Runyan, Sanford T.

RUNYAN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/30/2021 at 00:07:14

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.926

SANFORD T. RUNYAN
Sanford T. Runyan, living on section 8, Belmont Township, where he owns a valuable farm property that returns to him an excellent income, was born in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, on the 9th of June, 1837, and is of German descent. The grandparents, however, were natives of Pennsylvania, in which state the parents, Phineas and Rebecca Runyan, were also born and reared. They lived in the Keystone state until after their marriage and the birth of several of their children and in 1844 removed to Miami County, Ohio. They resided in different parts of that state and finally settled in Logan County, Ohio, where the wife and mother died in 1865. The family then removed to Warren County, Iowa, in 1869, and took up their abode in Belmont Township in 1874. Here the death of Phineas Runyan occurred on the 27th of September 1880. Unto him and his wife were born eleven children: Hannah, who died unmar­ried; Elizabeth A., the widow of E. T. Brown, of Oklahoma; Benjamin D., who died in Warren County; George W., who died at Vicksburg, Mississippi; New­ton J., and Peninnah, both deceased; Sanford T., of this review; Mary, a resident of Indiana; Judson W., deceased; Lavina, who is still living; and William B., who died in Warren County.
Sanford T. Runyan, whose name introduces this record, was reared on the home farm and started out in life for himself when about eighteen years of age. He was employed at farm labor but after a short time began purchasing land, and in the course of years has become a prosperous agriculturist with valuable holdings, from which he derives a good income, supplying him with all of the necessities and many of the comforts of life. He put aside all business and personal considerations, however, when his country became in­volved in Civil War, and enlisted on the 19th of August 1861, as a member of Company K, Forty-second Regiment of Ohio Infantry, which regiment was commanded by James A. Garfield. He was all through the service until 1864. The first engagement in which he participated was at Sandy River, and later he met the enemy at Big Sandy, Crab Apple Orchard and Cumberland Gap. He was afterward on scouting duty for about a year and he participated in the siege of Vicksburg, in which he was wounded during the first day's fight. He was then taken to a hospital at St. Louis, Missouri, where he remained for several months, when he rejoined his regiment at New Orleans. From that point the regiment was sent to do garrison duty at different places and Mr. Runyan was discharged at Columbus, Ohio, on the 14th of November, 1864, after three years of active service, incurring many hardships and dangers as well as fierce battles and long marches, entailing much privation and suffering. Three different times he attempted to enter the army before he succeeded, as he was each time rejected owing to the fact that he had been wounded in the hand and had lost two of his fingers. It was only through the efforts of General Garfield that he was finally admitted to the service. Three of his brothers enlisted at the same time and one of them died at Vicksburg, while another was taken ill at the front and died at his home in the north.
When his military service ended, Mr. Runyan returned to Warren County and again engaged in farming. He was marred on the 7th of February 1874, to Miss Louisa C. Bodkin, a daughter of Martin and Sarah Ann (Pendey) Bodkin, who were natives of Clinton County, Ohio. In 1851 they came to Iowa, settling in Warren County, where the mother died in 1891, while Mr. Bodkin passed away in 1900, when well advanced in years. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Runyan are as follows: Effie M., the wife of Charles Flynn, a resident of Belmont Township; Phineas Emmett, who married Elsie Fausett, a resident of Otter Township and Benjamin D., who married Josie Litchfield and is living upon the home farm. Mr. and Mrs. Runyan still occupy this farm, which has been their place of residence for thirty-four years.
That he has lived an upright, honorable life, at peace with his fellowmen, is indicated by the fact that he has never had a lawsuit. He has never brought legal action against anyone, nor has he ever been called into the courts because such action has been brought against him. He enjoys the confidence of his neighbors and of all with whom he has been associated. He votes with the Republican Party, to which he has given his support since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, and he is a loyal and devoted member of the Methodist Church.