McDONOUGH COUNTY, ILLINOIS HISTORY
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RUNKLE, STEPHEN A. (deceased), formerly a well known farmer in Industry
Township, McDonough County, Ill., whose widow, son and daughter are now
residents of Macomb, was born in Doddsville, McDonough County, March 29, 1852.
He was a son of DARIUS and ANNA M. (WALKER) RUNKLE, the former, a native of
Ohio, and the latter, of Pennsylvania. His paternal and maternal grandfathers
were WILLIAM RUNKLE and ANDREW WALKER. DARIUS RUNKLE was one of the first
settlers of Doddsville, and was a farmer by occupation. STEPHEN A. RUNKLE
received his early education in the public schools of McDonough County and
afterward pursued a course in the Gem City Business College. In early life,
before his marriage, he was a bookkeeper in the Bank of Macomb. He remained on
the homestead with his parents until 1885, when he moved to a farm one mile
north, which he cultivated for ten years. He died July 31, 1895, and was
buried at Doddsville. His family received 160 acres of land from the farm of
his father, DARIUS RUNKLE.
The subject of this sketch was a man of strict integrity, was dutiful in all
the relations of life, and enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew him.
In politics, he was a Republican. He was married February 07, 1883, to EMMA D.
McCLAIN, who was born in 1860, in Schuyler County, Ill., where she attended
the public schools. MRS. RUNKLE is the mother of two children -- LULU B., born
August 28, 1885, and REX, born February 27, 1887.
MRS. RUNKLE'S parents were William Stewart, and MARY J. (SELLERS) McCLAIN, the
former born in Montgomery County, Ohio, October 04, 1826, and the latter in
Schuyler County, Ill., March 12, 1849. Her paternal grandparents were JAMES
and MARY (STEWART) McCLAIN, the former born in Dayton, Ohio, and the latter,
in the same State. Her maternal grandfather was HARTELL SELLERS, a native of
Tennessee. After the death of her husband, MRS. RUNKLE, who is a most
estimable lady, moved to Macomb, and built a house on South Madison Street,
where she, her daughter and son now reside. Her son, REX, was bookkeeper for
his uncle, S. G. HOLLAND, who is engaged in the barrel stave business in
Nashville, Tenn., but returned to Macomb in the fall of 1905 and made his home
with his mother.
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Source: Original data: Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of
McDonough County. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1907.
Chapter: XXX page 994 - 995