his daughter (V-71), who is living with her father’s people and pro- 
nounced attractive and talented. Attends high school, where she 
shows average rate of mental development. Her brother (V-70) died 
at 7 months of cholera infantum. 
The second son of III-44 was IV-88, born 1874. A man of fair 
mentality who could work if he would, but who shirks. Is alcoholic 
and altogether too fond of low company. Has married IV-89, of fairly 
good stock; plump, pleasant-spoken, capable, but gives the impres- 
sion of having given up trying. They live on her father’s farm, but 
do not pretend to work it properly; buildings neglected, implements 
rusting in the weather, the old house bare of furniture, ill-kept, swarm- 
ing with a troup of very ragged, dirty children. 
The eldest (V-72), a boy of 17, does what he can to keep the farm going. 
The other son (V-75), a boy of 8, appears very dull and backward, 
having never been well since he was sick with the whooping-cough. 
Four girls, ages 12, 10, 6, and 4, respectively, are small for their 
ages; too shy to give a clue to their mentality. 
A second daughter (IV-90) of III-44 was abused and put out-of-doors 
by her mother, and thus fought her own way from a girl of 12 until 
her marriage. She and her husband are very ignorant and slow men- 
tally. He belongs to a strain which shows great stature and consider- 
able mental backwardness. He attended district school in winter 
until 20 years old, but does not know what fractions and percentage 
mean. He reads the newspaper, but always finds many words he can 
not understand. Is employed as car repairer on the railroad. His 
wife is more ignorant than he, but is a good housekeeper and seam- 
stress. Two of their children (V-79,82) died in infancy of pneumonia. 
Of the remaining children, three are in school and two at least are 
greatly retarded. They did not walk until they were 3 years old. The 
eldest is in sixth grade at 13 years, and two are in the second grade at 
9 and 10 years respectively. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
65 
IV-92, the youngest son of III—44, was probably fathered by a 
man of good mentality whose family show excellent business sense. 
He was born in 1880. He lived about with his mother anywhere, from 
his second to his eleventh year, then went one day to the house of some 
well-to-do farmers begging for the heads and livers of some hogs they 
were butchering; told them, too, how much he wanted to go to school. 
Although the woman of this house already had seven boys, she found 
room for one more, and from that time he was given his chance. He 
was scarcely able to read and write at 11, but attended school regu- 
larly, working summers and “choring” for his board in winters, until 
at 20 he was finally graduated from high school. He found mathe- 
matics particularly difficult, but at 18 took a stiff course in mental 
arithmetic and has no trouble with that since. He retains his interest 
in fiction and history and is decidedly well-read. He discusses intelli- 
gently topics of the day. For a time after his graduation he worked 
on the railroad, but four years ago was taken into the employ of the 
foster-parents, who own a large bakery. He now transacts $60 worth 
of business a day and rarely makes a mistake; is paying for a house 
worth $3,000. He is a tall man, of excellent physique, well-marked 
features; honest, clean, straightforward, aggressive, reliable. His 
employers say he is indispensable to them in their business. He is 
devoted to his good-for-nothing mother, whom he offers a home in her 
old age. Has married a girl who is his inferior—nervous, hysterical, 
jealous, complaining, dependent—whose family has at least one men- 
tal defective. Their only son (V-86) is a lively, attractive boy of 3. 
IV-94, who is a son of III-44, by her alcoholic, immoral second hus- 
band, showed no disposition to get on at school or at any particular 
trade. Loafs and works about for farmers. 
The next child in the main fraternity was III-48, born 1855. Very 
dull and backward as a boy in school and has suffered from epileptic 
seizures all his life, which, his family claim, were greatly aggravated by 
an electric shock he suffered at the time of his sister’s death from 
lightning-stroke. He has been very persevering and hardworking in 
spite of his affliction. Reared a large family and acquired a farm of 
about 100 acres; everything about the place in excellent repair. Suf- 
fered from a severe illness last winter, when he was unconscious for 
hours, but now is as active as ever. While at times he shows mental 
confusion, incident to epilepsy, he is strictly honest and has much 
shrewd sense in the conduct of his affairs. He married III-49, born 
1854, who comes from a family showing much alcoholism and eccen- 
tricity. She was the eldest child and one of the ablest in her family. 
Worked among strangers from early girlhood and had an illegitimate 66 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
child before marriage. Shows herself to be alert, civil, neat, with much 
practical sense. Children are: 
IV-96, born 1879. Rather slow at school and never finished the 
grades. Married at 17, IV-95, born 1873, who comes from stock 
noted not so much for their stupidity as for their cupidity. His 
immediate family is of good repute. His four sisters were all of good 
mentality; the 3 surviving married, begetting wide-awake children. 
He was an only son; progressed well at school, where he showed good 
calculating ability; has a farm, is fairly industrious and prosperous; 
accounted honest and a good citizen. This couple have had seven chil- 
dren, of whom the youngest died at 3 of stomach trouble. The three 
eldest (V-87 to 89), all girls, are rather shy and reserved, but are con- 
sidered above the average in school ability, showing quickness and 
great application. V-90 is able but mischievous, while the two 
youngest (V-91, 92) are wide-awake and active. 
IV-97, the eldest son of III-48 and 49, born 1882, was dull and 
backward at school and has had an occasional “fainting spell.” Has 
married IV-98, whose people were of German origin, prosperous 
farmers and of fair intelligence. She is the only surviving child, one 
sister having died. They live on her father’s farm, and work it 
successfully. They have an only son (V-94), born 1904. Active and 
alert. Bad growth of adenoids, but advancing well at school. 
IV-99, the next daughter of III-48 and 49, born 1884, died 1906, 
childbirth; was always small and delicate, and troubled with fits, 
making little progress in school. Her child lived and is being brought up 
by his maternal grandparents. Very slow in speech and movements. 
Another daughter (IV-101), born 1887, w'as the only one of this 
family who finished the grades. Very slow and stupid in school at 
first, but in her teens appeared to improve. Has had very bad epilep- 
tic attacks all her life, when her teeth would lock and she would lie 
unconscious for hours. She married a year ago. She is a pretty, pleas- 
ant-mannered, lively young woman of average intelligence, whose 
sexual morality is in question, but who in her person and the appoint- 
ments of her home has plainly profited by her association with people 
of greater refinement. 
IV-103, the younger brother of IV-101, born 1889, is strong physi- 
cally, but was also slow and stupid in school, never advancing beyond 
the third grade. He is now a brakeman. Married, but has no children. 
IV-105, the next in this fraternity, born 1892, is also strong physi- 
cally, but so slow and backward in school he could not advance 
beyond the first grade. Helps his father on the farm, where he appears 
to show average practical sense. 
IV-106, younger sister, born 1895, is a tall, dark-eyed girl, rather 
silent and slow. Stopped school at 16 when in the eighth grade, say- 
ing she had gone long enough. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
67 
IV-107, the youngest, born 1897, is a large, sturdy fellow, good 
worker, but also rather slow at school. His mentality on a par with 
that of IV-106. 
Returning now to the main fraternity, we take III—51, born 1857. 
Always dull at school, and as he grew up worked at woodchopping. 
Ox-like in his stupidity and strength. Married III-52, the sister of 
his brother’s wife (III-49). She was not considered “bright” either. 
Eighteen years ago moved into another county, where he now owns a 
good farm of about 90 acres. Seems to have enjoyed a belated mental 
development which even old acquantances remark. It is said that 
when he attended the weekly fair as a young man he made frightful 
mistakes in prices and change. Is now self-possessed, straightforward, 
quick in his statements, accounted a business man of fair shrewdness. 
Physical strength and endurance prodigious. His children are: 
IV-108, born 1880. Went to school until he was in his teens, but 
was never able to progress beyond the third grade. Now working on 
the railroad. 
IV-111, born 1882. Showed little ability and interest in school. 
Has married and lives on a farm. Has five boys (V-96 to 100); his- 
tory undetermined. 
IV-113, born about 1884. Went to school with fair regularity, but 
did not get a start until she was 17 or 18. Finished the tenth grade at 
19 and followed it with a two-term teacher’s course at the normal 
school. Taught successfully at the district school. Now married to a 
graduate of the normal school. He was brought up on a farm and has 
been only moderately successful as principal of a village high school. 
They have two little daughters, V-101, born 1911, and V-102, born 
1913. 
The next younger son (IV-112), born 1887, had convulsions in infancy, 
and what appeared to be an attack of grippe developed into brain 
fever, causing his death at 17 months. 
IY-115, the next younger daughter, born 1890, was not very fond 
of school. Has married and lives with her husband on his father’s 
place. No children. 
IV-117, born 1892, is a slow, sturdy, powerful fellow. He went 
through the grades, but did not care for more schooling. Works on the 
home farm. 
IV-118, born 1898, is a rather shy, good-looking girl. Doing excel- 
lent work in her first year high school. 
IV-119, born 1907, is a very active, vigorous boy, but pitifully shy. 
Quick in his school work when he finally overcame his timidity. 
Going back to the next child of II-4 and 5, we take up III—53, born 
1860. She showed fair ability at school. Developed into a careful 68 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
housekeeper and shrewd business woman. Married III—54, who was 
half-cousin of the III—56 whose family will be described later. This 
couple lived much of the time on the farm of the father of III-54, but 
now own their own farm. Their children numbered five. 
Of these, IV-120, born about 1885, is a fine-looking woman. Con- 
sidered very capable in practical matters. Has one little girl (V-103), 
apparently of average ability. 
IV-122, born about 1888, died 1901, typhoid fever. A rough sort of 
fellow, but hardworking and economical. His wife is a questionable 
character. No children. 
IV-124, born 1890; died in childbirth. Her husband is a brother of 
III-49 and 52. He is eccentric. Suffers from tuberculosis of the 
joints. Their second child (V-105) died with the mother, the first 
shortly afterwards with convulsions. Besides these, the fraternity 
included two others, IV-126, a son, and a daughter, IV-127; of unde- 
termined history. 
The next member of our main fraternity is III—55, born about 1862. 
He is quite as slow and stupid as his brothers, and as a young man was 
careless, inclined to drink and spend his money. Since his marriage 
is entirely dominated by his wife. Is hardworking, but very simple 
and credulous. His wife (III—56) comes from a family known for its 
alcoholism, sex immorality, and quarrelsomeness. They own a farm 
of 70 acres. Have worked and scraped until able to put up a fine 
house, handsomely furnished, which is kept entirely for show. It is 
said, too, that in order to .pay for this, the wife went begging, repre- 
senting herself as a needy widow with many helpless chidren. Her 
family are sent to school in scanty clothing in order to excite the 
pity of people and secure donations. She is hardworking, ignorant, 
greedy for material things; lacking in pride and independence. Their 
children may be characterized briefly as follows: 
IY-128, born 1892; had no interest in school, now said to be wild, 
with drink habit already established. 
IV-129, born 1895. Overworked at home and therefore married, 
much against her mother’s wishes. Husband reported capable and 
very well off. One little daughter (V-106). 
IV-131 and 132, born 1896 and 1898 respectively. Dull, listless 
boys. Have the appearance of being half-starved. No interest in 
school and have ceased to attend. 
IV-133 and 134, born 1899 and 1903 respectively. Both apparently 
of normal mentality Up with their grade in school. 
IV-135 and 136, twins, died of cholera infantum. 
IV-137, an infant. Smothered to death accidentally by the mother 
on her way to market. 
IV-138 and 139, twins; premature birth. 69 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
The next member of the main fraternity is III—57: her marriage into 
Line E will be considered later. 
Finally we take up III—59, the youngest of the children of II-4 and 5. 
He was born 1867. Was like his brothers in his inability to learn as a 
boy, but is a man of powerful physique and a tremendous worker. 
Has married III—60, a cousin of III-52. She is small, slight, hollow- 
eyed, and quite worn out with hard work and child-bearing. With the 
help of their children they cultivate a 300-acre farm. Their only 
ambition is to save money enough for a farm of their own. The three 
eldest daughters are good-looking, of fine physique, but very ignorant. 
The younger ones, small for their ages, shy and mentally retarded. 
The only grown son (IV-147), born 1892, looks 16 rather than 21. 
Awkward and clownish. Stupid in school. This family is extremely 
hardworking. 
One child (IV-132) in this large fraternity is dead. Had convulsions 
at 2 years and 5 months; death following illness in 24 hours. 
The Fraternity of 111-1+9 and 52.—This fraternity was derived from 
a lazy, alcoholic father and a faithful, hard-working mother, and came 
from a strain on the father’s side representing much alcoholism, 
shiftlessness, eccentricity, religious fanaticism; on the mother’s side, 
sobriety, plodding industry, thrift. They were born and brought up in 
a little shack of three rooms. Were slow at school, and few of them 
attended long enough to learn to read and write. As soon as they were 
able, went out to work among strangers. They comprise: A sister who 
is a hard-faced, hard-working woman who washes and scrubs by the 
day and spends everything she earns in drink. Another sister has 
never talked plainly, but knows enough to do plain house-work. A 
brother, who married IV-124, suffers from tuberculosis of the joints. 
Since his wife’s death lives with his mother and works about by the 
day. Two brothers are unmarried and living at home, alcoholic and 
eccentric, while two are married, but present whereabouts and condi- 
tion unknown. 
The father of this fraternity had three brothers who drank to excess. 
One had great pride in his farm; built the finest house in the com- 
munity and kept everything in excellent repair. Another brother 
drinks too, but owns and works a decent farm. He quarreled with his 
wife and separated from her, she taking two of the children and leaving 
him two. One of these is III-60, who has married III-59 and is the 
mother of the dull, hard-working family described above. 
The Fraternity of III-56.—Brothers all reported alcoholic and very 
quarrelsome, with the exception of the one who provided his poor 
hard-working mother with a home in her old age. Their father was, 
known everywhere as a drunkard and a quarrelsome ne’er-do-well. 
The mother was honest and very hard-working. Ill—56 and III-54, 70 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
who also married into the main fraternity, belong to a clan with 
extensive connections in this part of the State. They do not show 
marked mental defect, but certain branches have a bad history of 
drunkenness, bickerings, seduction, and general sexual looseness. 
Summary of Line G. 
Line G is characterized by mental dullness combined with great 
perseverance and physical endurance. These traits serve, in the long 
run, to establish the independence of their possessors as farmers and 
mechanics. Certain members, too, seem to undergo a belated mental 
development which at 35 or 40 makes good earlier deficiency. In 
these branches, too, marriage into strains showing a normal rate of 
mental development appears to effect an acceleration, whereby the 
mental unfolding comes increasingly earlier in the history of the 
individual. While this good result has been brought about by mar- 
riage into strains of fair mentality and of average rate of development, 
we find, on the other hand, the marriage of one of its most defective 
members (III—57) to a representative of Line E, resulting as described 
in the following section. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
71 
XI. CONTINUATION OF LINE E. 
Let us consider first the mating of III—11, Chart B, of the Rode fra- 
ternity with III-47, Chart A. She was born in 1845 and died about 
1882, of typhoid malarial fever. She was always considered defective; 
could not learn at school, and showed little judgment in the care of 
her family and home; was in the habit of begging for her children and 
was also charged with practices which throw doubt on the paternity 
of some of her children. It is said that her marriage was the result of a 
momentary impulse. Walking along a country road, she encountered 
two of the Rode boys and said to one of them, “come on, let’s get 
married/’ He, however, refused, but his companion, who was III—11, 
stepped up and in the slang phrase of the day remarked, “I’m your 
huckleberry,” and they went straight away and were married. 
They lived on the 17 acres of ground which was her share of her 
father’s farm, where, it is said, her husband sometimes succeeded in 
raising a fair crop. Whenever he did so, he would buy up two or three 
decrepit horses to winter on the crop and die in the spring. When 
designing people tried to get possession of this land at too low a figure, 
a committee of well-meaning citizens interested themselves in having 
a guardian appointed for him, but when it came out in the hearing 
that the best of them had occasionally been worsted by him in a bar- 
gain the prdject was abandoned. While grossly defective in judgment, 
he still showed a certain small cunning which his fellow-citizens 
might have outwitted had they considered it worth while. 
Their three sons (IV-123 to 125) fell ill of scarlet fever. Two died 
and the eldest was a little better when the mother insisted on taking 
him out in the rain to visit her mother. This brought on a relapse and 
his death. She died of typhoid malaria fever, and the father assuming 
no responsibility for the care of the three surviving children, they were 
taken to the county farm. He wandered about, living part of the time 
at the county home and part of the time with relatives. In 1906, was 
committed by the county commissioners to a hospital for the insane, 
where he died 1913. Following is the diagnosis and later history as 
submitted by that institution: 
“Patient admitted , 1906, from the C. Home; aet. 63, single, farmer: 
diagnosis, chronic mania. The statement on admission was as follows ‘The 
first symptoms of insanity noticed 6 months ago. He would cut off the manes 
and tails of colts. Has threatened to kill some of the inmates of the county 
home. He seems to have grandiose delusions. One brother had apoplexy; 
several brothers are in the county home. For about three years after admis- 
sion his health was good; mentally was cheerful, contented; conduct was 
fairly good, although his manner was silly; was occupied constantly in out- 
side work. His health then began to fail gradually and he was unable to work 
at times. He was frequently seen mumbling to himself and he collected a 
great deal of rubbish in his room. He died , 1913, cause gangrene of 
right lung and chronic interstitial nephritis.” 72 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
The children of this couple who lived to grow up were: 
IV-126, born 1876. Committed at the age of 7 to the county farm 
and from there taken to a training school for feeble-minded, where she 
learned to read in the first reader and to count to 25, and secured some 
training in household arts. Later transferred to Institution for the 
Care of the Feeble-Minded, Polk, Pennsylvania, where she has been a 
patient for 16 years. At present is a heavy, rather stolid woman, much 
below the average in height; senses and speech normal; no striking 
physical defects; expressive brown eyes; and on the whole pleasing 
expression and obliging manner. Can do most kinds of housework, but 
is little interested in needlework or employing what she knows of read- 
ing or writing. She has an excellent memory for details of her own 
experience and stray facts concerning her relatives, but is greatly 
lacking in number sense, judgment, causation. Is very persistent and 
even stubborn at times; on rare occasions has been rebellious and even 
violent, but in the main agreeable, contented, and thorough in the 
performance of her work. * 
IV-127 was a brother of IV-126, born 1881, died 1907, after 
having been struck by lightning. Described as a well-built, perfect 
specimen of physical manhood. Dark hair, brown eyes, and sym- 
metrical features. No apparent stigmata of degeneracy. Could not 
learn to read or write. Worked as a farm-hand in a training school for 
feeble-minded, where his help was appreciated as that of a paid 
employee. Subsequenty he left this school and got employment with 
a neighboring farmer. The boy was sober, thrifty, and very clean in 
his habits and dress. A few years later he was struck by lightning 
while tending some horses. Graded as a mid-grade imbecile. 
There remains to be considered IV-128, born about 1879, who is 
said by some to be an illegitimate child. Was taken from the county 
home by a man who was attracted by her lively, pretty ways at the 
time her sister (IV-126) went to the training school. She had a com- 
fortable home; received training in church and school, easily keeping 
up with her grade in the latter; was always bright, active, and fun- 
loving. At 16 came into conflict with her foster-parents because she 
wished more freedom; and was allowed by them to shift for herself. 
At first sold Larkin soaps and other articles for a livelihood, but later 
took a nurse’s training course and graduated in 1898. She was very 
successful as a nurse. In 1900 married IV-129, who, though master 
of arts and a clergyman, seems withal to be rather erratic, since, in 
addition to several pastorates, he has in the last 10 years acted as 
secretary of a political party, manager of an orphan home, and teacher 
in the public schools. IV-128 seems to be very proud of her husband 
in all his capacities. She is rather effusive and superficial; apt to forget OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
73 
those who have helped her, but is resourceful, aggressive, persevering. 
Their two children (V-244, 245) she describes as strong and intelligent 
as any would wish to see; the former (a son) was born in 1902, the 
latter (a daughter) in 1908. 
Let us consider finally the mating of III-50, Chart A, who is 
identical with III-58, Chart B. III-50, born 1848, is lacking almost 
entirely in sense of number and quantity. Never able to learn to read 
or write or plan any kind of work properly. Is nearly blind. Was 
unable to find a life-partner in his native village, but persuaded III—51, 
in a neighboring county, to marry him, much against her people’s com- 
mands. She was born 1863. Held to be the weakest member of her 
fraternity. Was unable to learn in school, though she attended many 
years. Her later history, however, would indicate her case to be one 
of mental backwardness similar to that of her brothers, only more 
extreme, rather than one of absolute defect. She has, too, in good 
measure the physical endurance and persistence characteristic of her 
family. Shows much caution and cunning and makes a tool of her 
simple-minded husband. Is dishonest, untruthful, vindictive, sexually 
immoral. They have always lived in a two-room shack on the 
acres left III-50 by his father, which they make a pretense of culti- 
vating, and eke out their scanty livelihood by working for their long- 
suffering neighbors and cheating them in various small ways. All of 
their four children were feeble-minded, and the three who grew up 
were so mischievous and so neglected by their parents that the whole 
family was looked upon as a public nuisance. The eldest daughter 
had previously been committed to the Institution for the Care of the 
Feeble-Minded, Polk, Pennsylvania; later an effort was made to give 
them all custodial care. They were taken in 1904 to the county farm, 
but the parents fought so hard for their liberty that they were allowed 
to return home, while their two boys were committed to Polk. 
For a number of years now the parents are said to have been doing 
much better than they did in former years. They seem nearly equal 
to the problem of caring for themselves. They have gained some 
appreciation of the value of money; handle small sums with a degree 
of accuracy and have a fair power of calculation as to their simple 
needs. They work with fair steadiness, although not always very 
satisfactorily. Pay some of their debts, but are still allowed to cheat 
their benefactors in numberless small ways. For example: III—51 
will ask that the neighbors keep her preserves in their cellar over 
winter. When spring comes she declares that she has not as many 
quarts as she put into the cellar, and to keep the peace they will give 
her some of theirs. In getting change at the village store she has been 
known to come back and say she was a dollar short and thus secure an 74 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
extra dollar from the storekeeper. When III-50 promises an even 
exchange of grain, say rye for oats, he has been known to substitute a 
bag of chaff. All this is allowed, apparently on the principle that the 
community would have to help them out a little in any case, and it 
might as well do it in this manner as in any other. The wife’s memory 
for recent dates is excellent. Their children are: 
IV-130, born 1882, died 1911, pulmonary tuberculosis. Her defects 
were apparent from early childhood, showing in her voice and facial 
expression. Her body developed normally, although the head remained 
rather small. She showed herself indolent, gluttonous, and liable to 
bursts of temper; was not able to feed or dress herself properly. Could 
not learn to distinguish form or anything more than the most pro- 
nounced colors, such as red, blue, white; could not count to 50 or spell 
more than a few very simple words. Articulation so poor she was 
unable to speak a word of two syllables. At school sat and grimaced 
most of the time, and at home ran the roads, smoked, and played with 
matches. As she grew older consorted with tramps or any wayfarer 
who chanced to come by. Placed in the custody of the director of the 
poor and in 1897 was committed to the Institution for Feeble-Minded, 
Polk, Pennsylvania. Her medical examination revealed no marked 
physical abnormality except myopia and internal strabismus of both 
eyes, with some chronic condition of pharyngitis. Classified as a mid- 
grade imbecile; without educational attainments. Placed in school 
but made very little progress. Never learned to sew or work in bas- 
ketry. She pared vegetables for the meals and later confined her 
efforts to dry-scrubbing. Disposition quiet, inclined to peevishness. 
Passive type of defective. Got into trouble mainly at the instigation 
of others. In 1909 had an attack of pneumonia; in 1910 had a second 
attack of pneumonia; in 1911 declared to be tubercular. Died June 
1911. The funeral of this young woman appears to have been the 
crowning social event of her career. From an earlier attitude of fear 
and antagonism, the parents have come to regard their children’s 
detention at the Institution as a social distinction, and regale their 
neighbors and friends with marvelous tales of their importance in the 
economy of the place. The arrival of the daughter’s body was the 
signal for a great gathering of the Rufer clans, the occasion being 
marked by much floral display, drinking, animated discussion which 
amounted at times to quarreling and fighting, further enlivened by 
numerous epileptiform attacks on the part of the bereaved mother. 
Still the event passed off without serious mishap, leaving nothing but 
the tale of its departed glories and the unpaid bill of the undertaker. 
IV-131, stillbirth about 1885. 
IV-I32, born about 1887, died about 1892. Lived to be nearly 5 
years old and showed noticeable mental defect; neglected by his OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
75 
mother. One day while playing with matches set fire to his clothes 
and was burned to death. 
IV-133, born 1890. Health always good, senses normal, walked at 
18 months and talked at 2 years, but articulation poor, all words being 
reduced to one syllable. Always active, vigorous, mischief-making. 
Mental defect early became apparent. Color and number sense failed 
in development almost entirely under conditions at home. Could run 
errands, carry wood and water, but for most of the time was meddle- 
some, disobedient, on the roads, or up to some senseless prank all day 
long. Committed to the Institution for the Care of the Feeble-Minded, 
Polk, by the county directors of the poor, 1904. Medical examina- 
tion February 1908 showed nutrition good, reflexes absent, no marked 
physical defect excepting enlarged tonsils and rather poor circulation. 
Classified as a mid-grade imbecile. Placed in school and proved a 
very talkative, inattentive child. In the course of 6 months learned 
to sit still,do paper-pasting and cutting, managed to do the Klondike- 
step, and to count up to 5. Improved during the following year until 
he became very helpful as an errand-boy, and learned to sew carpet- 
rags; but showing no advance whatever during the ensuing year 
(1906-7), he was taken out of school to help in the cottages. Since he 
could not be relied upon to perform many household tasks accepta- 
bly, now helps in such outdoor work as pushing the lawn-mower. 
Is a pleasant-mannered boy, usually grinning, very fond of baseball 
and other sports. The circle of his interests limited to mamma’s 
visits and the county fair. 
IV-134, born 1892. General health always fairly good, but slightly 
less vigorous and active than his brother. Walked at 2 years and 3 
months. Had “warm fits” when a year old, and mental defect notice- 
able from early childhood. Appetite and sense of taste were normal. 
Could tell colors but badly, recognize form, and distinguish pictures. 
Learned to talk and sew, able to utter polysyllables, though indis- 
tinctly, always rather quiet and good-tempered. Less aggressively 
mischievous than his brother. Committed to Polk, 1904. Medical 
examination showed nutrition good, general appearance anemic, 
reflexes normal, no physical defect excepting weak heart and partial 
optic atrophy. Classified as a mid-grade imbecile. When placed in 
school talked a great deal. He showed some capacity for education 
and interest and improved in his conduct. Showed considerable per- 
sistence, until at the end of a year and a half he could sew carpet-rags 
and baskets beautifully and count up to 10. During the ensuing year 
(1906-7) learned a number of new words, read a little from books, and 
handled very small numbers and quantities successfully. School work 
continued for 3 more years, when it was found that he had completed 
82 pages of Cyr’s second reader. Learned to recite addition and 76 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
multiplication tables up to 40, but was defective in the application 
of his knowledge; writing was always very illegible. Since he appeared 
to be at a mental standstill for nearly the whole of the last year, was 
taken out of school 1910. Could be relied upon to polish floors and 
mow the lawn. In spite of his superior attainments and his slightly 
larger fund of general information, is rather more timid and retiring 
than his brother, who looks to him for counsel in whatever emergency 
may present itself. 
Summary of Line E. 
Line E may be summarized as one which, by reason of the matings 
of its defective members with individuals carrying similar defects, has 
never gained traits necessary for social efficiency. It we except IV-128, 
who is thought to be illegitimate though of unknown paternity, no 
member of this line has been able to maintain existence without much 
charitable aid. Whereas slight perseverance and aggressiveness have 
in some instances been brought in, calculating ability and other mental 
traits have been too uniformly lacking to make the former of avail. 
With the single exception of the illegitimate IV-128, who has married 
into a fair strain, all later representatives of this line are without issue, 
since they are in the custodial care of the State. The defects of this 
line accordingly bid fair to terminate with the present generation. 77 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
XII. GENERAL SUMMARY OF LINES. 
Both networks comprise widely divergent lines. As we follow the 
history of these lines, their trend appears to be determined by the 
combination of traits carried by their various founders, taken in con- 
junction with the leading traits of the strains into which matings 
occur. In all the founders and their consorts there was a noticeable 
presence or absence of socially effective traits. In the four better lines, 
namely, A, B, C, G, whose founders, though weak in certain traits, 
were superior to the founders of the remaining lines, there has been, 
through advantageous mating in successive generations, improvement 
in the grade of trait and in the combinations of leading traits. In 
every generation there is a sifting out; where weakness marries 
strength, the defect may appear in the following generation, but it 
appears in a lessening degree and in a smaller proportion of the off- 
spring. This has resulted in the practical elimination of defects char- 
acteristic of the founders, in increased efficiency, in an advance in 
economic worth and welfare. With slight exception all living repre- 
sentatives of these lines are self-supporting, self-respecting citizens, 
measuring up to the standard of their several communities and con- 
tributing materially to economic advancement. 
Of the remaining lines, one, namely Line E, is marked at its begin- 
ning by the absence of socially effective traits; matings with equally 
defective individuals have produced a continuous line of defectives 
receiving institutional care, which fortunately is ending with this 
generation. 
The Lines D and F continue to be varied in character: both show in 
the third generation, through the bringing together of complex strains, 
a mixture of defectives, degenerates, and socially fit individuals. The 
last named, by marriage into fair strains, are repeating the history of 
the better lines of these networks. The defective and degenerate 
members, however, outnumber the fit, and by union with similar 
members of their own or other socially unfit strains are giving rise to 
branches whose characteristics are shiftlessness, alcoholism, petty 
criminality, sexual immorality, and imbecility. Left to themselves, 
the degenerate offshoots of these lines have gravitated toward the 
degenerate members of other bad strains, and their mating has pro- 
duced nothing but degeneracy. 
With one exception, representatives of these branches are all at 
large. Tracing them as they have drifted from place to place has been 
like following the trail of a serpent; in every community they con- 
stitute its dregs; the petty thief, the clandestine prostitute, the ignor- 
ant ne’er-do-well depending on private charity; many of them, too, 
are frequent candidates for county aid and a continuous drag on the 
community which harbors them. 78 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
XIII. HERITABILITY OF SOCIALLY EFFECTIVE TRAITS. 
In tracing the history of such traits as the ability to calculate, 
aggressiveness, and perseverance in the foregoing, the lesson seems 
clear that through selective matings the grade of these traits may be 
noticeably increased or diminished. For example, in Line C, a com- 
paratively low ability to calculate has, through selective matings with 
good or average ability, been built up into an ability well above the 
average. This holds true also of aggressiveness. In Line D, on the 
contrary, ability to calculate and aggressiveness, through matings 
with a very low grade of these traits, has persisted at the low level 
shown by one of the original founders. In the same way the trait- 
complex of perseverance may be followed and found to move up or 
down according to the type of mating made. 
Let us now see how far the behavior of these traits in inheritance 
conforms to Mendel's law. At the outset of this discussion we wish to 
concede that our data, since they appertain to mental and tempera- 
mental traits, do not permit of the accuracy of measurement possible 
in handling physical traits. Our conclusions, accordingly, must at 
best be only approximations to the truth. Our only justification for 
attempting to carry Mendel’s principles into this domain is the value 
which even tentative and approximate conclusions may have for 
fruitful effort along similar lines in the future. 
Considering the wide range of calculating ability in the general 
population, it would seem unreasonable to suppose its manifestation 
to be due to a single unit character. Unfortunately, too, we know too 
little of the grade of this ability in the stocks into which the earlier 
descendants of Aaron and Mary Rufer married to fit the distribution 
in the various fraternities to a mathematical formula. But here the 
faculty is also present in such variety of degree as to forbid the con- 
clusion that it is due to a single unit character, unless we ascribe this 
variation in grade to a variation in potency of the unit character. 
Such variation in potency would be comparable to that invoked to 
explain the phenomena of inheritance of many physical traits. In 
these cases, while there may not be a regular Mendelian proportion, 
dominance and segregation seem nevertheless to be taking place. 
Here, too, the degree of development of the somatic character is often 
an index of its strength in the gamete, and selection of the individual, 
though of secondary importance to the selection of the strain to which 
he belongs, still appears to play a part in the grade of development 
attained in the offspring; that is, an individual, possessing a charac- 
teristic in high degree, will with a certain mating produce a higher 
degree of that characteristic in his offspring than would a member of 
1. Calculating Ability. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
79 
the same strain who possessed a lower degree of the characteristic in 
question. 
Again we may regard an occurrence of calculating ability as due to a 
number of determiners, a single dose of determiners producing a lower 
ability than a double or quadruple dose, their joint action not differing 
in kind, but differing only in quantitative effect. Here, too, if the num- 
ber of determiners is relatively large, there is the probability of an 
individual who shows high ability carrying a larger number of these 
determiners than the number carried by one who shows low ability; 
but whether this ability be due to a single determiner varying in potency 
or to several determiners, we may now profitably ask what measure of 
agreement do we find between behavior of these hypothetical deter- 
miners and the behavior of dominants and recessives in the typical 
Mendelian proportion? 
If we let C stand for comparative presence of determiners for cal- 
culating ability, and c stand for their comparative absence, we have 
the following combinations possible in the union of germ-plasms: 
CC, Cc, cc. CC would develop relatively high calculating ability, 
which we may indicate by H. Cc would develop mediocre ability, 
indicated by M. cc would develop very low or no calculating ability, 
indicated by L. 
Distribution of these abilities from various types of mating may be 
represented as follows: 
ec and cc = 100 per cent cc. All children show very low or no ability. 
Cc and cc = 50 per cent Cc and 50 per cent cc. Half the children show medium 
ability, half very low or no ability. 
Cc and Cc = 25 per cent CC and 50 per cent Cc and 25 per cent cc. One-fourth 
the children show high ability, half show medium, and one-fourth 
very low or no ability. 
cc and CC = 100 per cent Cc. All children show medium ability. 
Cc and CC = 50 per cent Cc .and 50 per cent CC. Half show medium ability and 
half high ability. 
CC and CC = 100 per cent CC. All children show high ability. 
In the studies of distribution as actually occurring in the networks 
under consideration, the germinal constitution has been inferred in 
accordance with the formulae just given, that is, low ability has been 
taken to indicate the germinal constitution cc, or all germ-cells without 
determiners necessary for calculating ability; in the same way, medium 
ability indicates the germinal constitution Cc, or half the germ-cells 
with sufficient determiners and half without; while high ability indi- 
cates the germinal constitution CC, or all germ-cells with sufficient 
determiners for the functioning of this faculty. 
We will examine first the distribution of various grades of this 
ability from parent to offspring in the Rufer group. Although measure- 
ments are far more difficult than with most physical traits, still we may 
arbitrarily fix the following three classes, the various grades of the 80 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
traits being distinctly lower in this group than they would be were we 
considering the general population: 
Class 1, indicated by L, includes all those having no ability to handle 
figures beyond 5; Class 2, indicated by M, includes all those having 
ability to perform simple multiplication and division, and make small 
change; Class 3, indicated by H, includes all those having average 
ability of the general population. The theoretical expectation of the 
results of matings between members of these classes, based on the 
relative presence and absence of determiners for calculating ability, 
has already been given. The progeny of 48 matings of this group, 
including 177 offspring, may now be distributed among these classes, 
and the percentage realized compared with the theoretical expecta- 
tion. Table 1 gives in the first line the expected percentage, and in the 
second the percentages as realised for the group in question. 
Table 1.—Calculating ability. Rufer group. 48 matings, 177 individuals. 
Matings 
L and L 
L 
and M 
L and H 
M and M 
M and H 
H and H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
100 
50 
50 
100 
25 
50 
25 
50 
50 
100 
Realized 
100 
529 
333 
138 
30 
60 
10 
185 
704 
ll1 
131 
391 
47* 
24 
97® 
The realized percentages support the following conclusions: (1) 
When both parents show a low grade of this trait, all the children are 
similarly of low grade. (2) When both parents show a high grade of 
this trait, practically all the children are similarly endowed. (3) When 
one parent shows a low grade and the other a medium or high grade, 
the increase in the percentage of medium and high is proportionate to 
the grade of the better parent; that is, if the better parent is high 
grade, there will be fewer low grades among his offspring. (4) Although 
a small proportion of low grades is produced by the mating of a 
medium grade with a medium or a high grade, here again the propor- 
tion of low grades is smaller when one consort is high grade than when 
he is of medium grade (decreasing in the group studied, from 18.50 to 
13.10). In case he is high grade, there is, too, a considerable increase 
in the proportion of high grades among his offspring (increasing in the 
group studied from 11.10 to 47.80). 
The fairly close accord between the theoretical expectation and 
the realized percentages supports the view that the grade of the ability 
to calculate depends for its manifestation on the comparative presence 
or absence of the determiners for this ability. The behavior of these 
determiners in inheritance is the same as that of the dominants and 
recessives of the Mendelian hypothesis. There is segregation here, 
but not the dominance observed in many of the experimental heredity 81 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
studies; the single determiner or the halving of the total number of 
determiners producing a lower grade of the trait than when a greater 
number are present. The case would appear to be analogous to that 
observed in the inheritance of eye color, where the single dose of the 
determiner for pigmentation produces light-brown eyes, while the 
double dose produces darker brown. 
A similar study of the distribution of grades of calculating ability 
was made of the Riel group. 32 families, including 120 individuals, 
were distributed among three classes, only in this instance different 
values were assigned to the three classes L, M, H. L includes all those 
with ability to perform simple multiplication and division and make 
small change and hence equals class M for Rufer group; M includes 
all those possessing average calculating ability, hence equals class H 
Rufer group. H equals those with ability above the average. The 
distribution of progeny from the various types of mating is shown in 
table 2. 
Table 2.—Calculating ability. Riel Group. 82 matings, 120 individuals. 
Matings 
L and L 
L and M 
L and H 
M and M 
M and H 
H and H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
Expected.... 
Realized 
100 
86s 
50 
476 
50 
524 
100 
70 
30 
25 
286 
50 
428 
25 
286 
57 
50 
38s 
50 
55s 
100 
134 
The realized percentages from this group support all the conclusions 
drawn from the study of the Rufer group, with the exception of the 
second conclusion, the mating of high ability with high ability not 
having occurred here. 
The assumption of a unit-character of varying potency, or better, 
of a number of determiners which behave in unit-like fashion, would 
appear to explain the phenomenon of inheritance for calculating 
ability as observed in these networks. So long as low ability mates 
with low ability there can be no advance in this faculty, since the germ- 
plasm remains relatively empty, so far as determiners for this faculty 
are concerned. Such a condition is illustrated in Line E. However, 
let successive matings occur between those having low ability and those 
of fair or good calculating ability belonging to strains showing this 
ability, then the unit of higher potency will replace that of low potency 
in an increasing proportion of the offspring: this will be equivalent 
to the gradual elimination of the unit of low potency, and will bring 
about improvement in the grade of calculating ability. 
If we adopt the hypothesis of the unit-like series, we may conceive 
the number which stands for presence in a slight degree, to be replaced 
by the greater number which stands for good ability in the better 82 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
strains. Should this occur for a number of generations, the point may 
be reached where fair and good ability would still appear in the off- 
spring, even though there be outmating with very low ability; that 
is, relative absence in the germ-plasm of the better consort would 
behave as relative presence to the lack of determiners in the weaker 
consort; the resulting simplex individual would show and be able to 
transmit fair ability. The only serious danger would accrue from 
matings in two or more consecutive generations with very low or no 
ability, when there would be a reversal of the process, and the produc- 
tion of an increasing number of children having low or no ability. 
We have here, then, segregation, a real alternative inheritance; but 
the segregation is that of units of progressively higher potency. 
The limits to the development of this trait would naturally be set 
by the grade of the ability in the general population. Mating of a 
high or medium with a low grade would insure the production of an 
increasing number with high or medium ability and the final elimina- 
tion of those having low or no ability. This process is amply illus- 
trated in Lines A and C. 
A word may be added here regarding the origin of strains showing 
unusual calculating ability. In rare instances, individuals have 
shown this faculty in an abnormal state of development. The writer 
has recently met a man whose business it is to calculate the invoices 
for the large mercantile houses of his city. He is able to invoice the 
charges covering a period of 6 months in 40 hours, the totals involved 
amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For the purpose of 
calculation he uses a piece of paper 2x3 inches. His accuracy, as 
determined by actual test, is equal to that of a calculating machine 
and his speed 20 per cent greater. Both of his parents were from strains 
showing superior native ability in calculation. The distribution of 
this ability in his fraternity is as follows: two members show very high 
ability, three members medium, three members low ability, though 
in this case the low ability is considerably in advance of the calculating 
ability in the general population. Here, again, there has evidently 
been segregation of two unit-like series of high potency, the two who 
show the highest ability having been produced by the double presence 
of two highly potent series, one contributed by the maternal, the other 
by the paternal germ-plasm. 
2. Aggressiveness. 
The application of the term aggressiveness has been given in the 
opening sections, with a sufficient number of illustrations in the his- 
tories that follow to make its meaning clear. 
In evaluating such a trait or trait-complex as aggressiveness we are 
confronted by enormous difficulties. The social inheritance plays a 
far larger part in its manifestation than it does in calculating ability, OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
83 
where it is possible to determine with fair accuracy the training received 
and where it is well known that the individual will stop short at 
definite stages of achievement, no matter what are his advantages in 
the matter of formal instruction. 
While it is possible by studying the individual from many sides to 
form a judgment as to his rating with reference to this trait, the diffi- 
culty is greatly enhanced when he belongs to a generation that is past. 
It should be remembered that the environment for most of the persons 
concerned has remained comparatively simple and uniform. Further- 
more, the trait has been evaluated in relation to other elements of his 
makeup, as well as the chief influences in his surroundings. 
While, therefore, the classes could not be made with the same degree 
of definiteness as for calculating ability, still it is believed that the 
familiarity with the material was sufficient for classification into three 
grades—a low, a medium, and a high degree of aggressiveness. If we 
conceive the different degrees of this trait to be due to comparative 
presence (A) or absence (a) of determiners from the germ-plasm, we 
may contrive a distribution of grades of the trait for the offspring 
according to Mendel's law. This distribution would be the same as that 
already given for calculating ability in the preceding section. The 
produce of 80 matings, numbering 282 individuals, was classified and 
compared with the theoretical expectations. The results are given in 
table 3. 
Table 3.—Aggressiveness. 80 matings, 282 individuals. 
Matings 
(1) L and L 
(2) L and M 
(3) L and H 
(4) M and M 
(5) M and H 
(6) H and H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
Expected.... 
Realized 
100 
50 
50 
100 
25 
50 
25 
50 
50 
100 
88s 
ll2 
516 
46 
24 
303 
606 
91 
176 
759 
65 
32 
474 
494 
25 
75 
Here, again, the realized percentages would indicate a segregation 
of the elements of the trait. The considerable discrepancy between 
the expected and the realized results in matings (3) and (4) is no doubt 
due to varying environmental influences and the difficulty of evaluat- 
ing the various grades of the trait. It will be observed that this dis- 
crepancy is considerable only where both parents are moderately 
aggressive, or where one has a very low grade while the other has a 
very high grade of the trait. In both of these cases the offspring show 
greater resemblance to the parents than would be expected from the 
formula. This is probably to be explained by the effect of parental 
example. 84 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
3. Perseverance 
In dealing with the characteristic perseverance, we are well aware 
of the great difficulty of defining its heritable elements. The persist- 
ence with which anyone follows a line of activity is due mainly to his 
capacity for forming habits and his dominating interests, and these, 
although in the first instance generally innate, are affected by all 
sorts of extraneous influences. Such native qualities as general health, 
endurance, pride, independence, and obstinacy also have a role in its 
manifestation. Still, it is known that children in their desultory 
activities present very noticeable differences with regard to this char- 
acteristic; while imbeciles, who are incapable of conceiving ideals or a 
chain of related purposes, may show a variety of grades of this trait 
quite independent of their mental incapacity. Perseverance may 
accordingly be looked upon as a trait-complex having heritable ele- 
ments whose behavior may be profitably investigated. 
The progeny of 80 matings, numbering 269 individuals, was classi- 
fied and the results compared with the theoretical expectation. This 
comparison is shown in table 4. 
Table 4.—Perseverance. 80 matings, 269 individuals. 
Matings 
L and L 
L and M 
L and H 
M and M 
M and H 
H and H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
L 
M 
H 
100 
50 
50 
100 
25 
50 
25 
50 
50 
100 
Realized 
968 
32 
.... 
557 
443 
138 
65s 
207 
128 
82 
52 
5s 
618 
327 
100 
Here, again, there is some discrepancy between the actual and 
theoretical results which may well be set down to exogenous factors. 
Making due allowance for these exogenous factors, the conclusion 
seems warranted that there is a heritable element in the trait-complex 
called perseverance, which so far dominates it as to make it show 
segregation. 
It is, then, to the segregation of determiners for these traits that we 
may conceive the wide range of their manifestation to be due. On 
the constructive side this principle has its chief importance in the 
possibility it offers for the building up of the trait-complex from the 
effective combination of different traits through matings of successive 
generations. With proper selection these combinations may be so 
many steps in the production of high native ability, or the evolution 
of a line showing average ability superior to that of earlier generations. 
Our history furnishes many examples of both of these results, and 
it will suffice here to refer once more to certain cases. An interesting 
illustration of such a series of combinations is afforded by Line A, OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
85 
where aggressiveness, perseverance, calculating ability, and, finally, 
unusual mechanical ability all converge toward their presence in VI-20. 
Another significant series of combinations occurs in Line C, whereby 
defects concentrate in a single member in the third and fourth genera- 
tions, the latter (IV-81) dying without issue, while the combination 
of medium or high aggressiveness and perseverance with calculating and 
other mental abilities produces good average efficiency of various 
types in the representatives of later generations. 
Should this principle of segregation prove capable of further exten- 
sion in the domain of mental and temperamental traits, it will provide 
a means of more accurate prediction as to the outcome of given matings 
and the trend of development in particular strains. Such extension 
should prove highly valuable for the evolution of a constructive 
eugenics. 
The theoretical bearings of these results are more far-reaching than 
would at first appear. From this study and others the writer is con- 
vinced that it is by such quantitative ratings of inherent traits that 
we shall be able to make a more minute analysis of the personality 
than has hitherto been attempted. With such quantitative ratings 
and the principle of segregation as illustrated in this network, we 
ought to be able to trace the factors contributory to many cases of 
sporadic feeble-mindedness and the occurrence of unexpected immoral 
and insane tendencies in persons springing from fair stock. In this 
way much might be accomplished without the highly desirable objec- 
tive tests that the modern applications of psychology are promising. 
Indeed, there is no reason why this detailed analysis should not 
accompany and in many cases point the way to essential refinements 
of method now being attempted in the service of vocational guidance. 86 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
XIV. STATISTICS. 
1. The Population Considered. 
The total number of individuals considered in the investigation is 
1,822. The number appearing on the two charts and including the 
direct descendants of the Rufers and Riels, their consorts, and in a few 
cases the product of other matings of these consorts, is 912. The 
remainder, numbering 910, have been studied in connection with the 
strains into which out-marriages have occurred. 
2. Comparative Efficiency of the Several Lines. 
In the foregoing description we have dwelt on differences in the 
social efficiency of the several lines. These differences may be sum- 
marized in the following manner: Confining our attention to the direct 
lines of descent, we have tabulated, first, the proportion of the socially 
fit to the socially unfit in successive generations. These classes are 
necessarily only roughly delimited, regard having been paid to the 
totality of the relationships sustained by the individual to his family 
and the community at large. If it is known that he received occasional 
help from relatives, but in general was able to “pull his own weight,” 
he is classed with the socially fit. If he was often the recipient of 
public or private aid for the care of himself or his family, or if he was 
clearly an institutional case but held his place in the family and the 
community through the forbearance of relatives and friends, he is 
classed with the socially unfit. The classes also exclude those who 
died before their mental condition could be determined or who are 
still too young for determination. 
Figure 1 shows the proportion of socially fit to the socially unfit of 
successive generations in the five lines of the Rufer network. The 
proportion of the socially fit is represented by the part of the square 
left blank; the unfit by the heavily shaded portion. It has been 
thought best, in several instances where the individual was on the 
border-line of efficiency, to make a third class represented by the 
lightly shaded areas. 
This scheme illustrates strikingly the concentration of social effi- 
ciency in Lines A, B, and C, while the inefficiency has concentrated in 
Lines D and E. Furthermore, the small proportion of the socially 
inefficient suffers a decrease in the three superior Lines. In Line A 
it is 2 to 15 in the third generation, as against 1 to 38 in the fourth, and 
2 to 61 in the fifth generation. It is interesting to note that this slight 
persistence of defect is due to the marriage of one defective in genera- 
tion 4 to a defective member of Line D. 
In Line B, members of all generations following the first are socially 
fit, while in Line C there are in the third generation 14 socially fit 87 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
individuals to 1 who is socially unfit and 1 on the border-line of fitness, 
whereas in the following generation all, that is a total of 47, are socially 
efficient. In Line D, the proportion of the socially unfit rises from 
being roughly one-half in generations 2 and 3, it becomes two-thirds 
in the two following generations. A census of the latest generation, 
10 years hence, will undoubtedly further increase this ratio, since 
many of the markedly deficient couples are still reproducing, and most 
of their children, though apparently defective, are at present too young 
for accurate determination and representation in the figure. 
Fig. 1. 
Here the type of unfitness, too, shows considerable range, includ- 
ing vagrancy and petty criminality, sexual immorality, and in a few 
instances, alcoholism and imbecility. In Line E, on the contrary, 
there is the constant presence of social unfitness, generally in the form 
of imbecility, amounting to 100 per cent. The significance of these 
ratios will be further discussed in the section on marriage selection. 
In the same way, the ratio of the socially fit to the socially unfit in 
successive generations of Lines F and G have been calculated and 
represented graphically in figure 2. We find here a similar decrease 
in the proportions of the socially unfit, as we proceed from the earlier 
to the later generations. This decrease is less marked for Line F than 
for Line G, and in the former case has taken place by the failure of 
many of its deficient members (men) to secure life partners. It 
should be observed that in Line G the large proportion of the socially 
fit in generations 3 and 4 is reached by the inclusion of many dull and 
backward individuals. They are not aggressive and have not moved 
far from the original home of the family; many of them did not 
advance far at school, but they possess great vitality and a dogged 88 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
perseverance which enables them to maintain themselves as farmers 
and mechanics, even though many of them do not reach the average 
standard of living in their respective communities. They are socially 
fit as judged by their ability to perform the duties of the station in life 
to which they are born. 
Many of the socially unfit in Line F had been inmates of county 
homes or of State institutions for long periods of time. It has been 
difficult to arrive at the exact total of such public charges in this fra- 
ternity, since certain earlier records are incomplete, but the comparison 
of these records with the accounts of reliable informants gives the fol- 
lowing estimate of the cost to the State of this line alone: In the second 
generation there were at least 6 who were at the county home for 
periods aggregating from 10 to 18 years; they cost the county and 
Fig. 2. 
State approximately $17,600 (estimating the cost of maintenance at 
$200 per year). Four of these six married, and left in the two succeed- 
ing generations 27 descendants, 18 of whom have been maintained at 
county or State expense; some of them for periods as long as 20 or 30 
years. The total expense of their maintenance for an aggregate of 
165 years is estimated at $33,000. So we may say that our charitable 
organizations not only cared for these defectives, but, through the 
type of care which they gave, generously allowed them to propagate 
their kind and thus provide for double the expenditure on their 
account in the two ensuing generations. 
3. Comparative Fecundity. 
It is often maintained that the increase of the socially inadequate 
is largely due to the relatively larger families of the defective and 
degenerate as compared with those of the socially adequate classes. 
Our data have been analyzed with reference to the fecundity of the 
several lines and the results shown in table 5. The capital letters 
stand for the several lines, and the Roman numerals at the left for the 
generations. The figures represent the average number of children 
per mating. The table shows that there is a noticeable drop in 
fecundity in later generations of all lines. This decrease, however, is 
no more striking for the socially efficient lines A, B, C, G, than for 
the defective and degenerate Lines D, E, F. 89 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
A 
B 
C 
D 
E 
F 
G 
I 
6 
1 
5 
5 
4 
21 
10 
II 
4.5 
4 
3.2 
5.25 
4.5 
3.75 
6.571 
Ill 
3 
4.25 
4.166 
2.828 
2 
2.192 
2.786 
IV 
2.536 
!2.3 
*1.323 
2.266 
Table 5. 
xStill reproducing. 
4. Comparative Survival. 
The increase in the defective classes due to their high fecundity is 
generally counterbalanced, it is said, by the relatively high infant and 
child mortality of this class. The analysis of our data lends some sup- 
port to this view. The proportion of those surviving to the age of 20 
in each generation was determined for the Lines A, C, D, E. This 
was done by calculating the average number surviving and dividing 
this by the average number born for the same generation and line. 
Table 6 gives the corresponding survivals for the average number of 
births shown in table 5 while table 7 gives a comparison of survival 
ratios obtained in each case. 
A 
C 
D 
E 
I 
4 
5 
5 
3 
II 
3.5 
2.6 
5 
2.5 
Ill 
2.46 
3.666 
1.818 
Table 6. 
A 
C 
D 
E 
I 
0.6666 
.7777 
.82 
1.00 
.812 
.877 
1.00 
.952 
.643 
0.75 
.555 
II 
Ill . 
Table 7. 
The survival ratios for successive generations increase in the socially 
efficient Lines A, C, while they show marked decrease in the defective 
Lines D, E. The small survival ratio of the defective lines taken in 
conjunction with the low birth-rate is illustrative of Nature’s method 
of eliminating the unfit. Since these communities lack many of the 
agencies which nowadays bolster up the inadequate, it is probable 
that this method is in more effective operation here than among the 
defective and delinquent classes of other social groups. 
The behavior of the five lines of the Rufer network with regard to 
their migration to another section of the State or country may next 
be considered. Taking A, B, C together, that is, the lines which show 
a decreasing proportion of socially unfit, we find only 3 of the whole 
number at the original place of settlement of the family; 42 are settled 
within a radius of 15 miles of this place, while the remainder, numbering 
nearly 200, are widely scattered, many having migrated as far as North 
Dakota, Idaho, Alberta, and California. 
Turning now to D, E, those lines showing an increasing proportion 
of the socially inadequate, we find that exactly the opposite is taking 
5. Differential Migration. 90 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
place. Only 3 of all the representatives of these lines are known to 
have migrated beyond northeastern Ohio; 16 are scattered through 
towns which are from 50 to 80 miles distant, while the rest are at the 
original place of settlement or in nearby villages. 
This difference in the rate of migration is a fact of great importance. 
Because of it the mentally able, more aggressive, and persevering mem- 
bers are more apt to meet and mate with their kind, while the less 
efficient are left behind to mate with their kind; a process which 
naturally leads to intensification of initial differences in the various 
branches of a family. This point will receive further consideration 
in the section on marriage selection. 
Differential migration is of further importance when taken in con- 
nection with the burden of support and the many other problems 
entailed by the defective and degenerate classes. Line D, as we have 
seen, furnishes only one institutional case, though many of its mem- 
bers have been and still are recipients of county aid. Its chief menace 
consists in the spread of disease by its immoral women and its general 
undermining of the economic and moral life of the community. In 
Line E all of the survivors of generation 3 but one are institutional 
cases. They aggregate a total of 86 years of care on the part of the 
State. Estimating the cost of maintenance at $200 per year, we have 
$17,200 as the price which the State has had to pay to date for the 
generous provision made by the community for the care of a feeble- 
minded girl two generations ago. 
Thus, by far the greater number of the socially fit members of this 
network have moved out into new sections of the country, and there, 
under more severe conditions, are developing its resources, adding to 
its wealth, and as progressive citizens contributing to its educational 
growth. The socially unfit, on the other hand, have been left behind 
to become a hindrance to the moral and economic development, a 
burden on a charitable public, or to be wholly supported at the State’s 
expense. 
Do we not see here in actual operation the factors which are making 
the care of these defectives an almost intolerable burden to the Eastern 
States, and have brought about such differences in the rate of develop- 
ment of different sections of our country? It is largely due to differen- 
tial migration that, in such a State as Kansas, there should be, in a 
total of 105 counties, 54 without any feeble-minded, 96 without any 
inebriates, 38 without poor-houses, 65 without any convicts in State’s 
prison, and dozens in which no jury has been called on to try a criminal 
case in 10 years; while in Wisconsin, another State which offered 
rigorous conditions to the pioneer and was correspondingly unattrac- 
tive to the lazy and nonaggressive, there should have been within half 
a century an economic and educational development considered 
worthy of emulation by the older States of the Union. 91 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
XV. RELATIVE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT AND THE 
BLOOD. 
Those who attach a relatively greater influence to environment than 
to inherent traits may argue that the increased efficiency of the better 
lines has been due to improvement in external conditions rather than 
improvement in the innate qualities. While there can be little ques- 
tion that increase of opportunity in a more favorable environment 
has been a factor here, its chief value seems to lie in the wider range 
it has offered for marriage selection. In the great majority of instances 
those who moved away from the homestead carried little capital with 
them other than their willingness and ability to work. 
The 400 acres originally owned by Aaron Rufer proved to be among 
the most fertile in the county; only 50 acres of this tract went to his 
ablest son; the greater part was bequeathed to his more inefficient 
children, wrho thus had a good economic start of which they were not 
able to take advantage. Succeeding generations have seen these 
holdings sold off bit by bit to their more enterprising neighbors, until 
the total number of acres now in the possession of the Rufers is 47.5, 
and these are lying idle or so badly tilled that they yield practically 
nothing. 
Three families, who make their home here, live in circumstances 
which would have shamed pioneer standards of a century ago. The 
men are occasionally taken as farm-hands or to do odd jobs in the 
village. The women wTork sometimes by the day for their more pros- 
perous neighbors, who put up with their slackness and inefficiency and 
usually overpay them. They would all have starved to death years 
ago but for this charity, helped out as it is by the profits of clandestine 
prostitution and the friendly county aid. In no sense do these people 
suffer social ostracism. They attend the village school and are wel- 
comed in the religious and social gatherings of the parish church. 
They are in and out of the houses of the better families in the section, 
who in the main seem ready to give them every advantage which they 
themselves enjoy, except to marry them. 
Their degeneracy can not be traced to the untoward conditions of a 
congested city life or to the isolation of a backwoods existence. For a 
century they have been sharers in the ideals and opportunities of rela- 
tively progressive people. Their degeneracy and defect can be looked 
upon as nothing else than as the cumulative result of the mating of 
defect with the defects of other bad strains. 
Even in the improved environment of the better lines, whenever 
marriage of the inefficient takes place with defective members of the 
inferior lines or other bad stock, there is a decided drop in ability and 
efficiency. This is well illustrated in Line A. IV-7, who was decent, 
a fair housekeeper, though devoid of foresight, had by IV-6 a daughter 92 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
who was brought up in the same environment as the children of IV-10. 
She was slow, with slight ability to advance at school. Has married 
an ignorant, alcoholic, shiftless member of Line D, and is now sexually 
immoral, alcoholic, giving no care whatever to her home or children. 
Another illustration is furnished by IV-114, belonging to a better 
branch of Line D. Her father was a quick-witted industrious Irish- 
man; her mother a scheming, sharp-tongued woman, though the 
ablest daughter of II—11. She (IV-114) was the dullest of her frater- 
nity, with little foresight or ability to calculate. She married a shift- 
less, irresponsible, alcoholic man of feeble-minded stock. Of her twelve 
children who reached maturity, only four made fair progress in school 
and can now be rated as decent, self-respecting citizens. 
While there has been little interference in the trend of affairs on the 
part of societies for the care of neglected children, a great many of the 
members of these networks have been taken into good families and 
given an opportunity of developing any capabilities they might 
possess. These cases will now be considered and an attempt made to 
gage the effect of superior opportunity on their inherent qualities. 
Case 1 (IV-9, Chart B).—He is the son of III—34, Chart B, who belongs to 
a family having many capable and respectable members. III-34 suffered 
from some obscure brain disease as a child; grew very slowly; was unable to 
learn anything at school, and later earned a scant livelihood by the crudest 
labor. From his marriage to a violent, shiftless sex-offender of bad stock this 
son (IV-9) was born. His mother eloped soon afterwards, and he was taken 
by his father to an unmarried sister who maintained a comfortable home by 
dressmaking, and is a woman of good ideals, active in church and social circles 
of her town. He was always incorrigible; bent on all sorts of mischief; stole, 
lied, and refused to learn anything useful. Later was given good influences 
in the home of IV-1, Line A. He has persisted all his life in a malicious, 
irresponsible existence, clearly a case of impotence to respond to any of the 
good influences of the environments. 
Case 2 (V-192, Chart A).—She was the second daughter of an immoral 
woman belonging to Line D, who had no sense of number and was not able to 
give her children proper care. Her father was lazy, shiftless, with little judg- 
ment and large conceit. She was given a comfortable home, taught house- 
keeping, and sent to school regularly, where she made little progress. Had 
an illegitimate child and later married another man. Her home presents the 
extreme of filth and disorder; her children are ragged and uncared-for. 
Case 3 (V-198).—The younger sister of V-192. Was taken into the home 
of IV-95, who, though lacking in sense of number, is civil, chaste, self-respect- 
ing. She never learned anything at school; was always a brazen, evil-tongued 
girl. After her marriage neglected her family to run after the “ Hunkeys” 
and Italians, and now has left her husband to live with another man of bad 
family. 
Case Jf. (V-56, Chart A).—She was the daughter of a shiftless, sexually 
immoral man of low mentality. Mother belonged to a good family of good 
mentality; her marriage, however, was a forced one. The daughter went as 
a young girl to another State, first as servant in a family of considerable 
means and culture. She gave up for the most part association with her family. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
93 
She later married a son of her employers, and although externally her home 
approaches the standards of her adopted people, she has by no means attained 
their worth in the qualities of truthfulness and fidelity. 
Case 5 (V-2, Chart B).—The daughter of a feeble-minded, immoral woman 
of Line F. Her father belonged to a family showing criminality and gross 
sexual immorality, and he deserted her mother before V-2 was born. She 
spent the first 9 years of her life at the county home, then was taken by a 
family in good circumstances to a distant city, losing all connection with her 
own relatives. Was kept in school until she was 16 and given training in 
housekeeping; also had good church and social influences. Was always 
incorrigible, incapable of habits of neatness and industry, and proficient in no 
work she undertook. Is now a slattern, alternating between listlessness and 
fits of temper, who allows her family of ten to grow up as they will. Nothing 
worse could be imagined than the state of her home or the haphazard way in 
which her family meet questions of food and clothing day by day. Her half- 
sister, whom she has not known since they were in the county home and who 
was brought up in far less favorable conditions, is very like her. 
Case 6 (IV-92, Chart B).—In contrast with the foregoing we may take the 
son of the violent, sexually immoral III-43, who, however, had great vitality 
and fine physique. He has always been attributed to a man whose family 
were intelligent, with good business sense. He roamed about with his mother 
after her separation from her second husband, was half-starved and made 
familiar with scenes of gross immorality. Never went to school, so that at 11 
he was not able to write his name. His appeal at this time to a family of con- 
siderable means and intelligence was met by an opportunity to work his own 
way with them. Though very dull in figures, he managed to secure a high- 
school education, and is now a trusted, efficient employee in the firm of his 
foster-parents. Is a fine specimen of physical manhood, strictly moral, has 
a taste for good reading, and maintains a home which shows many evidences 
of refinement. Here it would seem as if the better tendencies of the father’s 
side had asserted themselves in the face of the most adverse environmental 
conditions. 
It would therefore appear that the superior traits of the better 
endowed individuals largely sought or made the wider opportunity, 
while the inherent weaknesses of the inferior ones have not been over- 
come by the advantages they may have had. 
In some cases it would even seem as if the greater the social and 
economic opportunity, the greater the disposition to settle back and 
let someone else assume the burden of their maintenance. The low 
efficiency is primarily due not to lack of opportunity, but to a native 
inability to react favorably to social and economic environments. 94 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
XVI. MARRIAGE SELECTION. 
Our conclusions concerning the effect of selective matings have been 
indicated in the preceding sections. This will accordingly consist largely 
of a presentation of views as to certain factors conditioning such selection. 
At the risk of wearying the reader, we wish before considering these 
to recapitulate once more the effects of selective mating. All members 
carry weaknesses; where these are relatively few or so slight as not to 
seriously impair their efficiency, the chance of their marrying strength 
in these traits is relatively great. In most instances a partner was 
secured who supplied a higher grade of the trait or other valuable 
characters. The trait is thus strengthened or the defect made good, 
and does not again make its appearance unless there is subsequent 
marriage into a strain having the same weakness or defect. In the 
histories under consideration this has occurred in only a few cases, so 
that the grosser defects have been practically blotted out from three 
lines of this network. On the other hand, when defect has been marked 
or a number of minor weaknesses has occurred in such combination 
as to entail social inadequacy, mating has usually occurred with those 
equally defective. Where these defects were similar, the result has 
been a fairly uniform type of inefficiency. Where the defects were 
dissimilar, the result was a diversity of degenerate condition. We 
may now inquire, What were the essential factors involved in these 
matings? We will study these factors in the Rufer network, where the 
most marked diversity occurs and where our data are more complete. 
There were several agencies at work here which resulted in the 
separation of those members of the family showing superior mentality 
and aggressiveness from their less fortunate brothers and sisters. 
The factor determining the better mating has generally lain in the 
superior endowment of the one who migrates. An example of this 
occurs in Line C, whose founder secured an able, aggressive wife. 
Subsequent removal of the couple to a part of the State where the 
family was not known enabled their children to secure abler consorts, 
which, for at least three members, meant marriage into better strains. 
In the second generation of Line A, the cause which led to the separa- 
tion of the superior from the inferior members of the fraternity, was 
in the first instance the death of the father and the scattering of the 
children among strangers. Later, the desire for better advantages led 
the superior brother and sister to a different section of the State, 
where they made better marriages than the two who remained behind. 
Later generations of both branches have seen a repetition of this pro- 
cess with further deviation from the inferior lines. Thus it was the 
superior qualities which led to a new environment. This new environ- 
ment meant enlarged opportunity, one of whose chief values lay in OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
95 
the wider range it afforded for marriage selection. To appreciate its 
full significance, we have only to turn to the conditions which obtain 
with the inferior lines in the two communities where are concentrated 
most of the defective and degenerate members of Lines D and E. Here 
a definite social stigma attaches to the name Rufer. The course of 
inquiry has more than once elicited the comment, “ There is something 
wrong with anyone who will marry into that family; its history is so 
bad and it appears to be getting worse.” 
There have thus been well-defined eugenic conceptions operating 
here to limit selection and give direction to the evolution of the 
inferior lines. The few able and aggressive members feeling this 
stigma deliberately get out and seek settlement where their family is 
not so unfavorably known. This leaves the inert and inefficient 
behind to found a marriage on momentary impulse, or put up with 
anyone they can get, which, in nearly every instance, is a consort 
equally defective. A striking illustration of this is furnished by III-38, 
Line D, who, after living some years in the West, returned for a time 
to his birthplace. He was greatly superior to the other members of 
his fraternity. He became discouraged in his attempts to secure a 
wife and a place in the esteem of his fellow-townsmen. He is reported 
as saying: “Here I am only a damned Rufer; I will go back West, 
where I am as good as anybody.” He did so, made a good marriage, 
now has a promising son, and is a man of means and influence. His 
feeble-minded brother, on the contrary, although he consorted with 
several bad women, remained unappropriated until recently, when at 
56 he has made a marriage with an erratic, profligate harlot, whose 
chief intent is to secure a protection against the effects of her sexual 
laxity. 
Without attempting to give consideration to other factors which 
necessarily enter into the selection of mates, we may safely say that 
the possession of such traits as aggressiveness and perseverance has, 
in one way or another, resulted in a greater range, and consequently 
a better type, of marriage selection. In most cases the superior 
endowment operated to secure removal from sections where the stigma 
attached to the family name prevented the selection of desirable 
mates. That done, it insured a fair livelihood and commanded the 
respect of the adopted community, and directly secured a better con- 
sort. Often, too, those with superior traits actively sought alliance 
with better families. This condition, in a state of society where all 
must earn their living, again meant superior efficiency of the family 
and strain selected, and subsequent advance in the combination of 
traits carried by the offspring. 
While these positive factors have operated to increase the range of 
selection for the better endowed, and have resulted in the improve- 96 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
ment of the line, the limitations to selection imposed by the undesira- 
bility of the unfit as life partners, supplemented by “fear of the 
blood/’ have promoted the mating of the same or of different types of 
unfitness, and have resulted in the persistence and diversification of 
the original defects. 
Our history furnishes several instances where the undesirableness of 
the defective as a consort was offset by the possession of a small patri- 
mony; but here again the partner selected by designing outside parties 
was very deficient mentally, or a gross sex-offender. Since it is the 
policy of some charitable societies to encourage the marriage of sex- 
offenders, its frightful results, as illustrated in these histories, can not 
be too sharply stressed. 
Accordingly we may summarize as follows: Marriage selection as 
determined largely by the innate qualities of the individual has, by 
the convergence of the innate qualities of the various strains, operated 
in some lines to dissipate defects and to introduce traits which make for 
increased social efficiency, and to concentrate defect and degeneracy 
in other lines. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
97 
XVII. IMMIGRATION. 
Manifestly no sweeping generalization in regard to immigration 
restriction can be made from the study of so small a group, but its 
investigation furnishes at least concrete instances in support or refuta- 
tion of statements often heard in discussions of the immigration 
problem. It further affords an illustration of the difficulty of framing 
a restrictive law solely on the basis of race, physical fitness, literacy, 
and mentality of the individual apart from his family. 
It is maintained that the races of the present incoming hordes are 
not susceptible of amalgamation and assimilation as were those of a 
half century ago. Touching this question of race, we may call atten- 
tion to the following points:.In the first place, the defectives of this 
history all belonged to the races against whom there has never been a 
wish to discriminate in restrictive legislation—the English, Irish, and 
German races—those peoples who have assimilated so successfully 
to the American type and at the same time contributed so many 
valuable characters to our national life. 
The ardent advocates of unrestricted immigration exclaim: “Never 
mind about the parents; they will soon be dead. Their children will 
become good Americans.” In the present instance the conditions for 
realizing this highly desirable end, that is the making of “good 
Americans” were eminently favorable,—there was a very generous 
provision for acquiring land, and the planting of the family in a pro- 
gressive pioneer community, where democratic ideals prevailed and 
facilities for education were fair. All these should have made amal- 
gamation, assimilation, and economic independence a relatively easy 
matter. Notwithstanding these favorable and fairly uniform condi- 
tions, we find this family breaking up into widely diverse conditions. 
Let us consider briefly how far they have achieved the state so 
desirable for our immigrant population. There has been much inter- 
marriage of all lines with native and immigrant stocks which has 
resulted in complete amalgamation. The significant fact, however, 
is that here the process has consisted in the gravitation of members 
carrying defects, to defective members of native and incoming degen- 
erate strains, with the appearance in later generations of manifold 
defects, while the superior members have been accepted as partners by 
the better native strains. The vital point here would seem to be, not 
whether there has been amalgamation in a general sense, but what 
sort of amalgamation has resulted. Heredity studies are showing 
wide diversity in our native stocks, and it is a significant fact that, 
with incoming strains, those of low potentiality inevitably amalgamate 
with the lowest elements of our native population, while those of high 
potentiality amalgamate with the better elements. 98 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
A similar condition obtains with reference to assimilation. In the 
progressive lines it has consisted in the ready adoption of the ideals 
and standards of living of the better lines into which they have mar- 
ried. In the defective lines there has been a similar adherence to the 
lower ideals and standards of the degenerate native strains, and a 
decline in these standards in subsequent generations. 
We frequently hear the statement that pauperism among immi- 
grants disappears in the second generation. In our history pauperism 
does not appear at all until the second or third generation and only in 
certain lines. It then increases in ensuing generations. It appears 
to have its source, not in the strange, adverse conditions with which 
the immigrant naturally finds it difficult to cope, but in a native 
inability to take advantage of even favorable conditions. This inabil- 
ity, as we have already seen, is traceable to the mating of defective 
with defective. Our study accordingly lends support to a view which 
will no doubt prove to be very generally true as eugenic surveys are 
extended. According to this view, low economic worth is largely a 
matter of inherent mental defect, while mental defectiveness is not 
so much a question of race as it is a question of defective strains 
within that race. Every race has its good and its bad strains. Some 
no doubt have more of one kind than of another, but any selection of 
immigrants as the progenitors of the future American race, in order to 
be effective, should be based on the salient traits of the strains rather 
than the race to which the individual immigrant belongs. 
If, now, we inquire how far the initial defects found here might have 
been detected by any of the tests proposed for the sifting of the fit 
from the unfit, we secure evidence of the inadequacy of these tests in 
determining the potentialities of the persons concerned. The earlier 
generations of the Riel and Rode families were noted for their great 
stature and fine physique, this advantage being accompanied by dull- 
ness and mental backwardness, which, however, in no case appears 
to have amounted to obvious mental defect. At worst they seem to 
have belonged to a high grade of feeble-mindedness, which is so 
difficult of detection and hence rarely deported, but which by its 
marriage into inferior native strains founded lines noticeable for 
marked defect. 
In the case of Aaron and Mary Rufer, both were short and stocky 
and very strong. Current mental tests would assuredly have brought 
to light the wife’s defect of number and proportion, but here expulsion 
would have meant that of her husband, who represented the aggres- 
siveness, perseverance, and superior mentality of a strain which went 
far to counteract the weakness of the wife’s strain. The whole ques- 
tion is exceedingly complex. OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
99 
It is evident that such purification of the incoming strains of their 
most undesirable elements as effected by present methods goes 
far as a eugenic measure, but it seems clear, too, that to have the 
sifting-out process attempted at the ports of entry thoroughly effec- 
tive, it will need to be supplemented by studies both here and abroad. 
Studies abroad in order to prevent the transplanting of notoriously 
defective strains, and studies here which shall secure the location and 
registration of those that threaten to become increasingly unfit. Such 
registration could then be followed by appropriate action on the part 
of the State to prevent their further propagation. 100 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
XVIII. CONCLUSION. 
Finally, we may indicate certain bearings of the results of our study 
on the present-day program for race betterment. We have looked 
upon the course of development of the various lines considered here 
as a vast experiment in selective mating. In this process the better 
elements, though sometimes weak with respect to certain traits, have 
generally, through their own reaction to social and economic condi- 
tions, been brought together. Advantageous combinations thus 
effected have resulted in marked advance in economic worth. The 
worse elements, those weak or lacking with reference to many socially 
efficient traits, have, through their failure to effect matings with 
strength, persisted in their original defects and diversified their original 
weakness, and so sunk lower and lower in the scale of social fitness. 
As we survey the whole course of our national history, the view 
appears tenable that it is by similar convergence of lines in a process 
reaching far back into colonial and old-world history that great strains 
have arisen noted on the one hand for original enterprise and moral 
worth, and on the other hand for dependency and moral unworthiness. 
The questions may well arise here: How far is the control of matings 
practicable or desirable with regard to the evolution of such strains? 
Can the evolution of the former class be safely left to the natural 
preference of the healthy, energetic, and able to mate with their own 
kind? Since the worst strains seem powerless to effect improvement, 
and even with natural checks on their multiplication are becoming 
too great a burden on society, what means should be adopted for their 
elimination? 
Let us consider two of the more important eugenic measures that 
have been advocated in relation to the conditions set forth in this 
history. Such measures fall into five main classes: first, segregation 
and even sterilization of the grossly defective; second, state control of 
marriages through the operation of an eugenics board; third, Federal 
control of immigration; fourth, creation of an enlightened public 
sentiment in favor of eugenic matings; fifth, eugenic education of 
prospective marriage mates. 
So far as these families are concerned, the activity of public-spirited 
citizens has already resulted in the segregation of the living repre- 
sentatives of child-bearing age belonging to an entire imbecile line. 
In the light of our histories this action is amply justified. But what 
of the numerous defectives and degenerates of the other two socially 
unfit lines? As already pointed out, only one of them is at present 
receiving institutional care. The great majority lead a parasitic 
existence at the expense of the community and are thus a drag on 
any economic progress, while their menace to the moral growth of 
the social group is unquestionable. 101 
OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 
The most serious aspect of the problem at present is their rapid 
multiplication. In Line D alone there are in the latest generations 5 
feeble-minded women and 5 very defective men, 2 of whom are mark- 
edly alcoholic. All have consorts who are noticeably lacking in socially 
effective traits, and are reproducing at a rate which threatens more 
serious problems in another decade. Many of these people deserve 
permanent custodial care, but since a further survey will no doubt 
reveal many communities of the same type, whose segregation would 
mean too great a burden for the state, there would seem to be scope 
for some colonization scheme, such as New Jersey and New York have 
adopted in some cases. Such colonies could be made largely self- 
supporting. Their members would do a fair amount of work under 
supervision, whereas they remain idle when left to their own initiative, 
with the possibility of help, voluntary or otherwise, from their neigh- 
bors. Supervision in a State colony would counteract many of the 
evils for which these people are responsible at present. To anyone 
having close acquaintance with a community of this kind, the necessity 
for external compulsion in checking reproduction is clear and impera- 
tive. There is here no possibility of developing a sense of responsibility 
to the coming generation, and hence no check to be imposed but 
artificial ones. 
Where representatives of such degenerate strains become members 
of industrial communities, investigation and supervision by the social 
welfare bureaus of industrial plants afford a step in the solution of 
these problems. But is there not likelihood that this social work, 
unless accompanied by some form of birth control, will result in an 
ever-increasing proportion of those needing such supervision? Agencies 
of social amelioration in themselves are not effective as eugenic meas- 
ures. So far as they controvert natural agencies for the selection of 
fit strains, they need to be accompanied by conscious selection of fit 
strains, or verily our “last state shall be worse than our first.” 
A first-hand acquaintance with conditions forces this further con- 
clusion upon us: There is small probability that a law, such as some 
States have passed, involving voluntary confession of unfitness and 
with no penalty for violation or falsification, will go far to prevent 
marriage among these socially inadequate classes. Public sentiment 
has been active against their marriage for generations past. It was 
active quite recently against the marriage of a feeble-minded man of 
Line D and an immoral epileptic girl of bad stock, but the marriage 
took place in spite of all opposition. The chief trouble here is the 
absence of authority. “We all want the marriage stopped, but to 
whom shall we appeal?” is the general complaint when such matings 
are in prospect. 
This brings us to the second eugenic measure—state control of mar- 
riages through a State eugenics board with authority to investigate the 102 
HEREDITY AND SOCIAL FITNESS 
end and course of hereditary defects and prohibit certain unions under 
penalty. Only a board served by a corps of workers having scientific 
training sufficient to evaluate hereditary potentialities, and empowered 
to cooperate with boards of other States, could pronounce authorita- 
tive judgments and undertake the investigations necessary in a fluc- 
tuating population. But before we can arrive at the principles essen- 
tial to rational mating, we must traverse further the path of pains- 
taking investigation. This offers a fine field for research on the part 
of college and university classes in eugenics, as well as for the efforts 
of those having an interest in genealogy. No more instructive and 
fascinating study can be conceived than the tracing of special ability 
or high native talents to their beginnings. The valuable data thus 
collected should, however, be correlated by some central agency in 
order to be used in the further elaboration of eugenic principles. 
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