Runyon Genealogy - Robert & Amos Runyon 1955

[Ira A. Runyan]

Robert and Amos Runyon spent many years researching the genealogy of the Runyon families who settled early in Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

In 1955 they privately published "RUNYON GENEALOGY" in Brownsville, Texas outlining the results of their research on the family genealogy.

The book has been out of print for at least 40 years now and both authors have passed away. I receive many inquires from family researchers asking where they can obtain a copy of the book to purchase. Although the book is out of print, sometimes a used copy will appear on the shelves of a used book dealer, but I think that is a rare occurrence. The book is available however in the Genealogy section or department of several libraries throughout the nation.

CAUTION: This book is an excellent starting point for your Runyon Family research, but it does contain some errors and omissions.

In the year of 1962, Robert Runyon printed a "Supplement to Runyon Genealogy" which corrected errors in the original book and also presented new information he had obtained after the original work had been published. (It should be noted that this supplement is extremely hard to find.)

[eddierunyon18]

Ira:

I am researching my line of Runyons descended from Isaac, and have so far, with the assistance of other family members and courthouse research, etc., confirmed the following as my line, but I would like to know if there is anyone out there who can help with the Henry Runyon, Jr. burial site. I know from reading that he died of a serious throat infection in Floyd County, Ky., but I have not been able to find anything about where he was buried. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I will begin my line as far back as I have it confirmed, based on research done so far:

Isaac Runyon b 1738 d 1820 and Charity (Gertie) Hageman

John Runyon B 1759 and Elizabeth "Betsy" Raemer (Runner?) b 1760

Henry Runyon, Senior B 1788 D 9-11-1859 and Elizabeth "Hannah" Collins

Henry Runyon, Jr. b 1821 and Mary "Polly" Blackburn b 1825

Calvary Runyon b 1846 and Amanda Blankenship

William (Willie) Runyon b 6-26-1882 and Maggie Blackburn b 1886

Nathaniel Calvary Runyon b 1903 and Myrtle Salmons b 1911

Calvary Runyon, Jr. b 1935 and Sandy Bevins b 1948

James Edward Runyon b 1967 and Yvette Newsome b 1969

As I said, any assistance or advice from this point on would be greatly appreciated. I am very interested in trying to find out where Henry Jr. is buried. I also noticed that this line stops with Willie Runyon on the link you have for descendants of Isaac, please feel free to use the above information to update it if you wish, as Willie was my GGrandfather. If you need dates, please let me know, the cemetary where he is buried is very close to here and I have a picture of their tombstones.

[eddierunyon18]

All:

The Pikeville College Library (Allara Library) has a copy of the Runyon Geneology book that Ira speaks of in their Special Collections room. Viewing this is available by appointment times only.

Eddie Runyon

[nancyr]

Just wanted to let you know that Runyon Genealogy by Robert & Amos Runyon is online at

babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89065894552;view=1up;seq=9

There are several errors, as Ira said, and one of the most glaring is this:
Phineas and his wife remained in Madison County (Ky) until after 1810; then they returned to Rowan County (NC), where he died.

In actuality, Phineas and Charity and a good portion of their descendants went one county west in Kentucky, to Mercer County, where they joined the Shaker community of Pleasant Hill and lived out their lives as Shakers. You can read more about the Phineas Runyon line from 1810 on at my website ourshakerheritage.blogspot.com/.

~Nancy Runyon Reddy

[Ira A. Runyan]

May 12, 2016 16:31:57 GMT -5 nancyr said:

Just wanted to let you know that Runyon Genealogy by Robert & Amos Runyon is online at

babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89065894552;view=1up;seq=9

There are several errors, as Ira said, and one of the most glaring is this:
Phineas and his wife remained in Madison County (Ky) until after 1810; then they returned to Rowan County (NC), where he died.

In actuality, Phineas and Charity and a good portion of their descendants went one county west in Kentucky, to Mercer County, where they joined the Shaker community of Pleasant Hill and lived out their lives as Shakers. You can read more about the Phineas Runyon line from 1810 on at my website ourshakerheritage.blogspot.com/.

~Nancy Runyon Reddy

Nancy, thank you for providing the link to the online version of Runyon Genealogy by Robert & Amos Runyon. Robert and Amos had supplied members of the family a copy of the book but it was never sold through bookstores. Over the years many people have asked me where they could get a copy, now I can give them the link to the online version.