Iowa History Project
Harlan, Edgar Rubey.
A Narrative History of the People of Iowa.
Vol III. Chicago: American Historical Society, 1931
p. 436
GLEN F. REDFERN, clerk of the District Court of Keokuk
County, was born and reared in that county, where his people have lived for
three generations.
The Redfern family came to Iowa from Zanesville, Ohio. They
are of Irish ancestry. Mr. Redfern's parents, James William, and Laura (Schultz)
Redfern, are honored residents of Martinsburg in Keokuk County. His father was
born in this county, was educated in local schools and for twenty-five years has
been employed in the duties of township offices. He and his wife have four
children: Glen F; Mrs. Audrey B. Halferty, of Des Moines; Mrs. Beatrice I.
Craig, of Chicago; and Mrs. Almeda A. Perkins, of Churdan, Iowa.
Glen F. Redfern, was born near Martinsburg, February 7, 1893,
and lived on the home farm with his parents while attending the common schools
and the Martinsburg High School, from which he was graduated in 1910. While in
high school he played baseball and a part of every day in school he assisted
around the home farm and after graduating remained a factor on the home place
until 1913. He then completed a course in the Cedar Rapids Business College,
receiving his diploma in 1914, was employed by several firms in that city and in
the fall of 1914 returned to Keokuk County and engaged in farming and in work as
an auctioneer.
Mr. Redfern in 1918 enlisted and joined the colors for
training at Camp Mabry at College Station, Texas, where he was trained for work
in the motor transportation corps and was advanced to the grade of truck master.
Later he was transferred to the Infantry Officers Training School, and received
his honorable discharge at College Station, Texas, in December, 1918.
After his military service he returned to Keokuk County, and
gave his industrious attention to his farming interests. Mr. Redfern in 1924 was
elected district clerk, beginning his duties in that office on January 1, 1925,
and he has been twice reelected. Prior to that he had served as tax assessor and
township clerk of Steady Run Township.
Mr. Redfern is a member of the American Legion Post at
Sigourney, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, is a Republican and a Methodist. He married, May 21, 1919, Miss Mildred
A. Williams, of Sigourney. They have one child, Don W., born June 7, 1925.
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p. 235
HENRY RUNGE, who died August 13, 1916, was the
founder of the Davenport business long known as the Henry Runge funeral
directing establishment, now conducted by his sons Martin and Harry H., under
the firm name of Henry Runge's Sons, proprietors of the Runge Mortuary. This was
the first modern funeral conducting service in Davenport and has long been
counted one of the real civic assets of the community. The business is located
at 822-824 West Third Street, occupying a building erected by Henry Runge more
than a quarter of a century ago.
Henry Runge was born at Davenport, June 7, 1861, one of
the nine children of Martin L. and Wilhelmina (Schwartz) Runge. His father came
from Germany and after a brief residence at Chicago moved to Davenport, where he
was connected with the packing business and for many years with the Davis Mill.
Henry Runge grew up in Davenport, attended the common
schools, and was a pupil in night school while serving an apprenticeship at the
upholsterer's trade. He was employed in the upholstering and furniture business
for twenty years, and after a special course in embalming at Des Moines
organized the firm of Weiss & Runge. In February, 1896, Mr. Runge
established his own business, and carried it on through the twenty years before
his death. In 1902 he erected the Runge building.
Mr. Runge was a very popular citizen and business man
and was affiliated with many social and fraternal organizations, including the
B. P. O. Elks, Knights of Pythias, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and
his family were Lutherans. His first wife was Emma Tess, who died in 1886,
leaving two children. On October 1, 1891, Henry Runge married Christina M.
Juergensen and of the five children born to their marriage four grew up, Edna,
Martin L., Harry H., and Henrietta.
The proprietors and managers of the Runge Mortuary
today are Martin and Harry H. Runge, both of whom were born in Davenport and
were given liberal opportunities for an education. Both are graduates of the
Hohenschuh College of Embalming at Des Moines and both had training in the
business under their father before his death. In recent years they have
remodeled the Runge Building, converting it into the first modern funeral chapel
and funeral parlors at Davenport. The brothers are members of the National
Funeral Service Bureau and the Mississippi Valley Funeral Directors Association,
of which Martin Runge is a past president. They also belong to the Iowa State
Association.
Harry H. Runge married Frances Smith. Martin Runge
married Mida Gilbarith, a native of Illinois, and has five children, Henry
Charles, William Martin, Albert Fred, Joan and Joyce.