The Runyan Family of Clark County, Ohio

HENRY RUNYAN, retired; P. O. Catawba. He is a son of Abraham Runyan, a native of Harrison Co., Va., who came to Ohio in the year 1806, and located in Warren Co.; lived there until 1811, when he with his family moved to Clark Co., and located in the southwest part of Pleasant Township. With the assistance of his children he opened and improved a farm, the one where H. L. Runyan now lives When he came the advantages for making a living were very limited. He died in November, 1836. His death was caused by a cancer. Henry was born March 15, 1809, in Warren Co., Ohio. Came to Clark Co., with his parents when 2 years old; was raised and educated, we might say, in the woods. When he attained his manhood he began farming. He was married, June 28, 1832, to Miss Rachel, daughter of John Jones, Sr. They had eleven children, of whom six are living. Mrs. Runyan died Oct. 23, 1853. He was again married, July 3, 1854, to Mrs. L. M. Chapman, daughter of William Eaton. From this union they had three children — Charles H., Lucretia M. and Cora B. When he began farming he continued at it four years; then for one year he engaged in oil-cloth manufacturing, at which time he embarked in the mercantile business in Catawba, and continued until 1842. He disposed of his goods and purchased a farm in Secs. 19 and 25; moved upon it and lived there two years. He was engaged in the mercantile pursuit twice afterward in Catawba, selling his stock of goods and purchased a farm each time. He has retired from business now about fifteen years. By industry and economy he has gathered considerable wealth. He owns several farms in Pleasant Township, and some town property.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

H. L. RUNYAN, farmer; P. O. Catawba. A son of Abraham, and brother of Henry Runyan, whose biography appears in this work. He was born Dev. 10, 1816, upon the farm where he now resides; was raised and educated a miller of the soil, and has always been in that way. He has been very successful at it, owing to his economy and industry; has 475 acres in two tracts in the southwestern part of the Township. He was twice married; first, June 17, 1841, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of John Wright, native of Virginia. Mrs. Runyan died April 24, 1852, leaving two children— Amanda and Peter L. He was again married Jan. 5, 1854, to Miss Mary E., daughter of John Melvin. From this union they had eight children, of whom six are living, viz., Monroe, Mellissa, Etta, Nelson L., Amos aid Fred.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

A. R. RUNYAN, retired farmer; P. O. Catawba. He is a son of Abraham, and brother of Henry Runyan. He was born Oct. 15, 1821, in this township; was raised and educated as a farmer, and has always been engaged in that pursuit. He was married March 5, 1843, to Miss Matilda, daughter of Amos Neer, native of Virginia, and one of the pioneers of this county. Mr Runyan lives in Catawba, and has retired somewhat from hard labor. He has several farms in the township. He is a local minister in the M. E. Church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

J. MILTON RUNYAN, one of the leading citizens of Pleasant Township, carries on general farming and raises horses and mules extensively on his farm of 440 acres, which is allen one body. He was born in Clark County, Ohio, June 20, 1841, and is a son of Henry and Rachel (Jones) Runyan.

The grandparents of Mr. Runyan, Abraham and Sophia Runyan, were among the Virginia pioneers who settled in Clark County in 1815. The burial of Sophia Runyan in 1823 was the second interment in the Asbury Cemeteiy.

Henry Runyan was born in Clark County, in 1809, and died in August, 1891. He married Rachel Jones, who was born in 1821, and died October 21, 1853. They had ten children born to them, seven of whom survived infancy, namely: J. W., deceased, who was married to Fidelia AVilson, had the following children — Clay, Lillian, Frank, Hattie; M. L., deceased, was married (first) to Sarah J. Mc- Conkey, and they had one child — Willie, deceased— was married (second) to Eliza Valentine, who survives, with their daughter, Irene; J. Milton; Esther A., who married J. W. Hendricks, has two children, Frank and Alfonso; Frank, who was a youthful victim of the Civil War, being killed at the battle of Louisburg, May 23, 1862. was the second soldier of Pleasant Township to fall; Mahala, who married Jesse Tarbutton, has five children, Jessie, Earl, Mertie, Claude and Carl; and Emma, who married Irwin Graham, has two children, Floy and Foster. Henry Runyan was married (second) to Maria Chapman and they had three children: Charles H., Maria and Cora. Charles H. Runyan, who is ])0stmaster at Catawba, married Malissa Melvine and they had five children. Maria married S. H. Neer and they had one child, Ross. Cora married

Frank McConkey and they have one child, Ruskin.

J. Milton Ruuyan was educated in the public schools and from boyhood has been acquainted with agricultural pursuits. In August, 1861, he left his peaceful life on his father's farm and enlisted for service in the Federal Army, becoming a member of the Sixteenth Ohio Battery, and after being on the field for a year was taken sick and was honorably discharged in 1862 at Columbus. He re-enlisted, entering Company D, One Hundred and Fortysixth Regiment, Ohio National Guards, and served the full 100 days and was honorably discharged in 1864 at Camp Dennison. He has resided on his present farm for the past thirty years, engaged in a general agricultural line, but paying particular attention to raising fine horses and mules. By trade Mr. Runyan is a miller and for eighteen years he operated the old mill which is still standing in this section. He remembers that during the first 5'ear he paid $2.50 and $3.20 for wheat per bushel, and even then was able to profit by grinding it. This mill was one of the first built in Pleasant Township.

On March 4, 1866, Mr. Runyan married Mary McClennen, who was born May 22, 1843, and is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ropp) McClennen, of Virginia. The McClennen children were: Mary J. Elizabeth, who married Milton Arbogast, has on child, Creston; Charles, who married Malissa Runyan, has ten children; George, who married Dorcas Hodge, has two sons, William aiTd Harry; Emma, deceased, who married William Longbrake, had four children.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Runyan is one of the leading Republicans of Pleasant Township. He has served in the office of justice of the peace for ten years and has just been re-elected to another term of four years. For twenty-one years he has been a school director and at various times he has served in the offices of trustee and road supervisor. His membership with the Odd Fellows at Catawba dates very far back and he has held all the offices in the local lodge. Both he and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a trustee.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

THOMAS WILLIAM RUNYAN, one of Pleasant Township's prominent citizens, has resided on his present farm of 427 acres, situated three and one-half miles south of Catawba, since 1871. Mr. Runyan was born in Pleasant Township, Clark County, Ohio, May 26, 1837, and is a son of George and Catherine (Jones) Runyan. -

The Runyan family is one of the old and substantial ones of this section. It was established here by Joseph and Eliza Runyan, the grandparents of Thomas W..

who came to Ohio from Kentucky and settled near Asbury Chapel. The country was still full of Indians and they were actively hostile, the settlers frequently having to seek safety in the block-house which had been erected for that purpose. George Runyan, father of Thomas W., was born in Kentucky in 1808. He was about eight years old when his parents came to Clark County, and here he was reared. He married a daughter of George Jones, of Pleasant Township, and they had the following children: Ann, Elizabeth, Eli, Josiah, Thomas, William, Lucinda, George Washington and John W. The eldest daughter of this family married Michael Wiet and their surviving children are: James, Mary, Catherine, Frank, Lucinda, Asa and Millie. Elizabeth, the second daughter, was married March 25, 1852, to John Page and their children are: Joseph, Charles, Isaac and John W. Eli Runyan married Jane Wilkinson and their sui-living children are: Jane, Mary Ann, Lizzie, Ella and Georgia. Georgia Runyan married Ashby Allender and they have five children and reside at Springfield. Josiah Runyan, who was born in 1834, died July 31, 1907. He married Elizabeth Hendricks and they had two children, Oscar and George. Oscar married Alice Smith and they have one daughter, Glennie. George married Carrie Patterson and they had two children, Bruce and Lewis, who were reared by their grandfather, their father having died when they were young. Lucinda Runyan was born March 20, 1840, and resides at Catawba. George Washington Runyan was born February 17, 1843, and died January 13, 1862, from the results of an accidental burn. John Runyan was born April 16, 1849. He married Frances Ropp, a daughter of Jacob and Isabel Ropp, of Pleasant Township, and they had two children, twin sons. Forest M. and Foster M., the latter of whom survives. He was accidental poisoned.

Thomas William Runyan attended the district school in his boyhood and has always taken a prominent place in his community. He was reared on the home farm but also learned the blacksmith trade. In a shop which he has near his home, all the large amount of blacksmith work required to be done on his large estate, is attended to. He continues to be actively engaged in general farming and is assisted by his son, Charles E., and his son-in-law. Minor Hardman.

Mr. Runyan was married February 25, 1858, to Phoebe Ann Demory, and they had two children, Charles E. and Hattie. Charles E. Runyan married Luella Mc- Chntock, and they have had four children, Stella, Ethel and Russell still surviving. Stella married Edward McCuUough. Ethel married William Sanders, and they have had three children, Helen L., Maurice C, and Martin Lee, deceased. Russell Runyan lives at home. Hattie, the only daughter of Thomas W. Runyan, was born May 29, 1863. On December 29, 1881, she was married to Minor N. Hardman, and they have three children, Charles 0.. who was born November 19, 1882, holds a responsible position in the Mad River Bank at Springfield; Annie M.; and Ralph 0., who was born December 25, 1894.

Thomas William Rimyan is the oldest member of Catawba Lodge No. 349, Odd Fellows, to which Minor N. Hardman and Charles E. Runvan also belong. The latter is also a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle No. 4, at Catawba, and also of the Rebecca organization. The whole family is more or less identified with the leading interests of this community.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FRANK CAREY RUNYAN, dentist, Springfield. Dr. Frank C. Runyan is a native of this county, being born in Pleasant Township in 1838, and comes of two of the oldest families of this section, Carey being the family name on his mother’s side, and they came from New Jersey; his paternal ancestry were from Virginia) His grandfather opened the first tailor-shop in Springfield. ' Dr. Runyan is, to a great extent, self-made; he worked on the farm until he was 20, near Catawba, then traveled, prospecting and trading, in Minnesota and Wisconsin, for a few years, after which he attended the Ohio College of Dentistry in Cineinnati, graduating in 1872; came to Springfield, practiced his profession ten years in copartnership with Dr. Phillips, and for the last eight years he has practiced alone, being the leading man in his profession in this city. On Nov. 5, 1874, he took a partner for life, in Miss Georgie W. Drury, of this city, whose family are from Maine; they have a son of 18 months, and a daughter of 3 years. Dr. Runyan's parents are both living, his father being now 68 and his mother 60 years of age. The Doctor is a man of pleasant and prepossessing manners.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.