Aaron Runyon in Davidson County, NC

[Ira A. Runyan]

I received an E-mail relating to a Aaron Runyon DOD September 11,1788, which in part said:

"My reason for contacting you is because I was working through Vol II of the Cemetery Records of Davidson County, NC and on pages 146 and 147 are two Runyon names, Aaron who died 11 Sep 1788 and on page 147 a ...t Runyon who died 30Apr 1784, most likely spouse of Aaron. My family , Hughes is from Davidson County and I bought this book to help with my research. I also try to help other folks when I find interesting cemeteries in this book and when not uploaded to findagrave.com I add and then research those names. Aaron was one of those, I can only find Aaron Runyon who supposedly died in NJ.

Are you familiar with any Runyon Family in Davidson County, NC?"

I have not been able to find any information at all relating to this Aaron Runyon.

Do any of you have information on this Aaron Runyon who died 9/11/1788 in Davidson County, NC?

[Ira A. Runyan]

The person who sent me the E-mail on this subject received this from another family researcher.......

"Hi Jerry - I suspect that second Runyon grave is Aaron's brother Robert Runyon.

The notes I do have on their 30 or so years in North Carolina came primarily from "Under the Runyon Tree", vol. 11, no. 1, 1992 and ancestrees.com/pedigree/8797.htm. Rowan County was always mentioned as their home in NC and that makes sense, as Davidson was formed from Rowan. Land records show Phineas buying and selling land on Cabin Creek and Lick Creek (and the Cabin Creek land was sold to a Ward). An interview conducted with a grandson of Phineas provides the information that two of the sons, Aaron and Robert died in North Carolina.

Here are my notes on North Carolina. I hope it helps. ~ Nancy

PHINEAS was a tax assessor in Hunterdon County when he and his family moved to Rowan County, N.C. to escape harassment from the Tories.

Phineas and Charity Runyon with their Children emigrated to Madison County, Kentucky during the autumn of 1795 or in 1796.
They moved to North Carolina between 1765 and 1767.

He was a blacksmith and planter in N.C.

On Dec. 25, 1779 Phineas Runyon purchased 240 acres of land from Allen Parke and Elizabeth, his wife, located on Cabbin Creek in Rowan County, NC. The consideration was 200 pounds of current money.

Phineas Runyon was Captain of "Runyon Tax District". For the year of 1784 he rendered 490 acres of land for taxation.
On March 30, 1795 Phineas sold his farm on Lick Creek, Rowan County to Catherine Weaver for 145 pounds.

On Sept. 10, 1795 he sold his tract of land on Cabbin Creek to William Ward for 300 pounds of hard money.

After the Revolutionary War Phineas and Charity Runyon with their surviving children emigrated to Madison County, Kentucky (during the autumn of 1795 or in 1796). They bought a plantation just outside Richmond, and eventually joined the Shaker movement at Pleasant Hill near Harrodsburg with four of his adult children and their families.
----
Richard Runyon the grandson of Phineas Runyon & Charity Coats wrote about his grandfather as follows;

"I have been able to trace the connection no farther back than my great grand-father.. He had brothers and sisters, but how many I do not know....He lived in the state of New Jersey.....He had but two children, Phineas and an infant that died without a name...
Phineas was born about the year 1743, his mother died while he was yet a child and his father remarried but had no children.... At and early age he was married to Charity Coats.... After several years residence in New Jersey he (Phineas) emigrated to North Carolina, Rowan County, where nearly all of his family were born... He possessed good land and was a black-smith...
He had 14 children viz, John, William, Aaron, Robert, Joseph, Michael, Barefoot, Martin, Absolam, Embly, Isaac, Charity, Mercy, Mary... Two sons, Aaron and Robert died in North Carolina..

About 1795 he and the rest of his family emigrated to Madison County, Kentucky, and settled on Otter Creek, three miles north east of Richmond, Kentucky...

After there several years and his children all married he joined the Shakers, and moved to Mercer County, Kentucky, and sold his plantation to my father who still lives there( this was Phineas' son Absolam)

The rest of his family migrated, Joseph, Martin, Embly and Mercy to Shakertown (with Phineas)
John, William, Michael and Charity to Ohio, Barefoot to Barren County, Kentucky and Isaac and Mary to Missouri... My grandfather (Phineas) moved to Shakertown about the 65th year of his age. I never saw him (Phineas) but once in my life. I went to see him about 2 years before he died. He was very old and blind. He died Jan 21 1831.

It is the oldest Runyon record I have ever seen. Evidently Richard Runyon knew who his great grandfather was but he does not say.

Signed Marvin C Shepherd"
Geri Halstead " UNDER THE RUNYON TREE"