Wifes of John Ransom Runyon

[Ira A. Runyan]

John Ransom Runyon 06/24/1887 - 11/22/1961

Robert & Amos Runyon listed in their book Runyon Genealogy, 1955 on page 48 three (3) wifes of John Ransom Runyan (1st- Pearlie Church 0n September 21,1910, 2nd- Monnie Hall and 3rd- Ella Belle Collins), however, his son Ira W. Runyan has stated that his father was married Seven (7) times. Ira W. Runyan stated that he saw one wife of John only one time, she was a "redhead" , the marriage not lasting long, ending with her going to Navada for a divorce. Two other wives were Ethel Queen (AKA Ethel Rice) and Ida Runyon daughter of Thomas P. Martin Runyon known as "Uncle Mart". He could not remember the name of the seventh wife, however his father lived with a Leolia Mullions for a while and he may have married her.

John was born John Ransom Runyan, however, he adopted the spelling of RUNYON, at an unknown point in time. As a result, public records can be found relating to John under both spellings of his last name. The name was spelled RUNYAN on the marriage records of wifes Monnie Hall, Ida Runyon, and Ella Belle Collins, but with RUNYON on the marriage record of Ethel Queen.

Know marriages documented by me are as follows:

He married (1) PEARLIE CHURCH1 September 21, 1910 in Pike County, Kentucky1. He married (2) MONNIE HALL1 January 10, 1917 in Greenup County, Kentucky2,3, daughter of JOSEPH HALL and BARBARA WHITT. She was born July 12, 1900 in Magoffin County, Kentucky, and died March 30, 1927 in Boyd County, Kentucky. He married (3) IDA RUNYON4 February 27, 1928 in Cattlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky5, daughter of THOMAS RUNYON and OLIVE WARMAN. She was born November 04, 1894 in Boyd County, Kentucky6, and died February 1986 in Garner, Kentucky6. He married (4) ETHEL QUEEN7 February 21, 1930 in Catlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky7, daughter of TOM RICE. She was born in Boyd County, Kentucky. He married (5) ELLA BELLE COLLINS SLACK8,9 June 26, 1943 in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky10, daughter of JESSE SLACK and JESSIE HENDRIXSON. She was born February 23, 1894 in Brackin County, Kentucky, and died February 13, 1967 in Ironton, Ohio.

It is further noted that written on the marriage records filed in Boyd County, Kentucky for Ethel Queen and Ella Collins, is the phrase "PLEASE DO NOT PUBLISH". John Ransom may have wished to keep knowledge of his marriages from his former wifes.

My father insisted until the day he died that his father John Ransom Runyon(Runyan) had seven (7) wives, but I have only documented five (5).

If any researchers should come upon documentation of the other two wives, I would love to hear from you.