William C. Rapp was born in July 1844 in Wurtemberg, in what is now Germany. He and several brothers and sisters immigrated to the U.S., probably in the early 1850s and presumably with their parents. They settled in Marion County, Ohio. William enlisted in the 121st Ohio Infantry Regiment in August 1862. In the Atlanta Campaign, he was wounded in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (June 1864) and spent the rest of the war recuperating in military hospitals. After being discharged in April 1865, he moved to Richland County, Ill. and became a storekeeper. By 1871, he had returned to Marion County and married Clara R. Idleman. Clara was born in Marion County, 7 April 1847, the daughter of S. and C.A. Idelman. She had one sister, Lydia, and two brothers, Will and Cicero. She attended Smithville Academy in Ohio and became a schoolteacher. She and William had one child, a son, Orlando. Clara had a long history of health problems and by 1873 her health had markedly deteriorated. She died 8 Jan. 1874 at the age of 26, presumably from tuberculosis. In 1883, William was remarried to Ida M. Walters, a 32 year-old widow with 3 children. William died between 1900 and 1910. Jacob J. Rapp, William's older brother, was born ca. 1837. In 1861, he was in the newspaper circulation business in Terre Haute, Ind. By 1866, he had moved to San Francisco, Calif, where he held numerous jobs, primarily as a rooming house clerk. Another brother, George David, enlisted in the 4th Ohio Infantry Regiment in 1861, serving as corporal. A fourth brother, Louis Frederick, was born ca. 1839 and enlisted as a private in the 82nd Ohio Infantry Regiment in 1861. Little is known regarding a fifth brother, John. There were at least 3 sisters, Margaret Rapp Yager (Jaeger), Caroline Rapp Franklin and Elizabeth (Lib) Rapp Myers.
From the description of Rapp-Idleman family papers, 1861-1883. (Filson Historical Society, The). WorldCat record id: 61501545
