Runkle Family Association Newsletters
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Runkles in America
Dear Cousins and Friends,
Well, here it is a new year and a new century, 2000. Where does the time go? It seems to move faster as the years go by. We have moved down to the shore at Forked River, and it is quite a change after north Jersey. But thank heaven all is well with the McCaffrey family.
We are planning our first 2000 reunion on the first Saturday of May, the 6th and hope many of you will attend. We would
also ask that some of you who were not planning on coming out, will make a special effort and come join your long-lost cousins and some friends
you may not have seen in some time.
Our most congenial hosts, the Runkles, Hazel and Ray, will welcome us once again on their farm in Mt. Airy, NJ. They
will proudly introduce us to their new granddaughter. So pack a picnic lunch, dessert and coffee or tea will be provided by Hazel, and a dessert
can be contributed by anyone who would like to bring something sweet. We meet around 11:30 AM for lunch and the meeting to follow.
Let's hope for another beautiful day in the country. Looking forward to seeing all of you there.
Most sincerely,
/s/ Audrey
Audrey McCaffrey
President
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ADAM RUNKLE WEBPAGE
The Adam Runkle Webpage is up and running. Jim Culbert, a member from Virginia, has been working on it. This is quite a job and we certainly appreciate all of his time and effort to get this going, but he needs help. There is information about Adam and Mary and listings for each of their children. We can help by sending him by e-mail our family lines under the other children. Jim has been working to put Abraham's line on and has put the last issue of the newsletter in there. This newsletter will also be put on it as soon as it is finished. For those who have a computer, the webpage can be reached at:
The object of having a webpage is to reach more people with information about Adam and his descendants. We had several inquiries as a result of the page, one from a young woman in Australia proved to be Adam's descendant. This young woman, Shanan Anderson, has her own website that is attractive and informative. She has some information about herself, art she likes, information about Australia, and her genealogy. You can reach her at:
mariahswind at yahoo.com
There are some things we as an Association have to decide at the May meeting. I will insert Jim's letter as he explains
it better than I can.
Dear Cousins and Friends,
I have been hoping some of you would e-mail me with more information for the webpage. It must come by e-mail so I can
insert it. There are some things you will have to consider at your May meeting. The donation to Rootsweb comes due in May. Are
you satisfied with this arrangement? Rootsweb also provides free web space with ads. Would you rather move the website to a free location,
and not support Rootsweb? I would like to have the Association keep supporting Rootsweb, as they are doing great work and are non-profit.
I will get notice in April, no doubt, for the donation. You will need to make a decision because the Treasurer will have to send a check.
If anyone has photographs they would like to link to the page, I do not have a scanner, but it can be done at Kinkos if anyone
wants to go to the trouble and then send to me.
I would like to hear from any of you with e-mail. Perhaps we can build a mailing list to talk about what the membership would
like. My e-mail address is:
jhculbert at yahoo.com
Sincerely,
Jim Culbert
If anyone would like to get in touch with me, my e-mail address is:
My mailing address is:
Jane B. Duffy, 11 Runyon Court, Tuckerton, NJ 08087.
I am always looking for information about you and your families to share in the newsletter. It becomes more and more
difficult to come up with ideas, I need your help. Anything you may remember about your great-grandfather or great-grandmother or grandparents,
old letters, diaries or anything about your Runkle family members you would like to share.
Encourage your family members to join us at the Reunion and to join our Association. This year we will be electing officers.
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GEORGE REA: 1774-1838
In the last issue I wrote about Abraham and Sarah Runkle's children. I mentioned daughter Elizabeth who married
George Rea. In the blurb about George in the Runkle family history, it states,
"George was a clock and watch maker in Flemington, Trenton and Princeton." A member and long time clock collector, Wesley
Peterson, sent me pictures and information about the tall case clocks that George made. Tall case clocks later became known as grandfather clocks. An example at right was said to be dated 1797, and was made of walnut and curly maple. The maker of the case is unknown. Clockmakers
were more like assemblers, putting the works, often imported into the cases that had been made by someone else. The faces were painted, and usually
the maker would include his name and sometimes the year.
There is something different in this clock as it has a completed arch at the top. Most all tall clocks had broken
arches. It was hand made and the works are thought to be American. Wesley had an opportunity to buy the clock, but it was too tall to fit
in his house because of low ceilings. He would have had to cut a hole in the ceiling or the floor to get it in so he passed on buying it.
As people became more prosperous in the late 1700s and early 1800s and built larger houses, tall case clocks became popular.
There were a number of clockmakers in the Flemington area.
In his later years, George devoted himself to farming and milling, having erected a grist mill on the Sand Brook where he made
his home. For about 20 years he was a Hunterdon County Judge. He was jovial and well-liked by those who came in contact with him."
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UPDATES
You may remember in the last issue of the newsletter I mentioned the Runkel Brothers Chocolate Company of New York City.
Well, after several tries I found out where I could get a copy of the Corporation papers as I hoped to learn the names of the individual Runkels. From that I hoped to find they were Adam descendants. There was Adam, a son of John Runkel, who married and went to New York state. He
spelled his name as his father did, Runkel. I had hoped to find their names and connect them somewhere.
Best laid plans of mice and men can go aschew[sic]. I received a copy of the corporation papers and there isn't a Runkel name
on it except the name, Runkel Brothers. It was incoporated in 1905. On the booklet we received it stated Runkel Brothers Chocolate Co.
Was founded in 1870. The only thing I can think of is these 5 men listed bought the company from the Runkels and were incorporating it in
their names. Hoping one had married into the Runkel family, I searched the Runkle book for one of the 5 names. No luck!
Assets listed were $500,000, which sounds like a goodly sum back in 1905. They were issuing stock at $100 per share,
2,500 shares preferred stock and 2,500 common stock. Interest would be 6%. Sounds good.
So-o-o, it looks as if I will have to start again. Hopefully, more later.
The Annandale Historic District project is moving slowly. The Clinton Township Historic Commission is meeting with
Mr. Dennis Bertland, a preservationist, in May to discuss background of the properties and setting up the next step to making Old Allerton Road
as part of the Annandale Historic District. This would include the Adam Runkle house and the McCloughan House. We eagerly await any
progress to preserve these two houses.
A NEW RUNKLE BOOK
June Runkle Grove of Felton, Pennsylvania has just published a book, The Runkle Family of York County, PA and Associated
Families. This book starts with Jacob Runkle who came to Pennsylvania, as well as Johannes, Nicholas and goes thru their lines and some of the
Virginia Runkles. The book is hard-bound with 505 pages, 12 color pages, and 25 family photos. The cost is $28.95 in Pennsylvania and
$33 by mail outside of PA. Anyone interested can order it from:
Dan Grove, 5331 Harmony Grove Rd., Dover, PA 17315.
Make checks payable to Industrial Buyer's Services, Inc.
June is planning another Runkle Reunion for Labor Day, 2000 in York County.
QUERY
A book found in an antique book store "The Helmet of Navarre" was written by Bertha Runkle. It was published by Gaylord
in New York City about 1915. Anyone heard of a writer Bertha Runkle? Let us know.
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RUNKLE FAMILY ASSOCIATION
Dear Cousins,
It is time once again to renew our membership in the Association, May 1st. Thanks to all of you for your support last
year and we hope you will continue your membership for another year to support our efforts to protect the cemetery and for future improvements.
It is especially important to support the newsletter which keeps us all in touch. Hope to see you at the Reunion in May.
Balance May 3, 1999
$2,614.86
Receipts:
Membership Dues
$620.00
Interest
35.08
Subtotal Receipts:
$655.08
$3,269.94
Expenses:
Secretary of State registration fee
15.00
Web site fee
50.00
Postage
43.10
Subtotal Expenses:
$108.10
Balance March 1, 2000
$3,161.84
Grace Cronce, Treasurer
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Membership Fee is $20.00. Please make checks payable to: Runkle Family Association
CLIP AND RETURN:
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NAME: ___________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: RUNKLE FAMILY ASSOCIATION, P.O. BOX 14 RINGOES, NJ 08551
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