McDonough ILGenWeb

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 7, 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 4, 1826, and the latter in Schuyler County, Ill., March 12, 1840. 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.

---

Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, pages 994-995, extracted 29 May 2020 by Norma Hass.