John Rudersdorf was born in Nassau, Germany.  He was the son of Johannes Rudersdorf and Mary Ann (Gross) Rudersdorf.  He emigrated to America with his parents just after the American Civil War.  They settled in Iowa County, Wisconsin where Johannes purchased farmland.  John went in to the brewery business, partnering with John G.French (spellings vary) in the town of Dodgeville.  

He was married in 1872 to Gertrude R. Miller.  they had six children together.  Eventually in the 1870s John would retire from the brewery business to become a taverner.

John Rudersdorf died on the 1st of August, 1897.  He was 48 years of age.