BIOGRAPHY: John V. RUNK, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 528-529.

  JOHN  V.  RUNK,  farmer and stock raiser, Wayne township, Mifflin county, Pa., 
was born January 14, 1824, in Leacock township, Lancaster county, Pa.  He is a 
son of Samuel and Catharine (Balmer) Runk.  His paternal great-grandfather was a 
native of Germany.  His grandfather, Valentine Runk, was born in Lancaster 
county, where he owned in Leacock township one of the finest farms in that 
garden of the world.  He was the father of seven children.  Both he and his wife 
died in Lancaster county.  He was a Democrat.  Valentine Runk was a consistent 
member of the Lutheran church.  His son, Samuel Runk, had a good English 
education, and was a farmer in Lancaster county, where he was born and reared 
near New Holland.  He also worked at the construction of post fences.  In 1837 
he removed with his family to Huntingdon county, where he bought in Tell 
township a farm of 160 acres, which he improved with new buildings and in other 
ways, and which he cultivated to the time of his death.  He was married to 
Catharine Balmer, of Lancaster county.  They had thirteen children, of whom two 
died in infancy.  The eleven who reached adult years were:  Lucy, who died 
young;  Margaret A. (Mrs. John Snyder), now deceased;  David, deceased;  
Lucinda, deceased;  John V., of Wayne township;  Elizabeth (Mrs. William 
Snyder), of Shade Gap, Huntingdon county;  Samuel, deceased;  Hannah, the widow 
of Samuel Wyser;  Edward, a farmer in Cromwell township, Huntingdon county;  
Sarah J. (Mrs. Washington Morgan), of Black Log valley, Huntingdon county;  and 
Mary E., the widow of Charles Laird, of Black Log valley, Huntingdon county.  
Samuel Runk died in July, 1883.  His wife died in 1887, in Cromwell township, 
Huntingdon county,  Samuel Runk was a Democrat.  He was born a Lutheran, but 
connected himself with that branch of the Baptist denomination usually termed 
Dunkard.
  John V. Runk received a common school education in the schools of Lancaster 
county and of Dublin township, Huntingdon county.  He began life on the farm, 
with his father.  At the age of eight years he was put out with a farmer in the 
neighborhood, to work for his board and clothes, and remained in that place four 
years.  He then resided at home until he was nineteen years of age, when he 
found employment amongst the farmers in Germany valley for two years.  He then 
for one year drove a team at Shirley.  After two years as a laborer on the poor-
house farm, and another year of employment in Germany valley, he came to Wayne 
township, Mifflin county, where he was employed at farm labour by L. E. Johnson, 
for one year;  the next year he passed on the Cottage farm.  He also worked in a 
saw-mill for John W. Smith.  Mr. Runk spent in all upwards of thirty years in 
Wayne and Oliver townships, working as a farm laborer.  In 1869 he formed a 
partnership with D. M. Doll, of Oliver township, which continued for seven 
years, at the end of which time he sold out, and went to farming, renting 
various farms for four years.  In 1880 he bought his present farm of seventy-
five acres, on which he has made great improvements.  His first house was burned 
in 1881, entailing a heavy loss.
  Mr. Runk was married in Wayne township, to Mary C. Gilliland, born in Shirley 
township, Huntingdon county.  They have had fourteen children, of whom five died 
young:  Adam;  Lucy;  Margaret;  Henry;  and Jesse.  The nine who reached adult 
years were named as follows:  Prudence A. (Mrs. John Wible), residing in New 
York State;  Elizabeth (Mrs. John Bortel), whose husband is a saddler of 
McVeytown;  Hannah J., the widow of John Gilliland;  Martha (Mrs. Samuel 
Gerheart), of Oliver township, Mifflin county;  Sarah (Mrs. John Matthews), of 
Altoona;  Samuel, a farmer of Wayne township, Mifflin county;  Matthew, a 
Pennsylvania Railroad brakeman, residing at Altoona;  Emma (Mrs. George Vaughn), 
of Wayne township;  and Eva (Mrs. John Harman).  Mr. Runk has more than seventy 
grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren.
     John V. Runk is universally respected by his acquaintances for his 
industry, integrity and sterling worth.  He has held the office of supervisor of 
Wayne township.  He is a Republican.  A consistent member of the Presbyterian 
church, he is actively interested in Sunday-school work, being a teacher, and 
also the superintendent of the school at Mt. Hope.