Ruth adopted Julia after marrying Claire Merritt Hodgson. Julia was Claire’s biological daughter, born Julia Marshall Hodgson in 1916, and became Julia Ruth after Babe Ruth adopted her.
Claire met Ruth in 1923 while she was raising Julia. After Claire’s first husband, Frank Hodgson, died, she and Julia moved to New York; Claire and Ruth married on April 17, 1929. Ruth’s adoption made Julia part of the Ruth family, and she later became an important custodian of his legacy.
Julia also had a younger sister in the household: Dorothy, whom Ruth and Claire adopted. That family detail can cause confusion, but the daughter specifically identified as Claire’s biological child and adopted by Ruth was Julia. Julia Ruth Stevens lived until 2019 and frequently spoke publicly about her father and his career.