Franziska (Frances) Ruhland was born October 24, 1848 at Untergrafenried, Kreis Cham, Oberpfalz, Bayern, Germany. She was the daughter of the unmarried couple, Xaver Zilker (of Hocha) and Barbara Ruhland. Catholic church records at Ast, Kreis Cham, show the baptism was October 24, 1848; the sponsor was an aunt, Walburga Dietl of Obergrafenried.

A ship passenger record for the S.S. Hansa which departed from the harbor at Bremen, Germany, arrived March 3,1871 at the port of New York, USA. Passenger number 145 was listed as Franzka Ruhland, age 22. The country to which she belonged was listed as "Pfalz." Pfalz could refer to any number of areas in Germany (for instance, Rheinland-Pfalz, Oberpfalz in Bavaria, Saarpfalz, etc.).

Frances Ruhland married Michael Gruber, a May 1871 emigrant from Prosdorf, Kreis Cham, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany. They were married August 20, 1872 at St. Ann Catholic Church, Buffalo, Erie County, New York.

A daughter, Anna Maria Gruber, was baptized at St. Ann Catholic Church in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, on June 22, 1873. A death record was found for Anna Maria Gruber who died at age 9 months of convulsions on March 21, 1874 and was buried at United German and French RC Cemetery, Buffalo, Erie County, New York. A tombstone was not found there in later years (grave 81, line 2, grave 58). The death record shows the family lived at 34 Cherry Street in Buffalo; the church was listed as St. Boniface.

About 1874, the family moved to Sauk County, Wisconsin, on a farm owned by William Alt.

Sometime between 1880 and 1885, the Michael and Frances Gruber family lived on a farm in Bear Creek Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin.

An obituary said, "At the age of 20 years, in 1868 she came to America. In 1872, she married Mike Gruber and they lived on a farm near Plain a number of years. Later they moved to a farm in Big Hollow and in 1916 came to Spring Green to reside. . . "

Michael and Frances had 11 children: Anna Maria Gruber, Gustina Gruber (Mrs. Simon Nachreiner), Frances Gruber (Mrs. John Haas), Anna Justina Gruber (Mrs. Joseph Blau), Rose Gruber (Mrs. Joseph Alt), Caroline Gruber (Mrs. John Blau), Joseph Gruber (married to Emma Alt), Theresia Gruber (Mrs. Alois Pletzer), Michael John Gruber (married to Mary Pletzer), Margaret M. Gruber (Mrs. John Brechtl), and Anton John Gruber (married to Clara Soeldner).

Granddaughter Clara Blau recalled that her grandma Gruber always had donuts when they visited.

On April 9, 1925, Frances died of pneumonia at age 76 at her home in Spring Green, Sauk County, Wisconsin. Funeral services were held at St. John's church April 13, 1925, conducted by Rev. Fr. Weikmann who was assisted by Rev. Fr. Surges of Plain, Stropher of Adams and Pickle of Prairie du Chien.

On February 17, 1931, Frances' body disinterred from St. Luke's old Catholic cemetery at Plain to the new St. Luke's Catholic cemetery to be buried near her husband.