< BACK TO 1902 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
< BACK TO BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES >
 

Thomas Rawlings Mrs. Thomas Rawlings	THOMAS RAWLINGS.    As a representative of one of the prominent and honored pioneer families of Champaign county, where he has passed his entire life and where he is recognized as one of the successful and progressive farmers of this favored section, it is certainly consistent that a record of the career and antecedents of Mr. Rawlings be given in this work.      He was born at the old homestead. in section 18, Urbana township, on the 28th day of August, 1836.  His father, James Rawlings, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, on the 28th of May, 1803, and came thence to Champaign county when he was about twenty years of age and became one of the early settlers of Urbana township, where he took up a tract of government land, founding the home where he lived to an honored old age the life of a prosperous farmer, settling his children, six in number, on farms around him so that the smoke of their chimneys could be seen from the old homestead and he could mount his horse and pay them all a morning call, returning to his home in time for dinner.  Here he died Oct. 21, 1886, in the fullness of years, secure in the esteem of all who had known him.  In politics he was a Whig, until the organization of the Republican party, when he identified himself with the latter, and ever remained a stanch supporter of its principles.  His father was Thomas Rawlings, of Loudoun county, Virginia, whose father, Pressley Rawlings, came to this country from England when a young man, accompanied by his brother Moses.  They located in Virginia and served in the Revolutionary war, fighting in the interests of the colonies.  Moses was never heard of after the war.  Pressley removed to Kentucky, being among the earliest settlers of the Blue Grass state.  There he purchased a tract of timber land and cleared a farm, upon which he spent the remainder of his days.  His son Thomas was the oldest of seven children.  Upon attaining manhood he married Miss Mary Tribbe, of Kentucky.  She inherited a tract of land and four slaves; her inheritance joined that of her husband.  They became the parents of nine children, of whom James was the fifth.      James Rawlings, father of our subject, married Susannah Irby McRoberts, in 1829.  She was born Sept. 16, 1810, while her parents were on their way from Kentucky to Ohio.  Her father, William McRoberts, was born in Kentucky, his father having been a native of Ireland, whence he emigrated to America and became a pioneer of Kentucky.  William McRoberts married Martha Irby Winn, daughter of John and Myrtilla Winn.  John Winn was born Dec. 31, 1759, in Virginia, and came to Fleming county, Kentucky, in 1796, in an ox cart with one negro boy and his cattle.  He was well educated and taught in the neighborhood.  When he left Kentucky he freed his negroes and became responsible for their good behavior.  Removing to Ohio, he entered land on Pretty Prairie in Champaign county, some of which is still held by his descendants.  He died at his home in Springfield, Ohio. Sept. 14, 1838. He was married to Myrtilla Minor on Friday, Dec. 14, 1787, by Rev. Thomas Grimes.  She died Aug. 1, 1822, Martha Irby Winn was born July 11, 1790, and died Dec. 19, 1848.  The above were the maternal grandparents of our subject, Thomas Rawlings.      James and Susannah (Irby) Rawlings were the parents of six children, viz: William J. W., Mary M., Jane E., Thomas, James H. and Douglas W.  William married Miss Elletta Jumper in 1863 and founded a home on Pretty Prairie, where he lived a useful and prosperous life, in his home, community and church, until Mar. 29, 1898, when he died, leaving a fair inheritance to his children, six in number, who with their mother still survive him.  His home, like those of his brothers and sisters, has always been in the neighborhood of his birth place, and he bent the whole energy of his strong character to the prosecution of the vocation to which he was born, and it was only a matter of course that he attained early in life to the front rank of Champaign county's foremost farmers.  While yet a young man he united with the historic Buck Creek church, which he served as an elder for many years.  In politics he was a Republican and he took broad and liberal views of citizenship, his influence being known and felt throughout the county.      Mary M. married T. M. Todd and their residence is also near the old homestead, where they have reared five children, four sons and one daughter; two, a son and daughter, died in early youth.  She and her husband and her children are connected with Buck Creek church.  Jane E. married John P. Knight and they now occupy the old home which was the father's.  Here they have reared a family of four sons, one of whom remains with them on the old farm, and the other three are out in the world filling responsible positions.  James H. married Miss Laura Townley, of Wyandotte county, Ohio, daughter of Rev. Gilbert Townley, a Methodist minister of the Cincinnati Conference, and Elizabeth (Hedges) Townley, daughter of Seton Hedges.  Mr. Townley was a native of New York. His death occurred in November, 1854, leaving a wife and three daughters.  James H. was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion and served with honor in Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio National Guard.  They were the parents of eight children, two of whom died in infancy.  They settled on a fine farm not far from the old homestead. Mrs. Rawlings died Aug. 7, 1892.  James, in later years, removed to Urbana, where he now resides.      Douglas W. married Miss Alice Townley, sister of Laura, and to them were born two sons and two daughters, the eldest of whom, Charles, died in early youth. Douglas W. also served his country in the war of the Rebellion, first as a member of the Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and afterward in the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio National Guard.  At the close of the war he settled on a farm near his father, just across the line in Clark county.  Here he lived for years, built a beautiful home and followed the vocation of the rest of the family.  He was known as a successful and progressive farmer, but having been always interested in politics he in mature life turned his attention that way and served for six years as county commissioner of Clark county.  He was the eldest representative of the county and at the close of his first term was nominated and elected state senator from the district composed of the counties of Champaign, Clark and Madison.  While serving as senator he came into prominence as the author of the “Rawlings bill,” which created such consternation among the manufacturers of the state.  After his retirement he lived a quiet life at his beautiful home on Pretty Prairie.  He died Mar. 14, 1894, at the age of fifty-one years, leaving a widow, two daughters and a son, Douglas, Jr., to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and loving father.  These brothers, children of James Rawlings, Sr., were all Republicans in politics, but were some what divided theologically.  The eldest two, William and Thomas. were Presbyterians, serving as officers in the old Buck Creek church for years.  The youngest two, James and Douglas, were Methodists, and also served in official capacities in that denomination.      Thomas Rawlings was born and reared on the old homestead, now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. John P. Knight, and received his educational training in the district schools, making good use of such advantages as were available in those days.  He left the home farm in 1865 and located on his present farm near that of his brother William.  He improved and added to the original area and is now living at ease, where he has spent the energies of his active and successful career, as a progressive and up-to-date farmer.  His political affiliations are Republican and he has since youth been an influential member of the Buck Creek church, of which he has been treasurer and trustee for the past twenty years.  His wife is also a devoted member of the same historic old church.  On the 16th of March, 1864, Mr. Rawlings was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Emily Humes, the daughter of Samuel and Mary A. (McNeill) Humes.  She was born in Union township, Champaign 'county, Jan. 27, 1835.  Her parents were natives of Virginia, whence they came as pioneers to Champaign county, where they passed the remainder of their days.  They had ten children, five of whom are living at the present time, four of them in the same community where the pioneer parents settled.  Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings have no children, but there are many now in homes of their own who embrace every opportunity to visit the farm which was home to them in their youth and to whom the large-hearted owners were far more than friends and employers. Source:  A Centennial Biographical History of Champaign Co., Ohio - Illustrated - New York and Chicago - The Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 580
At the Celebration of the Golden Wedding Anniversary of John H. and Mary H. Runyon, November 6, 1899	JOHN H. RUNYON.    When it is stated that for more than ninety years the name of the subject of this memoir has been prominently identified with the history of Champaign county, the natural inference will come that he was a representative of one of its earliest pioneer families.  He passed his entire life here, bearing and honoring an untarnished name, and his history forms a link between the primitive past and the modern days of prosperity and opulent privileges and improvement.  He saw the county in the days when it seemed almost on the borders of civilization, - its land wild and uncultivated. its forests standing in their primeval strength, its log-cabin homes widely scattered, and evidences of development few.  In the work of progress, through which such marvelous changes have been wrought, he bore his part. as had his father before him, and he gained rank as one of the substantial and successful farmers of his native county, honored for his sterling integrity of purpose and for all those attributes that make for strong and noble manhood.  Thus it becomes signally fitting that here be entered and perpetuated a member of his worthy life.      John H. Runyon was born on the farm, in Union- township. wherehis widow now maintains her home, the date of his nativity having been Dec. 10, 1817.  His father, Richard Runyon, was a native of New Jersey, whence he emigrated to Champaign county in 1801, the year prior to the admission of Ohio to the Union.  He located in the forest wilds of Union township, being one of the earliest settlers in that section, and here he reclaimed a portion of his land and became one of the founders and builders of the Buckeye commonwealth.  He continued to reside on his pioneer farm until his death, at the age of about three score years and ten.  He married Betsy Sargent, who came to this county from Virginia, and they became the parents of eight children, of whom the subject of this memoir was the third in order of birth, his mother having passed away at the age of seventy-three years.  John H. Runyon was early inured to the arduous work involved in the clearing and otherwise improving of the old homestead, where he was reared to years of maturity, his educational advantages being such as were afforded by the primitive subscription schools which were precariously maintained by the early pioneers.  His first presidential vote was cast on his home farm, in support of William Henry Harrison, his father having been justice of the peace at the time and a man of prominence in the community, his official position leading to the holding of the elections at his home, where, it may well be imagined, the facilities were few and the formalities slight, but no corruption or ballot-stuffing could ever be charged against those honest and sterling pioneers, whose lives were simple and their manhood exalted.  Our subject early took a prominent part in political affairs of a local nature, having been identified with the Whig party, and though his early advantages were most meager he had an alert mentality, and by reading and other personal application became a man of broad and exact information.  He assisted in the organization of the Republican party in this county and was a prominent factor in its affairs, having been for sixteen years treasurer of Union township and for eight years county commissioner, while for a long period he was a school director of his district, ever taking an active interest in all matters touching the general welfare and advancement of the community.  His religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church and was a dominating factor in his life.  He was one of those principally concerned in the erection of the Buck Creek church of this denomination, and for about a score of years held the office of deacon in the same, being one of its most zealous and devoted adherents.  From the time of casting his first vote for Harrison, in 1840, until his death, he supported every presidential candidate of the Whig, and later the Republican party, his last ballot having been given in support of the lamented President McKinley, in 1900.  He passed his entire life on the old homestead on which his father located in the early days. and here he made the best of improvements and at the time of his death left a valuable landed estate of two hundred and fifty-five acres.  He passed away on the 4th of March, 1901, in the fulness of years and crowned with the honors which reward a life of usefulness and sterling integrity, his death being felt as a personal bereavement by the people of the community where he had lived and labored to such goodly ends.      On the 6th of November, 1849, Mr. Runyon was united in marriage to Miss Mary H. Todd, who survives him and who maintains her abode in the home so hallowed by the memories and associations of the past.  She was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of October, 1822. being the daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Allen) Todd.  both of whom were natives of that same county. where their marriage was solemnized.  In 1840 they came to Champaign county, Ohio, and located near Buck Creek church, in Union township, and here the father died at the age of forty-six years, being survived by his widow for many years, and having been in her sixty-ninth year at the time of her death.  They became the parents of eight children, of whom two survive.  Mrs. Runyon having been the third in order of birth.  She was about seventeen years of age when the family came to Champaign county, and here she has ever since maintained her home, having the sincere esteem and friendship of the people of the community and being a devoted member of the church with which her husband was so long and prominently identified.  She became the mother of two sons and one daughter, of whom R. Heber and Nancy A. are deceased.  The surviving son, John N., has control of the homestead farm and has remained a bachelor. Source:  A Centennial Biographical History of Champaign Co., Ohio - Illustrated - New York and Chicago - The Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 200
Daniel W. Rutan	DANIEL W. RUTAN.    A representative of one of the prominent pioneer families of Champaign county, Daniel William Rutan has spent his entire life within its borders, so that his history is known to many of its citizens.  His large circle of friends is an unmistakable evidence of a well spent life, and it is therefore with pleasure that we present his record to our readers as that of one of the leading and honored business men of the community.      He was born in Goshen township, Champaign county, Apr. 30, 1839.  His paternal grandfather, Daniel Rutan, claimed Maryland as the state of his nativity, and he was one of the very early pioneers of this county, where he resided on a farm in Goshen township.  He was twice married, his first union being with Mary Hazel, while for his second wife he chose Mary Riddle.  Daniel M. Rutan, the father of our subject, also had his nativity in Goshen township, Champaign county, and for his wife he chose Hannah Colwell, a native of Rush township, this county, where her father, John Colwell, had removed from New Jersey.  After their marriage they took up their abode on a farm in Goshen township, where the father died before his son had reached the age of three years, but the mother, who was born in 1812, lived to the age of seventy-four years.  They became the parents of two children, a son and a daughter, and the latter is the widow of George A. Rowinsky.  She is a correspondent for the Urbana Citizen.      Daniel W. Rutan, the younger of the two children, received the advantages of a common-school education in his youth, and at the early age of eighteen years he started out in life to battle for himself.  He first secured employment on the neighboring farms, and later he taught school until his labors were interrupted by the Civil war, when, in 1861, he enlisted for service in Company D, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, entering the ranks as a private, and was soon promoted to the position of corporal, and at the close of his service, in 1864, was discharged with the rank of second lieutenant.  During his military career he took part in many of the hard-fought battles of the war, including those of Pittsburg Landing, Stone River, Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge.  Although he was ever in the thickest of the fight he was never wounded or captured, and he participated in every engagement in which the gallant Thirteenth took part up to the time of his discharge in 1864.      After his return home Mr. Rutan again took up the quiet duties of the farm.  After his marriage he located on a small farm in this locality, but later he sold that tract and purchased a part of his present place.  He is now the owner of two valuable farms in Champaign county, consisting of three hundred and twenty-nine acres.  During recent years, however, he has abandoned the raising of the cereals and has devoted his attention entirely to the stock business.  He is an extensive feeder of stock, and his efforts in this direction are meeting with success.  His methods are in keeping with the progressive spirit of the times and his well improved property is a monument to his thrift and business ability.      On the 1st of September, 1864, occurred the marriage of Mr. Rutan and Miss Lucy A. Kimball.  She is a native of Union county, Ohio, and was reared in both Union and Champaign counties.  By her marriage to our subject she has become the mother of eight children, namely: Warren, who married Clara Gove and is a prominent farmer of Union township; Glen, who was first married to Nettie Doak, and for his present wife he chose Della McAdanns; Hiram E., who is still unmarried and makes his borne in Greene county, Ohio; Benjamin M., married Jennie Owen and is engaged in the creamery business at Marysville, Ohio; Mary, the wife of A. E. Bullard, a farmer of Goshen town ship; Nellie, the wife of Dr. A. O. Whitaker, a practicing physician of South Charleston, Clark county, Ohio; David W., who is also in Greene county, and Martha D., at home.  In politics Mr. Rutan is a Republican, and a member of Stephen Baxter Post, No. 88, G. A. R., in which he maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades.  He is widely known throughout Champaign county, many of his friends having been his associates from boyhood, and all respect and honor him for his genuine worth. Source:  A Centennial Biographical History of Champaign Co., Ohio - Illustrated - New York and Chicago - The Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 136