My Genealogy Hound

HENRY S. RUNKLE, a prominent citizen and enterprising general agriculturist, owning a handsome acreage of valuable farming property in Cass County, Mich., was born on section 19, Milton Township March 13, 1857. Our subject is the son of Cool and Margaret (Wilson) Runkle, early settlers of Cass County. The Runkles are of German descent, and Adam Runkle, the paternal grandfather, was born, reared and educated in the Fatherland. An earnest and intelligent man, he appreciated the advantages offered by American citizenship and emigrated to America, locating in the State of New Jersey. The paternal grandparents later made their home in the Quaker State, and finally settled near Morrisville, N. Y., where they died. Six children blessed their home. The sons, four in number, were Cool B., Henry, John and Richard, The daughters were Sarah, Matilda, Euphemia and Anna. The father of our subject, the eldest of the brothers, was born in New York in 1817.

Cool B. Runkle, attaining to manhood, entered into the bonds of matrimony and was thrice married. His second wife was the mother of our subject. She was the daughter of James Wilson, who was a Pennsylvania farmer and of direct Scotch ancestry. The maternal grandmother of Mr. Runkle, Mrs. Margaret (Haslett) Wilson, survived her husband and married again. After the death of her second companion she removed to Michigan and made the long journey by wagon. A woman of courageous endurance and fine character, she yet survives and is hale and hearty. Of her three daughters, Margaret, the mother of our subject, was the eldest. Mrs. Margaret (Wilson) Runkle was the mother of five children. The four who lived to adult age were Margaret Kingsley, William A., Henry S., and Ida S. (deceased). The mother of these sons and daughters passed away in 1882, beloved and mourned by all who knew her. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and throughout her life was interested in the social and benevolent enterprises of her home locality.

The father of Henry Runkle removed with his family to Cass County, Mich., in the winter of 1844, and has been greatly prospered, now being numbered among the substantial and moneyed men of Milton Township, and estimated by many to possess the largest share of worldly goods of any citizen in his locality. In common with other members of his father’s family our subject received his schooling in his home district. He was early trained into the routine of farming work, and at twenty-one years of age began life for himself by tilling a portion of his father’s homestead. In the spring of 1883, Mr. Runkle located upon sixty acres on section 18, Ontwa Township, where he now resides. He also purchased at the same time forty acres. He has since bought four other farms of two hundred and twenty acres in Cass County making three hundred and twenty acres he has accumulated.

Henry S. Runkle and Miss Addie Smith were united in marriage March 25, 1880. Mrs. Runkle is a native of Milton Township, and is the daughter of Canon and Sarah (Dunning) Smith. Mr. Smith is a pioneer farmer of the township, and originally came from Delaware. The home of our subject has been blessed by the birth of three children: Ida A., Henry L. and William C. Ambitious and energetic, Mr. Runkle has steadily won his upward way, and, financially prospered, occupies an enviable position in the social and business circles of his home locality and enjoys the best wishes and high esteem of many life-time friends.